Molecular Interaction Between Butorphanol and K-opioid Receptor

( Anesth Analg . 2020;131:935–942) An estimated 4% of adults in the United States misuse prescription opioids, caused in part by inappropriate prescribing. There is a lack of understanding of the pharmacological profiles of opioids and their medical indications. Butorphanol is a schedule intravenous opioid, less likely to be abused than morphine, but a more potent analgesic. Morphine is a full μ-opioid receptor agonist, while butorphanol is a partial μ-opioid receptor agonist and a K-opioid receptor (KOR) agonist. The butorphanol and KOR interactions between may be unique and of pharmacological and clinical importance. This study used computational and in vitro experiments to explore the interactions between butorphanol and KOR.