Peripherally Acting Opioids in Orofacial Pain
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Updated: Nov 5, 2025

Assessment of Nerve Injury-Induced Mechanical Hypersensitivity in Rats Using an Orofacial Operant Pain Assay
Published on: July 26, 2022
Qing Liu1,2, Hongwen He2,3, Lijia Mai1,2
1Department of Pediatric Dentistry, Guanghua School of Stomatology, Hospital of Stomatology, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, China.
Abstract:
The activation of opioid receptors by exogenous or endogenous opioids can produce significant analgesic effects in peripheral tissues. Numerous researchers have demonstrated the expression of peripheral opioid receptors (PORs) and endogenous opioid peptides (EOPs) in the orofacial region. Growing evidence has shown the involvement of PORs and immune cell-derived EOPs in the modulation of orofacial pain. In this review, we discuss the role of PORs and EOPs in orofacial pain and the possible cellular mechanisms involved. Furthermore, the potential development of therapeutic strategies for orofacial pain is also summarized.
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