Delta-opioid receptor agonists

Amoxapine, sold under the brand name Asendin among others, is a tricyclic antidepressant (TCA). It is the N-demethylated metabolite of loxapine. Amoxapine first received marketing approval in the United States in 1980, approximately 10 to 20 years after most of the other TCAs were introduced in the United States.

Levorphanol (brand name Levo-Dromoran) is an opioid medication used to treat moderate to severe pain. It is the levorotatory enantiomer of the compound racemorphan. Its dextrorotatory counterpart is dextrorphan.

Etorphine (M99) is a semi-synthetic opioid possessing an analgesic potency approximately 1,000–3,000 times that of morphine. It was first prepared in 1960 from oripavine, which does not generally occur in opium poppy extract but rather the related plants Papaver orientale and Papaver bracteatum. It was reproduced in 1963 by a research group at MacFarlan Smith in Edinburgh, led by Kenneth Bentley. It can be produced from thebaine.

Mitragynine is an indole-based alkaloid and is one of the main psychoactive constituents in the Southeast Asian plant Mitragyna speciosa, commonly known as kratom. It has also been researched for its use to potentially manage symptoms of opioid withdrawal. It is a partial agonist of the mu-opioid receptors; and as such can produce effects similar to those of classical opioids such as morphine.

Levomethorphan (LVM) (INN, BAN) is an opioid analgesic of the morphinan family that has never been marketed. It is the L-stereoisomer of racemethorphan (methorphan). The effects of the two isomers of racemethorphan are quite different, with dextromethorphan (DXM) being an antitussive at low doses and a hallucinogen at much higher doses. Levomethorphan is about five times stronger than morphine.

Met-enkephalin, also known as metenkefalin (INN), sometimes referred to as opioid growth factor (OGF), is a naturally occurring, endogenous opioid peptide that has opioid effects of a relatively short duration. It is one of the two forms of enkephalin, the other being leu-enkephalin. The enkephalins are considered to be the primary endogenous ligands of the δ-opioid receptor, due to their high potency and selectivity for the site over the other endogenous opioids.

Samidorphan (, ) is an opioid antagonist that in the form of olanzapine/samidorphan (sold as Lybalvi) is used in the treatment of schizophrenia and bipolar disorder. Samidorphan reduces the weight gain associated with olanzapine. Samidorphan is taken by mouth.

Alazocine (developmental code name -10047), also known more commonly as '''N-allylnormetazocine (NANM'''), is a synthetic opioid analgesic of the benzomorphan family related to metazocine, which was never marketed. In addition to its opioid activity, the drug is a sigma receptor agonist, and has been used widely in scientific research in studies of this receptor. Alazocine is described as a potent analgesic, psychotomimetic or hallucinogen, and opioid antagonist. Moreover, one of its enantiomers was the first compound that was found to selectively label the σ1 receptor, and led to the discover

(+)-BW373U86 is an opioid analgesic drug used in scientific research.

DADLE ([D-Ala2, D-Leu5]-Enkephalin) is a synthetic opioid peptide with analgesic properties. Although it is often considered a selective δ-opioid receptor agonist, it also binds to the μ1 subtype of μ-opioid receptors.

Leu-enkephalin is an endogenous opioid peptide neurotransmitter with the amino acid sequence Tyr-Gly-Gly-Phe-Leu that is found naturally in the brains of many animals, including humans. It is one of the two forms of enkephalin; the other is met-enkephalin. The tyrosine residue at position 1 is thought to be analogous to the 3-hydroxyl group on morphine. Leu-enkephalin has agonistic actions at both the μ- and δ-opioid receptors, with significantly greater preference for the latter. It has little to no effect on the κ-opioid receptor.

Isomethadone (INN, BAN; trade name Liden; also known as isoamidone) is a synthetic opioid analgesic and antitussive related to methadone that was used formerly as a pharmaceutical drug but is now no longer marketed. Isomethadone was used as both an analgesic and antitussive. It binds to and activates both the μ- and δ-opioid receptors, with the (S)-isomer being the more potent of the two enantiomers. Isomethadone is a Schedule II controlled substance in the United States, with an ACSCN of 9226 and a 2014 aggregate manufacturing quota of 5 g. The salts in use are the hydrobromide (HBr, free bas

Xorphanol (INN; also known as xorphanol mesylate (USAN); developmental codes TR-5379 or TR-5379M) is an opioid analgesic of the morphinan family that was never marketed.

Hemorphin-4 is an endogenous opioid peptide of the hemorphin family which possesses antinociceptive properties and is derived from the β-chain of hemoglobin in the bloodstream. It contains a tetrapeptide core with the amino acid sequence Tyr-Pro-Trp-Thr. Hemorphin-4 serves as a opioid receptor ligand that has affinities for the μ-, δ-, and κ-opioid receptors in the same range as the structurally related β-casomorphins, although affinity to the κ-opioid receptor is markedly higher in comparison. It acts as an agonist at these sites. It presents high affinity for other receptors such as angioten

Cyclorphan is an opioid analgesic of the morphinan family that was never marketed. It acts as a μ-opioid receptor (MOR) weak partial agonist or antagonist, κ-opioid receptor (KOR) full agonist, and, to a much lesser extent, δ-opioid receptor (DOR) agonist (75-fold lower affinity relative to the KOR). The drug was first synthesized in 1964 by scientists at Research Corporation. In clinical trials, it had relatively long duration, good absorption, and provided strong pain relief but produced psychotomimetic effects via KOR activation, so its development was not continued.