Characterization and therapeutic potential of opioid vaccines: a narrative review of the literature

Abstract

Opioids are substances that act on specific receptors present in our central nervous system. They are used to treat acute and chronic pain in individuals in post-operative situations, burns, multiple traumas or drug addicts undergoing treatment. However, their properties can induce addiction, leading to dependence and tolerance to the drug. Opioid addiction has emerged as a growing global health problem. The high rates of overdose due to this addiction have become a major challenge, requiring the development of effective therapeutic approaches to contain the damage caused to the population. Current treatment methods used to contain addiction consist of psychotherapy and drug therapies. The latter, in turn, have limitations such as adverse effects and risks of relapse, generating the need for safe and effective long-term treatment, such as vaccine therapies. This narrative literature review seeks to clarify the challenges involved in the characterization and therapeutic potential of vaccines against opioids, a promising approach in the face of the global addiction crisis and increasing overdose deaths. Analyses were conducted based on detailed bibliographic reviews on the subject in databases such as SciELO (Scientific Electronic Library Online), PubMed (National Library of Medicine), BJIHS (Brazilian Journal of Implantology and Health Sciences) and Medline (Medical Literature Analysis and Retrieval System Online), with the inclusion criteria being publications dated from 2011 to 2024. After the reviews, it was found that specific antibodies to opioids were produced through clinical trials performed on animals. Despite the promising results, the research points to the need for further clinical studies to validate safety and efficacy in humans. Anti-opioid vaccines have great potential as a new therapeutic strategy to mitigate the current crisis of opioid addiction and overdose.