Non peptidic ligands at the opioid receptor like-1 (ORL-1)

Opioid receptor like-1 (ORL-1) has recently been indicated as a potentially useful target for the treatment of a number of central disorders and several other diseases. This review deals with non peptidic ligands at the ORL-1 receptor, focusing on their structural and binding properties. Agonism or antagonism evidenced from functional experiments is also commented. For some compounds, possible therapeutic applications are considered.