Morphine abuse

A study published in 2000 reviewed data obtained from 1990 to 1996 on the number of morphine prescriptions written, and the emergency room admissions related to its abuse. Doctors prescribed 59% more morphine in that time period. Yet the number of people seeking emergency aid for morphine abuse rose by just 3%. The... 

Endogenous opiates also help form new brains cells. Morphine abuse will interfere with this process, ultimately destroying the formation of new cells. 

In Figure 2.4 the serum concentrations of three tablet forms of a drug are compared with its IV form. As you can see, tablets A and B have approximately the same bioavailability (AUC). Tablet C, on the other hand, has significantly less. Poor oral bioavailability can obviously influence a drug s ideal mode of delivery. It is because of poor oral bioavailability (approximately 25 percent) of heavily charged weak bases, such as the opiates (pKa values in the range of 8.0-9.0), that heroin and morphine abusers resort to injection of the drugs to maximize their effects. 

Correct choice = A. Methadone shows an analgesic action similar to that of morphine. Methadone is effective for 15 to 20 hr, whereas morphine acts for 4 to 6 hr. A major advantage of using methadone in the controlled withdrawal of heroin and morphine abusers is that it can be given orally. 

During the twentieth century, morphine abuse became a major social problem, and authorities moved to regulate the production and sale of the drug. Unfortunately, they failed to gain control of it, and morphine addiction remains a huge... 

Codeine, like morphine, is isolated from the opium poppy. However, the low yield of 0.7—2.5% does not provide sufficient material to meet commercial demands. The majority of marketed codeine is prepared by methylating the phenolic hydroxyl group of morphine. Morphine yields from opium poppy are 4—21%. When prescribed for cough, the usual oral dose is 10—20 mg, three to four times daily. At these doses, adverse side effects are very few. Although the abuse potential for codeine is relatively low, the compound can substitute for morphine in addicts (47). 

More radical dissection of the morphine molecule was in progress concurrently with the work above. The chemistry of the series of analgesics that rely on an acyclic skeleton, the compounds related to methadone, is discussed earlier. Suffice it to say that this series of agents, with the possible exception of propoxyphene, seem to share abuse and addiction potential with their polycyclic counterparts. 

Tramadol is a pain reliever (analgesic). Its action is similar to opioid narcotics such as codeine and morphine, but it does not depress breathing the way the others can, and less often leads to abuse and addiction. 

Bleich A, Gelkopf M, Weizman T, et al Benzodiazepine abuse in a methadone maintenance treatment clinic in Israel characteristics and a pharmacotherapeutic approach. Isr J Psychiatry Relat Sci 39 104-112, 2002 Bohn LM, Gainetdinov RR, Lin FT, et al Mu-opioid receptor desensitization by beta-arrestin-2 determines morphine tolerance but not dependence. Nature 408 720— 723, 2000... 

Hien DA, Nunes E, Levin FR, et al Posttraumatic stress disorder and short-term outcome in early methadone treatment. J Subst Abuse Treat 19 31-37, 2000 Himmelsbach CK The morphine abstinence syndrome, its nature and treatment. Ann Intern Med 13 829-839, 1941... 

Jasinski DR, PevnickJS, Griffith JD Human pharmacology and abuse potential of the analgesic buprenorphine. Arch Gen Psychiatry 35 501-516, 1978 Jasinski DR, Johnson RE, Kocher TR Clonidine in morphine withdrawal differential effects on signs and symptoms. Arch Gen Psychiatry 42 1063-1066, 1983... 

Kleber HD, Weissman MM, Rounsaville BJ, et al Imipramine as treatment for depression in addicts. Arch Gen Psychiatry 40 649-633, 1983 Kleber HD, Riordan CE, Rounsaville BJ, et al Clonidine in outpatient detoxification from methadone maintenance. Arch Gen Psychiatry 42 391-394, 1983 Kleber HD, Topazian M, Gaspari J, et al Clonidine and naltrexone in the outpatient treatment of heroin withdrawal. Am J Drug Alcohol Abuse 13 1-17, 1987 Kornetsky C. Brain stimulation reward, morphine-induced stereotypy, and sensitization implications for abuse. Neurosci Biobehav Rev 27 777-786, 2004 Kosten TR, Kleber HD Buprenorphine detoxification from opioid dependence a pilot study. Life Sci 42 633-641, 1988... 

Heroin, a synthetic derivative of the p opioid receptor agonist morphine, is a well-documented narcotic that alters mood and rewarding behaviors. To date, heroin is the most abused opioid with an estimated 750,000-1,000,000 hardcore users in the... 

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