Synthetic opioid drugs tramadol

If the FDA recommends not to schedule a drug, then the DEA is powerless to schedule the drug on its own. This occurred in the case of the synthetic opioid tramadol (Ultram), which has a very low abuse potential. The administrator of the DEA then compiles all available data in addition to the HHS recommendation and makes... 

Heroin, the diacetyl derivative of morphine, is the most important illicit drug derived from the opium poppy. Together with heroin and its metabolites, other synthetic (e.g., methadone, tramadol) and semi-synthetic (e.g., buprenorphine) opioids have been quantified in different biological fluid using HPLC. 

Members of the group of natural, semisynthetic, or synthetic alkaloid compounds prepared from opium are referred to as opioids. This group includes natural compounds usually denoted opiates, such as morphine and codeine, and the synthetic and semi synthetic compounds such as oxycodone, buprenorphine, fentanyl, methadone, and tramadol. The pharmacological effects and pharmacokinetic parameters of these drugs share many common characteristics and are illustrated with the prototypic drug in this class, morphine. 

Tramadol is a synthetic, centrally acting analgesic with multiple mechanisms of action. The drug is a p opioid receptor agonist, with the active metabohte (+)-0-desmethyltramadol [(-i-)-Ml] being the major contributor to its action at p opioid receptors. The enantiomers of tramadol also act synergistically by different mechanisms to inhibit pain transmission the (-i-)-enantiomer inhibits neuronal reuptake of serotonin and the (-)-enantiomer inhibits neuronal reuptake of noradrenaline [1,2]. 

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