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Author: Admin | 2025-04-28
Is also considered to be superior to oral administration in due to its increased bioavailability; however, hydromorphone is bitter and hydrophilic so it is absorbed poorly and slowly through mouth membranes.[2]ChemistryHydromorphone is an opioid of the morphinan class. Hydromorphone and other molecules of this class contain a polycyclic core of three benzene rings fused in a zig-zag pattern called phenanthrene. A fourth nitrogen containing ring is fused to the phenanthrene at R9 and R13 with the nitrogen member looking at R17 of the combined structure. This structure is called morphinan. Hydromorphone is a hydrogenated ketone of morphine and thus is extremely similar in structure. It is a derivative of morphine; to be specific, it is a hydrogenated ketone thereof. Comparatively, hydromorphone is to morphine as hydrocodone is to codeine—that is, also a semi-synthetic drug. Hydromorphone is made from morphine either by direct re-arrangement (made by reflux heating of alcoholic or acidic aqueous solution of morphine in the presence of platinum or palladium catalyst) or reduction to dihydromorphine (usually via catalytic hydrogenation), followed by oxidation with benzophenone in presence of potassium tert butoxide or aluminium tert butoxide (Oppenauer oxidation). The 6 ketone group may be replaced with a methylene group via the Wittig reaction to produce 6-Methylenedihydrodesoxymorphine, which is 80× stronger than morphine.[3]Hydromorphone is more soluble in water than morphine; therefore, hydromorphone solutions may be produced to deliver the drug in a smaller volume of water. The hydrochloride salt is soluble in three parts of water, whereas a gram of morphine hydrochloride dissolves in 16 ml of water; for all common purposes, the pure powder for hospital use can be used to produce solutions of virtually arbitrary concentration. When the powder appeared on the street, this very small volume of powder needed for a dose means that overdoses are likely for those who mistake it for heroin or other powdered narcotics, especially those that have been diluted prior to consumption.[4]PharmacologyHydromorphone molecules exert their effects by binding to and activating the μ-opioid receptor as an agonist. This occurs due to the way in which opioids structurally mimic endogenous endorphins. Endorphins are responsible
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