Characterizing the subjective, psychomotor, and physiological effects of oral propoxyphene in non-drug-abusing volunteers
by
Zacny JP, Goldman RE.
Department of Anesthesia and Critical Care,
The Pritzker School of Medicine,
The University of Chicago, 5841
South Maryland Avenue, 60637, Chicago, IL, USA
Drug Alcohol Depend. 2004 Feb 7; 73(2): 133-40

ABSTRACT

BACKGROUND: The subjective, psychomotor, and physiological effects of a widely prescribed prescription opioid, propoxyphene, have not been studied in a population of non-drug-abusing people. The drug also has potential for abuse and it was of interest in the present study to determine if the drug had any abuse liability-related subjective effects in this population. METHODS: Eighteen volunteers participated in a crossover, randomized, double-blind study in which they received, all p.o., placebo; 50mg propoxyphene napsylate; 100mg propoxyphene napsylate; 200mg propoxyphene napsylate; 40mg morphine sulfate; and 2mg lorazepam. Measures were assessed before and for 300 min after drug administration. RESULTS: Both morphine and lorazepam produced subjective effects. There were no statistically significant subjective effects obtained with any dose of propoxyphene in the group as a whole, but approximately 30-50% of the subjects did appear to experience subjective effects from the drug. Drug liking was not consistently observed in this subset. Propoxyphene, unlike lorazepam, did not impair psychomotor or cognitive performance. Both propoxyphene and morphine produced miosis. CONCLUSIONS: There was a lack of statistically significant subjective effects of propoxyphene in the group as a whole, including a propoxyphene dose that was twice as high as the typical clinically-prescribed dose of 100mg. However, there were some subjects who did report effects, consistent with the notion that patients differ in their sensitivity to opioid effects.

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Nociceptin
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Oxycodone
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Endomorphins
Novelty and pain
Dihydroetorphine
Fentanyl and ketamine
Opioids and anaesthesia
Opioids, mood and cognition
Propoxyphene (Darvon) : structure
Dextropopoxyphene for postoperative pain
Propoxyphene (dextropropoxyphene): review

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