Opium Derivatives

It’s important to understand that different medications that you may be taking and to understand which of the medications you may be taking are actually derived from opium. Taking multiple opiates could pose a significant risk to your own health and could result in overdose. There are many different drugs that are derived from opium and many are synthetic or semi-synthetic. Understanding which drugs are opium derivatives will help you to be more responsible for your own health and well-being.

Opium derivatives can be broken down into two primary groups which includes those which are derived from opium itself and those which are derived from morphine. Another set of derivatives that actually do not contain opium but that are considered opiates are synthetics which are synthesized versions of drugs that are derived from opium. Finally, there are also semi-synthetics which are partially synthetic and partially derivatives of opium.

The following drugs are directly derived from opium:

• Codeine
• Morphine
• Heroin

From these drugs, there are also some drugs that are derivatives. For instance, Vicodin and Demerol are both derived from Morphine. Certain semi-synthetic drugs also contain a combination of Morphine and synthetic material. The following semi-synthetic drugs include Morphine in addition to synthetic substances:

• Oxycodone
• Hydrocodone
• Hydromorphone

Synthetic drugs that act as opiates like opium derivatives do not actually contain any opium in them. These drugs are actually created in laboratories and although they may have similar effects as opium and they may cause similar side effects, they do not contain any derivatives of the poppy plant or opium in them.

The following synthetic drugs are designed to mimic Morphine or to mimic the analgesic effects of opium and other opium derivatives:

• Methadone
• Fentanyl
• Fentanyl Duragesic Patches
• Propoxyphene
• Butorphanol
• Levorphano
• Meperidine
• Oxycontin
• MSContin