MorphineArminda Cultura

History• Morphine was isolated from raw opium

in 1805 by a German pharmacologist, Friedrich Wilhelm Adam Serturner (1783-1841).

• Morphine is a potent suppressor of pain and is a very useful drug in painful conditions, especially in severe chest pain arising due to heart attacks. It also induces sleep in no time

History• Barely eighteen years after

morphine was discovered, it was used for homicide.

• In 1823, a twenty-seven year old French doctor, Edme Castaing, mixed morphine in the wine given to his friend, Auguste Ballet, to kill him.

Edme Castaing

History• In fact the name morphine comes from

the Greek ‘god of dreams’, Morpheus. Incidentally Morpheus was the son of Hypnos, the Greek ‘god of sleep’, and our word ‘hypnosis’ is derived from it. Hypnos was also the brother of Thanatos, the ‘god of death’.

• Morphine not only brings sleep and dreams but may cause death when taken in large doses. Morpheus (The God Of Dreams)

Definition• Morphine is a natural opium

alkaloid• It is a dried extract obtained from

the capsules of the poppy plant known as papaver somniferum

• It requires approximately 10 kg of raw opium to produce 1 kg of morphine

ClassificationA. According to ring structure

a) Phenanthrene derivatives• Morphine• Thebaine• Codeine

b) Benzo-isoquinolinederivatives• Papaverine• Noscapine

ClassificationB. According to synthesis

a) Natural opium alkaloids• Morphine• Codeine

b) Semi synthetic opium alkaloids• Heroine• Pholcodeine

c) Synthetic opiods• Pethidine• Methadine

Routes of Intoxication• Methods of abuse Traditionally, morphine

was almost exclusively used by injection, but the variety of pharmaceutical forms that it is marketed as today support its use by oral and other routes of administration.

• Forms include: oral solutions, immediate-and sustained-release tablets and capsules, suppositories, and injectable preparations. Those dependent on morphine prefer injection because the drug enters the blood stream more quickly.

• Parenterally as subcutaneous, intravenous, or epidural injections. When injected, particularly intravenously, morphine produces an intense contraction sensation in the muscles due to histamine release and also produces a very intense 'rush' which is mediated by several different receptors in the CNS. The military sometimes issues morphine loaded in an auto injector

Routes of Intoxication

Route of Intoxication• Orally, it comes as an elixir,

concentrated solution, powder (for compounding) or in tablet form. Morphine is rarely supplied in suppository form. Due to its poor oral bioavailability, oral morphine is only one-sixth to one-third of the potency of parenteral morphine. Morphine is available in extended release capsules for chronic administration, as well as immediate-release formulations.

Toxicity• LD50 = 461 mg/kg (rat, oral), 600 mg/kg

(mouse, oral). Human lethal dose by ingestion is 120-250 mg of morphine sulfate.

• In person not addicted to opium, 200mg of morphine, or its equivalent of opium 2gm is fatal

• 10ml of opium is regarded as dangerous dose

• The fatal dose of tincture of opium in children is 2-3 drops

• The usual fatal period is about 9-12 hours

Toxic Side EffectsSide effects include:• cold• clammy skin• lowered blood pressure• Sleepiness leading to stupor and coma• slowed breathing• slow pulse rate• flaccid muscles• fluid in the lungs• "pinpoint" or dilated pupils,• and possible death

Laboratory Test• Urine morphine measurement Or

Urine morphine levelThis test measures the amount or presence of morphine in urine. Morphine is a type of drug called an opioid. This test is used to detect suspected or known abuse of morphine.

Laboratory Test

• Interpretation of Urine Test Results: Positive morphine urine results generally indicate use within the last two to three days, or longer after prolonged use. Detection of 6-acetylmorphine in the urine is indicative of heroin use. High concentrations may indicate chronic use of the drug. It is important to hydrolyze urine specimens to assess a urine morphine concentration.

Laboratory Test• Morphine: <100 ng/mL positive• Note: The active forms of

morphine in blood include morphine and morphine-3-glucuronide. These forms of morphine, plus morphine-6-glucuronide, are excreted in urine and are quantified as a single result (total morphine) in this test.

Laboratory Test• Tests are performed for routine

health screenings or if a disease or toxicity is suspected. Lab tests may be used to determine if a medical condition is improving or worsening. Lab tests may also be used to measure the success or failure of a medication or treatment plan. Lab tests may be ordered for professional or legal reasons.

Edme Castaing

References• http://www.mayomedicallaboratories.com/test-

catalog/Clinical+and+Interpretive/500365• http://www.justice.gov/dea/druginfo/drug_data

_sheets/Morphine.pdf• http://www.nhtsa.gov/people/injury/research/jo

b185drugs/morphine.htm• http://www.iftandcs.org/Addictions/Drugs%20

The%20Straight%20Facts,%20Morphine.pdf