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Dr. Bob is Robert Hsiung, MD,
bob@dr-bob.orgShown: posts 1 to 7 of 7. This is the beginning of the thread.
Posted by malthus on August 21, 2004, at 10:42:05
hi chemist:
what is a narcotic like Darvon used for? are there any long lasting, detrimental effects?
p.s. not thinking of taking it; just wanted to know from my recreational days from 25 yrs. ago.
Posted by chemist on August 21, 2004, at 11:33:30
In reply to A question for Chemist..., posted by malthus on August 21, 2004, at 10:42:05
> hi chemist:
>
> what is a narcotic like Darvon used for? are there any long lasting, detrimental effects?
>
> p.s. not thinking of taking it; just wanted to know from my recreational days from 25 yrs. ago.hello there, chemist here....darvon (and related darvocet) is a mild narcotic pain reliever (propoxyphene, usually as the hydrochloride salt)....it is a non-opiod and looks quite a bit like methadone (structurally). probably given post-root canal, or if you sprained your wrist, that sort of thing. it's a schedule IV drug, and is not on the radar for extensive abuse, as far as i know....i think that a 25 year period is long enough to discount any present maladies, unless you were taking handfuls of the stuff and washing it down with booze for a pretty long time, in which case there might be some liver trouble.....in summary, it is pretty far down the list of youthful indiscretions that persist a quarter century later......be well, chemist
Posted by sooshi on August 21, 2004, at 15:04:58
In reply to Re: A question for Chemist... » malthus, posted by chemist on August 21, 2004, at 11:33:30
Just a note: I recently took Darvocet for post-op pain.
Posted by Shawn. T. on August 21, 2004, at 17:42:52
In reply to Re: A question for Chemist... » malthus, posted by chemist on August 21, 2004, at 11:33:30
Perhaps you misspoke; propoxyphene is an opioid. It is not an opiate, however. In other words, it is a synthetic mu opioid receptor agonist. Propoxyphene does have a potential for abuse and dependence. An overdose of propoxyphene can be very toxic, especially when combined with certain other drugs such as alcohol.
Shawn
Posted by chemist on August 21, 2004, at 18:26:54
In reply to Re: A question for Chemist... » chemist, posted by Shawn. T. on August 21, 2004, at 17:42:52
hello there, chemist here...i cannot take the blame for labelling propoxyphene an opiate - and should have noted this - as i simply cribbed that description from my merck index (12th edition, entry 8024) in concert with a perfunctory glance at lexi-comp's ``drug information handbook,'' also the 12th edition, 2004-2005. my PDR (2004) curiously does not contain the wording in the prescribing information from the manufacturer (aaiPharma). thank you for your addendum, and i should note that in addition to agonising the mu opiod receptor, it also agonises the kappa opiod receptor, and, even further, is a potent antagonist of the heteropentameric alpha_{3}beta_{4} subclass of neuronal acetylcholine receptors (this does, of course, apply to the +-alpha form of propoxyphene and, in analogy with similar ineffectiveness in terms of opiod receptors, neither beta form). i downplayed the abuse potential based upon the scheduling and the manufacturer's note that the abuse potential was on par with that of codeine, and i am most aware of abuse of drugs of this class being broadcast in terms of oxycodone/hydrocodone, although i am far from an expert on any of this stuff. and thank you for adding the important addition of concommitant alcohol use, i should have been more thorough. thanks for keeping me on my toes, and the PB world is better off for it....all the best, chemist
> Perhaps you misspoke; propoxyphene is an opioid. It is not an opiate, however. In other words, it is a synthetic mu opioid receptor agonist. Propoxyphene does have a potential for abuse and dependence. An overdose of propoxyphene can be very toxic, especially when combined with certain other drugs such as alcohol.
>
> Shawn
Posted by Shawn. T. on August 21, 2004, at 19:11:48
In reply to Re: A question for Chemist... » Shawn. T., posted by chemist on August 21, 2004, at 18:26:54
The abuse potential for propoxyphene is certainly less than for drugs like morphine or hydrocodone. I would assume that the abuse potential varies among individuals to a greater degree than for more potent mu opioid receptor agonists. Where did you read that propoxyphene is a kappa receptor agonist? I believe that the drug does affect these receptors but only at concentrations that are much higher than therapeutic concentrations. For example, see http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?cmd=Retrieve&db=pubmed&dopt=Abstract&list_uids=6151117
Isn't (+)-alpha-propoxyphene a synonym for propoxyphene? See http://www.cdc.gov/niosh/rtecs/el2dc6c0.html
Shawn
Posted by chemist on August 21, 2004, at 19:35:02
In reply to Re: A question for Chemist... » chemist, posted by Shawn. T. on August 21, 2004, at 19:11:48
> The abuse potential for propoxyphene is certainly less than for drugs like morphine or hydrocodone. I would assume that the abuse potential varies among individuals to a greater degree than for more potent mu opioid receptor agonists. Where did you read that propoxyphene is a kappa receptor agonist?
**** in the Lexi-Comp's Drug Information Handbook, 12th edition, 2004-2005, Lacy et al. (editors), ISBN 1-59195-083-X (i realize this is hardly conclusive, nor are the 2 abstracts i cite):
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?cmd=Retrieve&db=pubmed&dopt=Abstract&list_uids=6151117
and
********
I believe that the drug does affect these receptors but only at concentrations that are much higher than therapeutic concentrations. For example, see http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?cmd=Retrieve&db=pubmed&dopt=Abstract&list_uids=6151117
>
> Isn't (+)-alpha-propoxyphene a synonym for propoxyphene? See http://www.cdc.gov/niosh/rtecs/el2dc6c0.html
>
> Shawn***** well, it's one synonym: others include dextropropoxyphene, alpha-d-propoxyphene, and so forth. given that analgesic activity is present in the alpha-dl- and d-diastereomers, i wanted to be really, really, clear on this. also, the PB audience is mixed, and what i call Darvon (the HCl salt of (+)-alpha-propoxyphene) might well be alien to a citizen of a nation where the same drug is sold under the name of, say, Femadol or perhaps Harmar. all the best, thanks much for the info, i do believe the drug is as you state more skewed towards to mu receptors, but there is some evidence - though scant - that kappa receptors (and even delta and sigma) get pinged.......tschuss, chemist *****
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