the encyclopedic entry of Ethylmorphine

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Ethylmorphine

Ethylmorphine (also known as codethyline, Dionine®, and ethyl morphine) is a drug in the class of both opiates (representing a minor synthetic change from morphine) and opioids (being effective in the CNS's opioid reception system). Its effects in humans mainly stem from its metabolic conversion to morphine. It was invented in Germany at Merck during the 1880s and was used as weaker alternative to heroin for all indications.

Chemically, ethylmorphine is a morphine molecule with a -₂₅ group substituted for the aromatic 3- group. Therefore the closest chemical relative of ethylmorphine is codeine, also known as methylmorphine. Ethylmorphine also has a hydromorphone analogue (ethyldihydromorphinone or 3-ethoxy-7,8-dihydro-morphin-6-one), and a dihydromorphine analogue known as ethyldihydromorphine, although none of them appears to be commercially distributed at the current time.

As is the case with all narcotic analgesics, ethylmorphine is potentially habit-forming and can generate drug dependence of the codeine type. In most countries and internationally ethylmorphine and codeine are regulated much the same way. Like codeine and dihydrocodeine and similar drugs, ethylmorphine is listed in the Single Convention on Narcotic Drugs in a schedule which leads to some ethylmorphone preparations being available over the counter in many countries, and ethylmorphine cough syrup is listed in the United States' Controlled Substances Act of 1970 Schedule V, meaning that it can be bought without prescription in some states and cities if the patient presents ID and/or the chemist knows the person and the patient signs a dispensary log which is in a book with numbered and/or difficult-to-remove pages and which is retained for two years.

Metabolism

After ingestion, ethylmorphine is converted to morphine in the human liver by the CYP450-isozyme CYP2D6, similarly to codeine. Morphine is a powerful analgesic and the main active compound found in naturally occurring opium. Ethylmorphine's metabolism is hindered by ethanol

, which, being a CNS depressant, also boosts the drug's sedative effect on the central nervous system - creating a potentially dangerous combination as both drugs cause depression of the respiratory system that can be mutually amplified.

Medical uses

Ethylmorphine is used as an antitussive to treat dry cough. It is also a moderately strong analgesic. It is most widely used in ophthalmology for removing inflammation products from the eyes, inducing miosis and relief of various symptoms. Ethylmorphine was once used, as was heroin, to attempt to cure morphine addiction, including being present in patent medicines sold for this purpose. Ethylmorphine is being investigated as a possible substitution agent for maintenance treatment of opioid dependence as it can quell withdrawal symptoms and also has a ceiling effect, i.e. additional doses beyond a certain level produce no extra euphoria.

Dosage

Ethylmorphine is 'less potent than morphine' but more potent than codeine' by a small percentage. Medical oral dosages vary from 5 to 30, even 50 mg. Like codeine and close chemical relatives, ethylmorphine should not be injected directly into the veins as the sudden, huge, histamine release can have dangerous impacts, Naturally, all doses are much lower in parenteral use. Ethylmorphine shares codeine's good oral bioavailability and is the fifth- or sixth-most-commonly used drug of the codeine-based semi-synthetic group of moderate to strong narcotic analgesics. This series includes codeine, dihydrocodeine, ethylmorphine, dihydroethylmorphine, benzylmorphine (Peronine), acetyldihydrocodeine, nicocodeine, nicodicodeine, hydrocodone, thebacon, oxycodone, acetylcodone, methyldihydromorphine and others.

The lethal dose is unknown. One source (in Finnish), however, suggests it to be as low as 500 mg.

Problems

Tolerance to the drug's effects develops fast. That is why ethylmorphine is normally used only as a temporary medicine to treat e.g. cough. Patients may develop addiction. Side effects, which are rare for medical doses but normal for recreational doses, include the classical opiate side-effects: nausea, vomiting, urinary retention, miosis and constipation. Also, some people are hypersensitive or allergic to ethylmorphine and should never take it. Additionally, the same dose of ethylmorphine can have completely different effects on two different people because of large individual differences in metabolism.

Opioids are known of causing severe physical addiction, in addition to psychological addiction. This type of addiction is hard to treat.

Taking ethylmorphine in combination with alcohol or other drugs that have a suppressive effect on the central nervous system boosts both drugs' effects, creating a dangerous combination. Possible outcome is death through respiratory arrest.

In recreational use the most common problem, however, is liver damage and other effects caused by other compounds besides ethylmorphine. Some analgesics with ethylmorphine also contain indometacin (e.g. Indalgin), which is toxic in high doses.

Antidepressants such as fluoxetine (Prozac) inhibit the enzyme that metabolizes ethylmorphine. Taking ethylmorphine while using such an antidepressant may therefore lead to major changes in ethylmorphine's effects. Conversely, barbiturate compounds such as phenobarbitone induce the same enzyme, which rapidly increases the metabolism of ethylmorpine. Other current medications therefore always have to be taken into account when using this compound.