Benzylmorphine (Peronine) is a semi-synthetic opioid

narcotic The term narcotic (, from ancient Greek ναρκῶ ''narkō'', "to make numb") originally referred medically to any psychoactive compound with numbing or paralyzing properties. In the United States, it has since become associated with opiates ...

introduced to the international market in 1896 and that of the United States very shortly thereafter. It is much like

codeine Codeine is an opiate and prodrug of morphine mainly used to treat pain, coughing, and diarrhea. It is also commonly used as a recreational drug. It is found naturally in the sap of the opium poppy, ''Papaver somniferum''. It is typically use ...

, containing a benzyl group attached to the morphine molecule just as the methyl group creates codeine and the ethyl group creates ethylmorphine or dionine (used as a generic name for that drug just as peronine is for benzylmorphine). It is about 90% as strong as codeine by weight. This drug, the benzyl ether of morphine, should not be confused with dibenzoylmorphine, an ester of morphine comparable to heroin. Another morphine ether developed around the same time, benzyldihydromorphine, saw some clinical use in the opening years of the 20th century. The ethers of morphine and codeine as well as dihydromorphine and dihydrocodeine number close to 100 and include such obscure opioids as formylallopseudoisocodeine. Benzylmorphine is used in much the same way as

and ethylmorphine, primarily as a moderate strength

analgesic An analgesic drug, also called simply an analgesic (American English), analgaesic (British English), pain reliever, or painkiller, is any member of the group of drugs used to achieve relief from pain (that is, analgesia or pain management). It ...

, for eye surgery as a 1 to 2% solution, and as a cough suppressant. It was available in the United States prior to 1914 and was still used until the 1960s, but fell into disuse once alternative opiate derivatives became preferred by doctors (i.e. hydrocodone as an analgesic and

as a cough suppressant) Benzylmorphine is now a Schedule I Controlled Substance in the US and is regulated internationally under UN drug conventions.Single Convention On Narcotic Drugs 1961 (United Nations) Benzylmorphine is an active metabolite of the opioid analgesic

myrophine Myrophine (Myristylbenzylmorphine) is an opiate analogue that was developed in 1952. It is a derivative of morphine. Myrophine is substituted with a 3-benzyl group and a 6- myristyl chain. It is metabolised to form benzylmorphine and then furthe ...

, formed in the liver. It has a metabolic fate similar to that of codeine. Benzylmorphine is used as the hydrochloride (free base conversion ratio 0.91) and methylsulphonate (0.80) and has a US DEA Administrative Controlled Substance Control Number of 9052.

Notes

References

* Merck Manual, 1900 * Merck Index, 1998
United States Department of Justice, Drug Enforcement Administration: Controlled Substances in Schedule I
{{Opioidergics Secondary alcohols 4,5-Epoxymorphinans Mu-opioid receptor agonists Opioids Phenol ethers Semisynthetic opioids Benzyl compounds