Trimeperidine (Promedol) is an
opioid 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 ...
that is an
analogue of
prodine. It was developed in the early 1950s in the USSR during research into the related drug
pethidine.
Trimeperidine has four structural
isomer
In chemistry, isomers are molecules or polyatomic ions with identical molecular formulae – that is, same number of atoms of each element – but distinct arrangements of atoms in space. Isomerism is existence or possibility of isomers.
Iso ...
s, of which two are active, the γ isomer trimeperidine, and the β isomer isopromedol.
It is around half the potency of
morphine as an analgesic,
and has been widely used for the treatment of pain.
Trimeperidine produces similar effects to other opioids, such as
analgesia and
sedation
Sedation is the reduction of irritability or agitation by administration of sedative drugs, generally to facilitate a medical procedure or diagnostic procedure. Examples of drugs which can be used for sedation include isoflurane, diethyl ether, ...
, along with side effects such as
nausea,
itching,
vomiting and
respiratory depression
Hypoventilation (also known as respiratory depression) occurs when ventilation is inadequate (''hypo'' meaning "below") to perform needed respiratory gas exchange. By definition it causes an increased concentration of carbon dioxide (hypercapnia ...
which may be harmful or fatal.
Trimeperidine is in Schedule I of the Controlled Substances Act 1970 of the United States as a Narcotic with ACSCN 9646 with an annual aggregate manufacturing quota of 2 grams as of 2014. The free base conversion ratio for salts includes 0.883 for the hydrochloride. Promedol increases the activity of the
reticular activating system in the brain.
It is listed under the Single Convention for the Control of Narcotic Substances 1961 and is controlled in most countries in the same fashion as is morphine or heroin.
References
4-Phenylpiperidines
Synthetic opioids
Propionate esters
Mu-opioid receptor agonists
Drugs in the Soviet Union
Soviet inventions
{{analgesic-stub