Heroin vs. Morphine vs. Oxycontin

[Kittyofftitty]

I have heard that Heroin and oxycontin are chemically the same as morphine except that they have something added on that allows the drug to pass into the brain quicker. For example heroin is diacetylmorphine and it gets into the brain 3 times faster than morphine (I think...). Does anyone know the chemical name for oxycontin and how fast it can pass into the brain compared to morphine? Is it stronger than Heroin?

[DrMuffy]

Well SWIdr is no chemist or psyco-pharmacist, but he does know that the chemical name for oxycontin is oxycodone, which is also in percocets (but alot less of it). Oxycontin is an extended release type of tablet, which has a large content of oxycodone that is released over a long period of time. SWIdr does not know how long it takes for the chemical oxycodone to enter the brain, but SWIY would definatly have to crush it up (and snort, inject, or via rectal) to get the desired effects. It is not stronger compared mg to mg with diamorphine, but it could create very simalar effects. Hope this helps...

[Forthesevenlakes]

Oxycontin is the trade name for time-release oxycodone. Oxycodone, morphine, and heroin are formed from a similar chemical "backbone", with slightly different atoms on certain parts of this backbone. However, oxycodone and heroin are more different structurally than morphine and heroin, SWIM believes. Heroin has 2 acetyl groups on either end of the molecule which increase its ability to get into the brain more efficiently, thus accounting for its strength. It may cross quicker than morphine, but it certainly crosses more efficiently, milligram for milligram.

Oxycodone and morphine probably dont "pass into the brain" at drastically different rates, and actually they are of equal potency in most dosage equivalance charts. HOWEVER they have different bioavailabilities, and are only subjectively equal when administered IV. Oxycodone absorbs through the stomach into the blood much more efficiently than morphine, run a search on bioavailabilities to see what I mean. So orally, oxycodone absorbs maybe 8-10 times more efficiently than morphine, meaning 20 mg oxycodone would feel much stronger than 20 mg morphine if a SWIM tried them at different times.

Heroin doesnt absorb that well orally, SWIM hears, but if compared to morphine and oxycodone strengths in terms of IV routes, heroin has at least twice the potency of oxycodone or heroin.

Reputation Comments on this post:

excellent explanation

[lysergic25]

oxycodone is synthetic. it metabolizes into oxymorphone in the liver. heroin and codiene metabolize into morphine. heroin is 7 times stronger than morphine and oxycodone is relatively the same potency as morphine. intraveneously, oxycodone is the shortest-acting of the three. morphine lasts a little longer and heroin last the longest. depending on the route of administration, they all start to work in the same amount of time. for example, heroin and oxycodone take about 10-15 minutes snorted (morphine doesn't work too well when snorted). IV morphine, oxycodone and heroin all take effect within seconds. now, here's the tricky part: most morphine pills and oxycontin come in time-release formulations. this means that they take longer to kick in and longer to wear off. to get the desired effect you must crush the pills, in which case the onset of the effect will be 30-60 minutes. heroin is not very active orally. hope this helps.

[Forthesevenlakes]

Actually SWIM believes heroin has a shorter duration of action than the other two. It's half-life is shorter and withdrawals are shorter as well.

Additionally morphine has alwas worked better for SWIM snorted than orally. Either way however it will not be very bioavailable.