Codeine Toxicity

[Tortoise]

Ok. This may be a stupid question, but I have never heard anybody confidently confirm or deny whether codeine is toxic in high doses. I'm pretty sure that it isn't, but is there anybody out there who knows for certain?

Thanks

Reputation Comments on this post:

not a stupid question, stimulated my curiosity! mb

[trptamene]

Originally Posted by Tortoise

Ok. This may be a stupid question, but I have never heard anybody confidently confirm or deny whether codeine is toxic in high doses. I'm pretty sure that it isn't, but is there anybody out there who knows for certain?

Thanks

Please specify how high of a dose your thinking about. Nearly everything can be toxic in great enough quantities.

Codeine

LD50 (oral) rat 427 mg/kg
LD50 (intravenous) rat 75 mg/kg
LD50 (subcutaneous) rat 229 mg/kg

Codeine phosphate

LD50 (oral) rat 266 mg/kg
LD50 (intravenous) rat 54 mg/kg

LD50 (subcutaneous) rat 365 mg/kg
LD50 (intramuscular) rat 208 mg/kg

(Sax & Lewis, 1989)

http://www.inchem.org/documents/pims/pharm/codeine.htm

[Tortoise]

Actually I was referring long term toxicity, not the amount that's can kill. Long term toxicity implies that damage is being done to some organ (usually the liver), even if it doesn't kill you.

In other words, if one takes 300mg pure codeine (hypothetically speaking) daily for 10 years, will their liver be damaged?

Awesome link though!!

[trptamene]

Oh okay, this makes mcuh more sense. I was like "wow Tortoise, i've seen you post about CWE scores of times and you dont know its toxic"

Opiates are pretty non-toxic with regard to causing permanent bodily damage, particularly in comparison to other drugs. There is simply the addiction risk I believe. Plus there is the increase in tolerance which may make it rather difficult for swiy to find relief from the pain when it is really needed. This is why heroin addicts can get clean and live normal, productive lives while some meth-addicts experience decreased analytical skills and other brain functions (I don't have a source for the meth thing but thought it was the conscensus, if someone has some other information to prove this wrong (or validate) I would really like to see it).

Reputation Comments on this post:

Useful information, excellent link!

[Tortoise]

Yeah, that's pretty much what I thought. Actually, I read pretty much the whole page of the link you sent me and it said there is not evidence to suggest any permanent damage to the body like most other opiates and opiods. Thanks heaps pal.