Morphine
Pronunciation:MOR-feen
Chemical Abstracts Service Registry Number:57-27-2
Formal Names:Astramorph, Duramorph, Infumorph, Kadian, Kapanol Sevredol,
Morphine Sulfate, MS Contin, MSIR, MST Continus, MXL, Oramorph, Roxanol
Informal Names:Cube Juice, Dope, Dreamer, Emsel, First Line, God’s Drug, Hard
Stuff, Hocus, Hows, Lydia, Lydic, M, Miss Emma, Mister Blue, Monkey, Morf,
Morph, Morphide, Morphie, Morpho, Mother, MS, Ms. Emma, Mud, New Jack
Swing (withheroin), Sister, Tab, Unkie, Unkie White, Stuff
Type:Depressant (opiate class).Seepage 22
Federal Schedule Listing:Schedule II (DEA no. 9300)
USA Availability:Prescription
Pregnancy Category:C
Uses.Morphine was identified asopium’s main active ingredient in the
early 1800s. The body transforms aheroindose into morphine. If stored too
long in a water solution, morphine will eventually transform into other chem-
icals including morphine-N-oxide, a Schedule I controlled substance. Al-
though pharmaceutical supplies of morphine come from opium harvests,
mammals produce small amounts of morphine in their bodies. Thus the sub-
stance is a natural product in both the plant and animal kingdoms. The drug
can also be created entirely in a laboratory.
Morphine’s role in medicine did not become prominent until the hypoder-
mic needle was introduced in the 1850s. Injection was long the main means
of administration, but other delivery systems (such as absorption by the nasal
lining and through rectal suppositories) have since been developed. Oral dos-
age formats are also available.
Morphine is widely used to sedate people and to ease anxiety. The drug is
commonly given to treat acute pain from injury or surgery and chronic pain
from assorted afflictions. The hurting does not actually go away, but people
become less aware of it. In addition to pain control, morphine also has anti-
inflammatory actions and can suppress coughing.
The drug tends to produce better pain relief in women than in men. A small
study examined whether Chinese men respond to morphine differently than
white men do: Doses lasted longer in the whites, interfered more with their
breathing, and produced greater reduction in their blood pressure.