Oxycontin
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Oxycodone is an opioid analgesic medication synthesized
from thebaine. It was developed in 1916 in Germany and introduced
to the pharmaceutical market as Eukodal® (also spelled Eucodal)
and Dinarkon®. Its chemical name is derived from codeine - the
chemical structures are very similar, differing only in that the hydroxyl
group of codeine has been oxidized to a carbonyl group (as in ketones),
hence the "-one" suffix, the 7,8-dihydro-feature (codeine
has a double-bond between those two carbons), and the hydroxyl group
at carbon 14 (codeine has just a hydrogen in its place), hence "oxy"codone.
In the United States, oxycodone is a Schedule II controlled
substance both as a single agent and in combination with products
containing paracetamol (aka acetaminophen), ibuprofen or aspirin.
It was first introduced to the US market in May 1939 and is the active
ingredient in a number of pain medications commonly prescribed for
the relief of moderate to heavy pain, either with inert binders (Oxycodone,
Oxycontin) or supplemental analgesics such as acetaminophen (Percocet,
Tylox) and aspirin (Percodan).
Oxycodone is a drug subject to abuse,[1] and is included
in the sections for the most strongly controlled substances that have
a commonly accepted medical use under the German Betäubungsmittelgesetz
III) (narcotics law), the Swiss law of the same title, UK Misuse of
Drugs Act (Class A), Canadian Controlled Drugs and Substances Act
(CDSA), Dutch Opium Law (List 1), Austrian Suchtmittelgesetz (Addictives
Act), Australian, New Zealand, Japanese and South African controlled
substance laws, to name but a few. It is also subject to international
treaties controlling psychoactive drugs subject to abuse or dependence.
