RT Journal Article
SR Electronic
T1 Naloxone (narcan)
JF Drug and Therapeutics Bulletin
JO Drug Ther Bull
FD BMJ Publishing Group Ltd
SP 75
OP 76
DO 10.1136/dtb.13.19.75
VO 13
IS 19
YR 1975
UL http://dtb.bmj.com/content/13/19/75.abstract
AB Naloxone (Narcan - Winthrop), the N-allyl derivative of oxymorphone, is a narcotic antagonist whose most important clinical property is reversal of narcotic-induced respiratory depression. Like nalorphine (Lethidrone - Wellcome) and levallorphan (Lorfan - Roche), it also antagonises the sedative, analgesic and miotic effects of narcotic analgesics.1 There is, however, an important difference. When not preceded by the administration of a narcotic or when given in excess, nalorphine and levallorphan themselves have narcotic effects; by contrast, naloxone has none.2 It is, for all practical purposes, a pure antagonist, whereas nalorphine and levallorphan are partial agonists, with agonist as well as antagonist effects.3