Opiates are a class of
drugs that are
derivatives (in the broadest sense of the word) of
opium. These include two groups of
alkaloids:
phenanthrenes[?] and
papaverines[?]. Opiates in the narrower sense of the word are only the
phenanthrenes[?].
Opioids are synthetic drugs that are chemically unrelated to the opiates, but act on the same receptors in the
central nervous system and have similar clinical effects.
Phenanthrenes[?]:
Naturally occurring in opium:
Semisynthetic[?] derivatives:
Fully synthetic[?]:
Phenylheptylamines[?]:
- Methadone
- levomethadyl acetate hydrochloride (LAAM)
Phenylpiperidines[?]:
Veterinary:
A high number of opiates are considered to be highly addictive. One exception is loperamide[?], which cannot cross the blood-brain barrier.
See also nootropics
Opiate is an EP by Tool, an American rock band formed in 1989. See Opiate (album)
Opiate is also the name of a rock-metal band based in the United Kingdom and signed to Visible Noise[?] records, home of lost prophets[?]. See Opiate (band)[?].