Everything You Ever Wanted To Know About Naloxone
Naloxone is a key ingredient in Suboxone, a drug consisting of both buprenorphine and Naloxone. The sole purpose of naloxone is to block the effect of opiates, technically called an opiate antagonist. When injected, it immediately reverses the effects of sedation and respiratory depression that an overdose of an opioid drug can cause.
It seems counterintuitive, I know. Why would you make a drug that is half buprenorphine which acts as a partial agonist and works like opiate-based drug with another drug meant to block its effects? Simple: when Naloxone is taken in pil
l form as Suboxone, it has little effect at all. That is, the buprenorphine does its job and Naloxone does nothing to interfere. Taken as prescribed, your Suboxone prescription will work just like Subutex, the pure form of buprenorphine, and bind to your opiate receptors just like the prescription painkiller you’re addicted to (Suboxone is taken to treat addiction to opiate pain medication prescriptions and stops withdrawal symptoms).
Why is Naloxone included in Suboxone at all if it has little effect? Simple: it’s sole purpose is to prevent those who might wish to abuse the drug. Addicts who like to dissolve their medications in water and shoot them intravenously rather than taking them as prescribed will have a nasty little shock if they try this with Suboxone. Rather than the buprenorphine binding to the opiate receptors, the Naloxone will latch on, blocking all opiates in the system, sending you into immediate withdrawal. It’s not fun. Don’t do it.
Taken as prescribed, the buprenorphine/Naloxone mix Suboxone is a great way to break addiction to any opiate-based pain medication. Just don’t try and use it recreationally. It’s not worth the time or the expense.
If you like this post subscribe to the feed
