STUDIES OF MORPHINE, CODEINE AND THEIR DERIVATIVES X. DESOXYMORPHINE-C, DESOXYCODEINE-C AND THEIR HYDROGENATED DERIVATIVES

¹ From the Laboratory of Pharmacology, University of Michigan Medical School, Ann Arbor, Michigan

Removal of the alcoholic hydroxyl in members of the morphine and codeine series and its substitution by hydrogen increases toxicity and convulsant action, markedly enhances analgesic and depressant effects, decreases emetic effect and usually increases the effect on the intestine (rabbit).

The results of this chemical change are like in kind to those of muzzling of the alcoholic hydroxyl by an acetyl or methyl group, the principal difference being that the muzzling does not increase analgesic and depressant effects to as great a degree.

The most interesting and most powerful of the desoxy-compounds described is dihydrodesoxymorphine-D ("Desomorphine"). This substance is ten times as analgesic (cats) and fifteen times as depressant (rats) as morphine itself, but is only about three times as toxic (mice). It has exhibited no emetic effect and very little convulsant action. Its action is very rapid in onset but also brief in duration. Observations upon its tolerance and addiction properties will be reported shortly.