Buprenorphine

Buprenorphine is an opioid analgesic used for pain management. Buprenorphine is commonly used for managing moderate to severe pain in animals, including after surgical procedures or for chronic pain conditions. Read more

Buprenorphine is an opioid analgesic used for pain management. Buprenorphine is commonly used for managing moderate to severe pain in animals, including after surgical procedures or for chronic pain conditions.

Essential insights

• Partial Agonist at Mu receptors: Buprenorphine primarily acts as a partial agonist at mu-opioid receptors in the central nervous system. This action provides pain relief by modulating the perception of pain.
• Antagonist at Kappa receptors: It also acts as an antagonist at kappa-opioid receptors, which may help reduce some of the undesirable side effects associated with other opioids, such as dysphoria or hallucinations.
• Long duration of action: Buprenorphine has a long duration of action due to its high affinity for mu receptors, leading to prolonged analgesia.
• Ceiling effect: It exhibits a ceiling effect for respiratory depression, meaning that beyond a certain dose, increases in the substance do not result in greater respiratory depression, making it relatively safer compared to other opioids.