TripSit Wiki - User contributions [en]

Cold Water Extraction

2023-12-15T03:30:25Z

Kryptlock: /* Why Perform a Cold Water Extraction? */

=== Why Perform a Cold Water Extraction? ===
Many opioids such as Vicodin and Percocet contain other harmful drugs. A cold water extraction is most commonly used to remove [https://wiki.tripsit.me/wiki/Paracetamol(acetaminophen) paracetamol, also known as acetaminophen](Link may be moved) and hereafter referred to as APAP. CWE also works with aspirin and, to a lesser extent, ibuprofen, which are all very toxic in high doses and overdoses may result in permanent damage to your liver. APAP toxicity is one of the most common causes of poisoning worldwide, and in the US and UK, the most common cause of acute liver failure which usually results in days of agony prior to death if the overdose is severe. Alcohol exacerbates the problem.

A cold water extraction, hereafter referred to as a CWE, helps remove APAP from prescription pills. It is generally recommended that healthy adults take no more than 4 grams of APAP in a day, and not more than 1g APAP at once, but even lower doses can harm your liver.

Either way, we are glad you are here and hope these CWE steps are easy to follow. Stay safe and perform a CWE on your drugs!

=== How Extraction Works ===
The main idea is that APAP is hardly soluble in water. Most opioids however are very soluble in water.

APAP is soluble in methanol, ethanol, dimethyl-formamide, ethylene dichloride, acetone, ethyl acetate; slightly soluble in ether; very-slightly soluble in cold water, considerably more soluble in hot water. APAP is insoluble in petroleum ether, pentane, and benzene.

=== Preparing the extraction ===
The best temperature water to extract APAP or aspirin is roughly 10C/50F. Solubility is as follows:

{| class="wikitable" border="1"
|+ Solubility
! Type!! Solubility (31C/88F water)!! Solubility (21C/70F water)
|-
| Aspirin|| 1g/ 100ml|| 1g/300ml
|-
| APAP|| 1g/ 70ml|| 1g/ 159ml
|-
| Codeine|| 1g/2.3ml|| 1g/0.7ml
|}

As you can see, you can dissolve 20 tablets of APAP or aspirin in 50ml of warm water, then cool it to 10C/50F, filter the solution, and end up with roughly the same amount of codeine as the tables contained but only a fraction of the original amount of APAP and aspirin. Opioids are also very soluble in cold water. Extraction works because the the opioids will be dissolved into the cold water and leave the APAP, aspirin, or ibuprofen behind. Also, the aspirin will be able to be caught in your filter.

If you are using capsules, you will not need to crush your pills/tablets. Capsules are also easier to dissolve. If you don't have capsules, do crush your tablets/pills before performing the CWE.

=== Quick Step-By-Step CWE ===
This process is relatively quick aside from cooling the water. A CWE is as simple as crushing your tablets, dissolving them in water, and straining the mixture through a filter.

1. Crush the tablets into a fine powder. Minimize powder loss.
*Tip: Put your tablets in a Ziplock bag so you don't lose any!

2. Dissolve the powder into warm water. Get hot water from the tap (NOT too hot!), as boiling water may destroy the opioid. Put the water in a container/bowl with a wide surface area, which allows the mixture to cool faster. Add the powder you crushed to about 1/2 cup water.
*Tip: Its better to have too much water than not enough.

3. Let the mixture sit and cool to room temperature on the counter for about 10-20 minutes. Stir it every few minutes until it is completely dissolved.
*Tip: Don't rush this! Go watch tv or something if you have nothing else to do but watch the mixture dissolve!

4. Put the container/mixture into the freezer until cold. No need for a lid on the container. Leave it sit until it is extremely cold to the touch. Do not let it freeze or ice up! This process might take 20-25 minutes.

5. Filter your mixture. Use a pre wet coffee filter, cheesecloth, or even an aeropress. A handkerchief might work as well if you don't have any of those. Put the filter over the top of a cup and secure it with a rubber band or tape. SLOWLY pour the mixture into the filtered cup. Do not pour in too much water or touch the filter, as you may break it and have to redo the filtering.

6. When it appears like the filter is done dripping into the cup and there is nothing left to filter, you will then have a dense, marshmallow-like substance. You may choose to squeeze the contents of the old filters through a new filter to save any remaining moisture. Careful not to spill! You may also add more water to the marshmallow mash and re-filter it, but this step isn't necessary. As the APAP/ibuprofen/aspirin begins to clog the filter ..even if is carefully decanted you might speed things up by doing two separate filtrations simultaneously.

7. Bottoms up! Drink your mixture and throw away the APAP/ibuprofen/aspirin; most should have been successfully removed. The remaining concoction might be really bitter, so try mixing it with something sweet.

[[Category:Guides]]

Paracetamol(acetaminophen)

2023-12-15T03:10:31Z

Kryptlock:

Paracetamol, commonly known as APAP, as well In the U.S. most often referred to as Acetaminophen or Tylenol is a widely used analgesic for pain and fever reduction management.
It is often found in many other substances and has been correlated to or caused various health concerns, some of which can be fatal, as such it is important to monitor the quantity of its consumption to minimize the risk of harm.

==Formulations==
;Oral tablets and capsules
:Standard Oral tablets:Typically available in 325 mg to 500 mg doses.
:Extra-strength Oral tablets:Higher dose, usually around 500 mg to 650 mg.
:Extended-release Oral tablets:Designed to release medication over a longer period, with doses ranging from 650 mg to 1,300 mg. '''Exercise extra caution when redosing this variant'''
:Chewable Oral tablets:

;Liquid suspensions
:Oral Syrups and solutions: Concentrations vary by formulation strength, standard strength typically has around 120-16 mg/5 ml for pediatric formulations, and 250mg/5ml for adult formulations.
:Oral Drops: Specifically targeted and designed for use in infants standard strength Typically contains around 80-100mg/ ml.
;Intravenous solutions
Most commonly used in postoperative or emergency settings to allow for rapid onset of action and precise dosing in critical care situations.

;Suppositories
Designed for rectal administration, various strengths, with adult dosages ranging from 125 mg,250 mg,500 mg,650 mg, up to 1000 mg.

==Chemistry==
synthesis & other information needed.
==Pharmacology==
Pharmacodynamics, Mechanism of action, Pharmacokinetics, Bioavailability, metabolization information needed

==Dosage==
Adult, pediatric, special, information needed.

==Duration==
Onset, duration, peak information needed.

==Effects==
===Positive===
* Pain relief
* Fever reduction
* Lower risk of gastrointestinal complications compared to NSAIDs
===Neutral===
* No significant anti-inflammatory effect
* Lack of effect on platelet function
===Negative===
* Liver damage at high doses or with chronic use
* Rare but serious skin reactions

==Harm Reduction==
Discuss & link CWE method,
add list of drugs commonly found to contain paracetamol

==History==
Info needed
;Discovery and development
Info needed
;Change in use societal use over time
Info needed
;Significant research findings
Info needed

==Legal Status==
===U.S.A.===
* Over-the-counter availability and proposed restrictions (california proposition) info needed
===India===
* Availability and regulations in India info needed
===New Zealand===
* Legal status and prescription requirements info needed
===Philippines===
* Regulation by the Philippine FDA info needed

Paracetamol(acetaminophen)

2023-12-15T03:04:46Z

Kryptlock:

Paracetamol, commonly known as APAP, as well In the U.S. most often referred to as Acetaminophen or Tylenol is a widely used analgesic for pain and fever reduction management.
It is often found in many other substances and has been correlated to or caused various health concerns, some of which can be fatal, as such it is important to monitor the quantity of its consumption to minimize the risk of harm.

==Formulations==
;Oral tablets and capsules
:Standard Oral tablets:Typically available in 325 mg to 500 mg doses.
:Extra-strength Oral tablets:Higher dose, usually around 500 mg to 650 mg.
:Extended-release Oral tablets:Designed to release medication over a longer period, with doses ranging from 650 mg to 1,300 mg. '''Exercise extra caution when redosing this variant'''
:Chewable Oral tablets:

;Liquid suspensions
:Oral Syrups and solutions: Concentrations vary by formulation strength, standard strength typically has around 120-16 mg/5 ml for pediatric formulations, and 250mg/5ml for adult formulations.
:Oral Drops: Specifically targeted and designed for use in infants standard strength Typically contains around 80-100mg/ ml.
;Intravenous solutions
Most commonly used in postoperative or emergency settings to allow for rapid onset of action and precise dosing in critical care situations.

;Suppositories
Designed for rectal administration, various strengths, with adult dosages ranging from 125 mg,250 mg,500 mg,650 mg, up to 1000 mg.

==Chemistry==
synthesis & other information needed.
==Pharmacology==
Pharmacodynamics, Mechanism of action, Pharmacokinetics, Bioavailability, metabolization information needed

==Dosage==
Adult, pediatric, special, information needed.

==Duration==
Onset, duration, peak information needed.

==Effects==
===Positive===
* Pain relief
* Fever reduction
* Lower risk of gastrointestinal complications compared to NSAIDs
===Neutral===
* No significant anti-inflammatory effect
* Lack of effect on platelet function
===Negative===
* Liver damage at high doses or with chronic use
* Rare but serious skin reactions

==Harm Reduction==
Discuss & link CWE method,
add list of drugs commonly found to contain paracetamol

==History==
Info needed
==Discovery and development==
Info needed
==Change in use societal use over time==
Info needed
==Significant research findings==
Info needed

==Legal Status==
===U.S.A.===
* Over-the-counter availability and proposed restrictions (california proposition) info needed
===India===
* Availability and regulations in India info needed
===New Zealand===
* Legal status and prescription requirements info needed
===Philippines===
* Regulation by the Philippine FDA info needed

User:Kryptlock

2023-12-15T00:31:41Z

Kryptlock: create user page

Paracetamol(acetaminophen)

2023-12-13T21:01:49Z

Kryptlock: Created page with "\#This wikipage is incomplete   \#Formatting & rendering is pissing me off atm, & yes, I'm aware the current syntax is completely wrong. I'm going to make dinner, than fill out some required paperwork due tonight. -Krypt Paracetamol, commonly known as APAP, as well In the U.S. most often referred to as Acetaminophen or Tylenol is a widely used analgesic for pain and fever reduction management. It is often found in many other substances and has been correlated to..."

\#This wikipage is incomplete  

\#Formatting & rendering is pissing me off atm, & yes, I'm aware the current syntax is completely wrong. I'm going to make dinner, than fill out some required paperwork due tonight. -Krypt

Paracetamol, commonly known as APAP, as well In the U.S. most often referred to as Acetaminophen or Tylenol is a widely used analgesic for pain and fever reduction management. It is often found in many other substances and has been correlated to or caused various health concerns, some of which can be fatal, as such it is important to monitor the quantity of its consumption to minimize the risk of harm.

1. Formulations

2. Chemistry and Pharmacology

3. Dosage

4. Duration

5. Effects
5.1 Positive
5.2 Neutral
5.3 Negative

6. Harm Reduction

7. History

8. Legal Status
8.1 U.S.A.
8.2 India
8.3 New Zealand
8.4 Philippines
History

Hydrocodone

2023-12-13T18:48:06Z

Kryptlock: /* Warning */

[[File:Hydrocodone.jpg|right]]
'''Hydrocodone''' is a semi-synthetic opioid derived from codeine. Hydrocodone is used orally as a narcotic analgesic and antitussive (cough medicine), often in combination with paracetamol (acetaminophen) or ibuprofen. Hydrocodone is prescribed predominantly within the United States; elsewhere it is rare. The International Narcotics Control Board reported 99% of the worldwide supply in 2007 was consumed in the United States.

The relative milligramme strength of hydrocodone to codeine is given as 6 fold, that is 5 mg has the effect of 30 mg of codeine; by way of the Roman numeral VI this is said to given rise to the trade name '''Vicodin'''.

== History ==
Hydrocodone was first synthesized in Germany in 1920 by Carl Mannich and Helene Löwenheim. Hydrocodone is derived from codeine. As a semi-synthetic opioid, it is most often used orally as a narcotic analgesic and antitussive. Used mostly in combination with Acetaminophen (Vicodin) or Ibuprofen. If you have a drug with acetaminophen in it, we strongly recommend you cold water (CWE) extract the acetaminophen away. CWE methods can be found [http://wiki.tripsit.me/wiki/Cold_Water_Extraction Here]

== Dosage ==
Hydrocodone is a prodrug, insufflated and intravenous dosing is dangerous.

The following refers to hydrocodone in the form of hydrocodone mixture with Acetaminophen/Ibuprofen.

{| class="wikitable"
|+ Oral
|-
| Light || 5-10mg
|-
| Common || 10-25mg
|-
| Strong || 25-40mg+
|}

Recommended dosing interval is 4–6 hours.

== Duration ==
{| class="wikitable"
|+ Oral
|-
| Onset || 10-30 minutes
|-
| Total duration || 4-6 hours
|}

Half-Life depends on a lot of factors such as weight, BMI, and metabolism, but average plasma half-life is 3.8 hours.

== Effects ==
=== Positive ===
* Improvement of mood
* Reduction of pain
* Euphoria

=== Neutral ===
* Itching
* Light-headedness
* Sedation
* Changes in focus and attention

=== Negative ===
* Dizziness
* Constipation
* Nausea and vomiting
* When insufflated, burning in nose and sinuses

== Chemistry and Pharmacology ==
As a narcotic, hydrocodone relieves pain by binding to opioid receptors in the CNS. It acts primarily on μ-opioid receptors, with about six times lesser affinity to δ-opioid receptors. In blood, 20–50% of hydrocodone is bound to protein.

Studies have shown hydrocodone is stronger than codeine but only one-tenth as potent as morphine at binding to receptors and reported to be only 59% as potent as morphine in analgesic properties. However, in tests conducted on rhesus monkeys, the analgesic potency of hydrocodone was actually higher than morphine. Per os hydrocodone has a mean equivalent daily dosage (MEDD) factor of 0.4, meaning that 1 mg of hydrocodone is equivalent to 0.4 mg of intravenous morphine. However, because of morphine's low oral bioavailability, there is a 1:1 correspondence between orally administered morphine and orally administered hydrocodone.

== Harm Reduction ==
=== Warning ===
Any dose of Hydrocodone may be fatal. Do not mix with other drugs or alcohol.

Excessive alcohol/grapefruit juice drinking while taking drug that contains APAP, can cause liver damage, other severe medical conditions, and even death.

Please consider [https://wiki.tripsit.me/wiki/Cold_Water_Extraction CWE] if your hydrocodone contains APAP, as APAP is harmful to your liver and doctors recommend no more than 4g.

=== Potentiators ===

The following products may react negatively with hydrocodone and may cause overdose if mixed together.
*Grapefruit Juice
*Diphenhydramine

== Legal status ==

*Australia - In Australia, hydrocodone is a Schedule 8 (S8) or Controlled Drug.
*Austria - Hydrocodone is regulated in the same fashion as in Germany (see below) under the Austrian Suchtmittelgesetz; since 2002 it has been available in the form of German products and those produced elsewhere in the European Union under Article 76 of the Schengen Treaty—prior to this, no Austrian companies produced hydrocodone products, with dihydrocodeine and nicomorphine being more commonly used for the same levels of pain and the former for coughing.
*Belgium - In Belgium, hydrocodone is no longer available for medical use.
*France - In France, hydrocodone (Vicodin) is no longer available for medical use. Hydrocodone is a prohibited narcotic.
*Germany - In Germany, hydrocodone is no longer available for medical use. Hydrocodone is listed under the Betäubungsmittelgesetz as a Suchtgift in the same category as morphine.
*Luxembourg - In Luxembourg, hydrocodone is available by prescription under the name Biocodone. Prescriptions are more commonly given for use as a cough suppressant (antitussive) rather than for pain relief (analgesic).
*The Netherlands - In the Netherlands, hydrocodone is not available for medical use and is classified as a List 1 drug under the Opium Law.
*Sweden - Hydrocodone is no longer available for medical use. The last remaining formula was banned in 1967.
*United Kingdom - In the UK, hydrocodone is not available for medical use and is listed as a Class A drug under the Misuse of Drugs Act 1971. Various formulations of dihydrocodeine, a weaker opioid, are frequently used as an alternative for the aforementioned indications of hydrocodone use.
*United States - In the U.S., formulations containing more than 15 mg per dosage unit are considered Schedule II drugs, as would any formulation consisting of just hydrocodone alone. Those containing less than or equal to 15 mg per dosage unit in combination with acetaminophen or another non-controlled drug are called hydrocodone compounds and are considered Schedule III drugs. Hydrocodone is typically found in combination with other drugs such as acetaminophen, aspirin, ibuprofen and homatropine methylbromide. The purpose of the non-controlled drugs in combination is often twofold: 1) To provide increased analgesia via drug synergy. 2) To limit the intake of hydrocodone by causing unpleasant and often unsafe side effects at higher-than-prescribed doses. Hydrocodone is not commercially available in pure form in the United States due to a separate regulation, and is always sold with an NSAID, paracetamol, antihistamine, expectorant, or homatropine. Pure hydrocodone is a more strictly controlled Schedule II and sold by compounding pharmacies. The cough preparation Codiclear DH is the purest commercial US hydrocodone item, containing guaifenesin and small amounts of ethanol as active ingredients.
Under the Controlled Substances Act (CSA) hydrocodone is listed as both a Schedule II and Schedule III substance depending on the formulation.

*Schedule II lists hydrocodone in pure form and any formulations of combination products containing more than 15 mg hydrocodone per dosage unit.
*Schedule III lists hydrocodone in formulations of combination products containing up to 15 mg hydrocodone per dosage unit.
*However as of February 23, 2013, all formulations of hydrocodone, regardless of whether they are paired with a combination product or not, have been bumped up to Schedule II.

Hydrocodone was until recently the active antitussive in more than 200 formulations of cough syrups and tablets sold in the United States. In late 2006, the FDA began forcing the recall of many of these formulations due to reports of deaths in infants and children under the age of six. The legal status of drug formulations originally sold between 1938 and 1962—before FDA approval was required—was ambiguous. As a result of FDA enforcement action, by August 2010, 88% of the hydrocodone-containing medications had been removed from the market.

At the present time[when?], doctors, pharmacists, and codeine-sensitive or allergic patients or sensitive to the amounts of histamine released by its metabolites must choose among rapidly dwindling supplies of the Hycodan-Codiclear-Hydromet type syrups, Tussionex—an extended-release suspension similar to the European products Codipertussin (codeine hydrochloride), Paracodin suspension (dihydrocodeine hydroiodide), Tusscodin (nicocodeine hydrochloride) and others—and a handful of weak dihydrocodeine syrups. The low sales volume and Schedule II status of Dilaudid cough syrup predictably leads to under-utilisation of the drug. There are several conflicting views concerning the US availability of cough preparations containing ethylmorphine (also called dionine or codethyline)—Feco Syrup and its equivalents were first marketed circa 1895 and still in common use in the 1940s and 1950s, and the main ingredient is treated like codeine under the Controlled Substances Act of 1970.[citation needed]
In the U.S., hydrocodone is always found in combination with other drugs such as paracetamol (also called acetaminophen), aspirin, an NSAID, ibuprofen, an antihistamine, an expectorant, or homatropine methylbromide due to compounding regulations. These combinations are considered C-III substances, prescriptions for which are generally valid for 6 months, including refills. The purpose of the non-controlled drugs in combination is often twofold:
1. To provide increased analgesia via drug synergy.
2. To limit the intake of hydrocodone by causing unpleasant and often unsafe side effects at higher-than-prescribed doses (see below).
The cough preparation Codiclear DH is the purest US hydrocodone item, containing guaifenesin and small amounts of ethanol as active ingredients.[citation needed]
As of July 2010, the FDA was considering banning some hydrocodone and oxycodone fixed-combination proprietary prescription drugs—based on the paracetamol content and the widespread occurrence of liver problems. FDA action on this suggestion would ostensibly also affect codeine and dihydrocodeine products such as the Tylenol With Codeine and Panlor series of drugs.[citation needed] In 2010, it was the most prescribed drug in the USA, with 131.2 million prescriptions of hydrocodone (combined with paracetamol) being written

SOURCES

* "Controlled Substances Act". Wikipedia. Retrieved 8 February 2012.
* "Medical News: FDA Pulls Plug on 200-Plus Unapproved Cough Syrups With Hydrocodone—in Product Alert, Prescriptions from". MedPage Today. Retrieved 2010-08-22.
* DeNoon, Daniel J. (April 20, 2011). "The 10 Most Prescribed Drugs". eMedicineHealth. Retrieved 16 August 2012.

== Links ==

[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hydrocodone Wikipedia]

[http://www.erowid.org/pharms/hydrocodone/hydrocodone.shtml Erowid]

[[Category:Opioid]]
[[Category:Depressant]]
[[Category:Drugs]]

Hydrocodone

2023-12-13T18:45:59Z

Kryptlock: /* Warning */

[[File:Hydrocodone.jpg|right]]
'''Hydrocodone''' is a semi-synthetic opioid derived from codeine. Hydrocodone is used orally as a narcotic analgesic and antitussive (cough medicine), often in combination with paracetamol (acetaminophen) or ibuprofen. Hydrocodone is prescribed predominantly within the United States; elsewhere it is rare. The International Narcotics Control Board reported 99% of the worldwide supply in 2007 was consumed in the United States.

The relative milligramme strength of hydrocodone to codeine is given as 6 fold, that is 5 mg has the effect of 30 mg of codeine; by way of the Roman numeral VI this is said to given rise to the trade name '''Vicodin'''.

== History ==
Hydrocodone was first synthesized in Germany in 1920 by Carl Mannich and Helene Löwenheim. Hydrocodone is derived from codeine. As a semi-synthetic opioid, it is most often used orally as a narcotic analgesic and antitussive. Used mostly in combination with Acetaminophen (Vicodin) or Ibuprofen. If you have a drug with acetaminophen in it, we strongly recommend you cold water (CWE) extract the acetaminophen away. CWE methods can be found [http://wiki.tripsit.me/wiki/Cold_Water_Extraction Here]

== Dosage ==
Hydrocodone is a prodrug, insufflated and intravenous dosing is dangerous.

The following refers to hydrocodone in the form of hydrocodone mixture with Acetaminophen/Ibuprofen.

{| class="wikitable"
|+ Oral
|-
| Light || 5-10mg
|-
| Common || 10-25mg
|-
| Strong || 25-40mg+
|}

Recommended dosing interval is 4–6 hours.

== Duration ==
{| class="wikitable"
|+ Oral
|-
| Onset || 10-30 minutes
|-
| Total duration || 4-6 hours
|}

Half-Life depends on a lot of factors such as weight, BMI, and metabolism, but average plasma half-life is 3.8 hours.

== Effects ==
=== Positive ===
* Improvement of mood
* Reduction of pain
* Euphoria

=== Neutral ===
* Itching
* Light-headedness
* Sedation
* Changes in focus and attention

=== Negative ===
* Dizziness
* Constipation
* Nausea and vomiting
* When insufflated, burning in nose and sinuses

== Chemistry and Pharmacology ==
As a narcotic, hydrocodone relieves pain by binding to opioid receptors in the CNS. It acts primarily on μ-opioid receptors, with about six times lesser affinity to δ-opioid receptors. In blood, 20–50% of hydrocodone is bound to protein.

Studies have shown hydrocodone is stronger than codeine but only one-tenth as potent as morphine at binding to receptors and reported to be only 59% as potent as morphine in analgesic properties. However, in tests conducted on rhesus monkeys, the analgesic potency of hydrocodone was actually higher than morphine. Per os hydrocodone has a mean equivalent daily dosage (MEDD) factor of 0.4, meaning that 1 mg of hydrocodone is equivalent to 0.4 mg of intravenous morphine. However, because of morphine's low oral bioavailability, there is a 1:1 correspondence between orally administered morphine and orally administered hydrocodone.

== Harm Reduction ==
=== Warning ===
Any dose of Hydrocodone may be fatal. Do not mix with other drugs or alcohol.

Excessive alcohol/grapefruit juice drinking while taking drug that contains APAP, can cause liver damage, other severe medical conditions, and even death.

[https://wiki.tripsit.me/wiki/Cold_Water_Extraction Please consider CWE if your hydrocodone contains APAP], as APAP is harmful to your liver and doctors recommend no more than 4g.

=== Potentiators ===

The following products may react negatively with hydrocodone and may cause overdose if mixed together.
*Grapefruit Juice
*Diphenhydramine

== Legal status ==

*Australia - In Australia, hydrocodone is a Schedule 8 (S8) or Controlled Drug.
*Austria - Hydrocodone is regulated in the same fashion as in Germany (see below) under the Austrian Suchtmittelgesetz; since 2002 it has been available in the form of German products and those produced elsewhere in the European Union under Article 76 of the Schengen Treaty—prior to this, no Austrian companies produced hydrocodone products, with dihydrocodeine and nicomorphine being more commonly used for the same levels of pain and the former for coughing.
*Belgium - In Belgium, hydrocodone is no longer available for medical use.
*France - In France, hydrocodone (Vicodin) is no longer available for medical use. Hydrocodone is a prohibited narcotic.
*Germany - In Germany, hydrocodone is no longer available for medical use. Hydrocodone is listed under the Betäubungsmittelgesetz as a Suchtgift in the same category as morphine.
*Luxembourg - In Luxembourg, hydrocodone is available by prescription under the name Biocodone. Prescriptions are more commonly given for use as a cough suppressant (antitussive) rather than for pain relief (analgesic).
*The Netherlands - In the Netherlands, hydrocodone is not available for medical use and is classified as a List 1 drug under the Opium Law.
*Sweden - Hydrocodone is no longer available for medical use. The last remaining formula was banned in 1967.
*United Kingdom - In the UK, hydrocodone is not available for medical use and is listed as a Class A drug under the Misuse of Drugs Act 1971. Various formulations of dihydrocodeine, a weaker opioid, are frequently used as an alternative for the aforementioned indications of hydrocodone use.
*United States - In the U.S., formulations containing more than 15 mg per dosage unit are considered Schedule II drugs, as would any formulation consisting of just hydrocodone alone. Those containing less than or equal to 15 mg per dosage unit in combination with acetaminophen or another non-controlled drug are called hydrocodone compounds and are considered Schedule III drugs. Hydrocodone is typically found in combination with other drugs such as acetaminophen, aspirin, ibuprofen and homatropine methylbromide. The purpose of the non-controlled drugs in combination is often twofold: 1) To provide increased analgesia via drug synergy. 2) To limit the intake of hydrocodone by causing unpleasant and often unsafe side effects at higher-than-prescribed doses. Hydrocodone is not commercially available in pure form in the United States due to a separate regulation, and is always sold with an NSAID, paracetamol, antihistamine, expectorant, or homatropine. Pure hydrocodone is a more strictly controlled Schedule II and sold by compounding pharmacies. The cough preparation Codiclear DH is the purest commercial US hydrocodone item, containing guaifenesin and small amounts of ethanol as active ingredients.
Under the Controlled Substances Act (CSA) hydrocodone is listed as both a Schedule II and Schedule III substance depending on the formulation.

*Schedule II lists hydrocodone in pure form and any formulations of combination products containing more than 15 mg hydrocodone per dosage unit.
*Schedule III lists hydrocodone in formulations of combination products containing up to 15 mg hydrocodone per dosage unit.
*However as of February 23, 2013, all formulations of hydrocodone, regardless of whether they are paired with a combination product or not, have been bumped up to Schedule II.

Hydrocodone was until recently the active antitussive in more than 200 formulations of cough syrups and tablets sold in the United States. In late 2006, the FDA began forcing the recall of many of these formulations due to reports of deaths in infants and children under the age of six. The legal status of drug formulations originally sold between 1938 and 1962—before FDA approval was required—was ambiguous. As a result of FDA enforcement action, by August 2010, 88% of the hydrocodone-containing medications had been removed from the market.

At the present time[when?], doctors, pharmacists, and codeine-sensitive or allergic patients or sensitive to the amounts of histamine released by its metabolites must choose among rapidly dwindling supplies of the Hycodan-Codiclear-Hydromet type syrups, Tussionex—an extended-release suspension similar to the European products Codipertussin (codeine hydrochloride), Paracodin suspension (dihydrocodeine hydroiodide), Tusscodin (nicocodeine hydrochloride) and others—and a handful of weak dihydrocodeine syrups. The low sales volume and Schedule II status of Dilaudid cough syrup predictably leads to under-utilisation of the drug. There are several conflicting views concerning the US availability of cough preparations containing ethylmorphine (also called dionine or codethyline)—Feco Syrup and its equivalents were first marketed circa 1895 and still in common use in the 1940s and 1950s, and the main ingredient is treated like codeine under the Controlled Substances Act of 1970.[citation needed]
In the U.S., hydrocodone is always found in combination with other drugs such as paracetamol (also called acetaminophen), aspirin, an NSAID, ibuprofen, an antihistamine, an expectorant, or homatropine methylbromide due to compounding regulations. These combinations are considered C-III substances, prescriptions for which are generally valid for 6 months, including refills. The purpose of the non-controlled drugs in combination is often twofold:
1. To provide increased analgesia via drug synergy.
2. To limit the intake of hydrocodone by causing unpleasant and often unsafe side effects at higher-than-prescribed doses (see below).
The cough preparation Codiclear DH is the purest US hydrocodone item, containing guaifenesin and small amounts of ethanol as active ingredients.[citation needed]
As of July 2010, the FDA was considering banning some hydrocodone and oxycodone fixed-combination proprietary prescription drugs—based on the paracetamol content and the widespread occurrence of liver problems. FDA action on this suggestion would ostensibly also affect codeine and dihydrocodeine products such as the Tylenol With Codeine and Panlor series of drugs.[citation needed] In 2010, it was the most prescribed drug in the USA, with 131.2 million prescriptions of hydrocodone (combined with paracetamol) being written

SOURCES

* "Controlled Substances Act". Wikipedia. Retrieved 8 February 2012.
* "Medical News: FDA Pulls Plug on 200-Plus Unapproved Cough Syrups With Hydrocodone—in Product Alert, Prescriptions from". MedPage Today. Retrieved 2010-08-22.
* DeNoon, Daniel J. (April 20, 2011). "The 10 Most Prescribed Drugs". eMedicineHealth. Retrieved 16 August 2012.

== Links ==

[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hydrocodone Wikipedia]

[http://www.erowid.org/pharms/hydrocodone/hydrocodone.shtml Erowid]

[[Category:Opioid]]
[[Category:Depressant]]
[[Category:Drugs]]