Pharmacokinetic drug interactions of morphine, codeine, and their derivatives: theory and clinical reality, part I.
Pharmacokinetic drug-drug interactions with morphine, hydromorphone, and oxymorphone are reviewed in this column. Morphine is a naturally occurring opiate that is metabolized chiefly through glucuronidation by uridine diphosphate glucuronosyl transferase (UGT) enzymes in the liver. These enzymes produce an active analgesic metabolite and a potentially toxic metabolite. In vivo drug-drug interaction studies with morphine are few, but they do suggest that inhibition or induction of UGT enzymes could alter morphine and its metabolite levels. These interactions could change analgesic efficacy. Hydromorphone and oxymorphone, close synthetic derivatives of morphine, are also metabolized primarily by UGT enzymes. Hydromorphone may have a toxic metabolite similar to morphine. In vivo drug-drug interaction studies with hydromorphone and oxymorphone have not been done, so it is difficult to make conclusions with these drugs.
Armstrong
Scott C
SC
Center for Geriatric Psychiatry, Tuality Forest Grove Hospital, Forest Grove, Ore., USA. scott.armstrong@tuality.org
Cozza
Kelly L
KL
D003061:Codeine / Q000493:pharmacokinetics*; D004347:Drug Interactions; D006801:Humans; D004091:Hydromorphone / Q000493:pharmacokinetics; D009020:Morphine / Q000493:pharmacokinetics*; D009022:Morphine Derivatives / Q000493:pharmacokinetics*; D010111:Oxymorphone / Q000493:pharmacokinetics
D009022:Morphine Derivatives; D009020:Morphine; D010111:Oxymorphone; D004091:Hydromorphone; D003061:Codeine