title: Buprenorphine: the basic pharmacology revisited.
abstract: The historical background leading to the current use of buprenorphine as an analgesic and its role in the management of opioid dependence is summarized. The popular description of buprenorphine as a "partial agonist" is discussed in relation to efficacy in animal models of antinociception and clinical analgesia. The latest information on the respiratory depressant effects of buprenorphine and its N-dealkylated metabolite (norbuprenorphine) is presented. New data on the buprenorphine withdrawal syndrome in rats are described.
authors.affiliation: From the Department of Pharmacology and Center for Substance Abuse Research, Temple University School of Medicine, Philadelphia, PA.
authors.forename: Alan
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Cowan