Study of a Narcotic Antagonist— N-Allyl-Noroxymorphone

Abstract

N-ALLYL-NOROXYMORPHONE is the allyl derivative of a synthetic narcotic analgesic oxymorphone hydrochloride (Numorphan), which is clinically^1,2 eight to ten times as potent as morphine. In animal studies³ of this compound, it was found to be ten times as potent as nalorphine hydrochloride and twice as effective as levallorphan in counteracting respiratory depression caused by oxymorphone in rabbits. When the list of narcotic analgesics and antagonists is surveyed, two striking facts stand out: (1) there is a formidable list of narcotic analgesics available as compared to two antagonists, and (2) one antagonist (levallorphan) is definitely more potent than the other (nalorphine). These observations suggest the following possibilities: (1) these antagonists may have group specificity in their effects, and (2) since both have a similar basic structure, other configurations based on the same chemical structure may be more potent narcotic antagonists. The subject of this report— N-allyl-noroxymorphone is a