Buprenorphine (Subutex, Temgesic)

Buprenorphine is a semisynthetic thebaine derivative in the orvinol class. It’s an opioid that’s widely used for pain and opioid replacement. While it does provide recreational effects, users reliably prefer opioids like morphine.

It has a similar efficacy to methadone in the area of opioid replacement.

The risk of death from overdose is lower with buprenorphine due to it producing less respiratory depression. It can still be very dangerous when combine with other depressants like benzodiazepines and alcohol.

Buprenorphine = Subutex; Buprenex; Temgesic; Cizdol; Butrans; Norspan

Dose

Sublingual/buccal

Light: 1 – 2 mg

Common: 3 – 6 mg

Strong: 6 – 8+ mg

Timeline

Sublingual/buccal

Total: 8 – 12 hours (up to 24 hours or more with strong+ doses)

Onset: 00:30 – 01:00

Experience Reports

Erowid

Supplementary Videos

References

(2015) Ultra-Low-Dose Buprenorphine as a Time-Limited Treatment for Severe Suicidal Ideation: A Randomized Controlled Trial

(2014) Factors contributing to the rise of buprenorphine misuse: 2008-2013.

(2014) The anti-suicidal potential of buprenorphine: a case report.

(2013) Buprenorphine—Clinically useful but often misunderstood

(2012) The history of the development of buprenorphine as an addiction therapeutic.

(2012) Toxicological and pathological findings in a series of buprenorphine related deaths. Possible risk factors for fatal outcome.

(2012) Benzodiazepines and alcohol are associated with cases of fatal buprenorphine poisoning.

(2011) Fatal poisoning due to snorting buprenorphine and alcohol consumption.

(2010) Current knowledge of buprenorphine and its unique pharmacological profile.

(2010) Intravenous misuse of buprenorphine: characteristics and extent among patients undergoing drug maintenance therapy.

(2009) Clinical update on the pharmacology, efficacy and safety of transdermal buprenorphine.

(2008) Buprenorphine maintenance versus placebo or methadone maintenance for opioid dependence.

(2007) Buprenorphine misuse in Finland.

(2007) Buprenorphine misuse among heroin and amphetamine users in Malmo, Sweden: purpose of misuse and route of administration.

(2007) Abuse liability of buprenorphine-naloxone tablets in untreated IV drug users.

(2006) Fatal poisoning in methadone and buprenorphine treated patients — are there differences?

(2006) Buprenorphine for the management of opioid withdrawal.

(2003) Buprenorphine in drug-facilitated sexual abuse: a fatal case involving a 14-year-old boy.

(2003) Homelessness and high-dosage buprenorphine misuse.

(2003) Analgesic efficacy and tolerability of transdermal buprenorphine in patients with inadequately controlled chronic pain related to cancer and other disorders: a multicenter, randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial.

(2003) The clinical pharmacology of buprenorphine: extrapolating from the laboratory to the clinic.

(2003) Office-based treatment of opiate addiction with a sublingual-tablet formulation of buprenorphine and naloxone.

(2001) Hepatitis after intravenous buprenorphine misuse in heroin addicts.

(2001) Comparison of pharmacological activities of buprenorphine and norbuprenorphine: norbuprenorphine is a potent opioid agonist.

(2001) Deaths involving buprenorphine: a compendium of French cases.

(2000) A comparison of levomethadyl acetate, buprenorphine, and methadone for opioid dependence.

(1998) Six deaths linked to concomitant use of buprenorphine and benzodiazepines.

(1994) Clinical pharmacology of buprenorphine: ceiling effects at high doses.

(1994) Comparison of buprenorphine and methadone in the treatment of opioid dependence.

(1992) A controlled trial of buprenorphine treatment for opioid dependence.

(1988) Near fatal auditory hallucinations after buprenorphine.

(1988) Buprenorphine abuse among opiate addicts.

(1985) Buprenorphine.

(1980) Buprenorphine suppresses heroin use by heroin addicts.