SUBJECTIVE AND PHYSIOLOGICAL-EFFECTS OF INTRAVENOUS BUPRENORPHINE IN HUMANS

The pharmacologic profile of sublingual and subcutaneous buprenorphine, a partial opioid agonist, indicates it may be useful as a maintenance drug in the treatment of opioid dependence. However, illicit intravenous self-administration suggests that it may have a greater abuse potential by this route of administration. Physiologic and subjective effects of intravenous buprenorphine (0.0, 0.3, 0.6, and 1.2 mg) were determined in a dose-escalation study in six nondependent volunteers with histories of opioid use. Buprenorphine caused miosis and decreased respiratory rate, increased diastolic blood pressure, and transiently increased heart rate. Buprenorphine increase d positive responses on a ''feel drug'' question and scores on scales of ''liking,'' ''good effects,'' euphoria, and apathetic sedation. Physiologic and subjective responses were not consistently dose related, a finding compatable with the pharmacologic profile of a partial agonist. The findings indicate that buprenorphine has substantial potential for abuse when administered intravenously.