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 maintenanc e drug in the treatment of opioid dependence. However, illicit intrave nous self-administration suggests that it may have a greater abuse pot ential by this route of administration. Physiologic and subjective eff ects of intravenous buprenorphine (0.0, 0.3, 0.6, and 1.2 mg) were det ermined in a dose-escalation study in six nondependent volunteers with histories of opioid use. Buprenorphine caused miosis and decreased re spiratory rate, increased diastolic blood pressure, and transiently in creased heart rate. Buprenorphine increase d positive responses on a ' 'feel drug'' question and scores on scales of ''liking,'' ''good effec ts,'' euphoria, and apathetic sedation. Physiologic and subjective res ponses were not consistently dose related, a finding compatable with t he pharmacologic profile of a partial agonist. The findings indicate t hat buprenorphine has substantial potential for abuse when administere d intravenously.