Naloxone
NarcanPubChem CID 5284596 · 3D model
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Rushes into the same brain receptors that opioids attach to and knocks them off, instantly reversing the slowed or stopped breathing of an opioid overdose, though it can also trigger sudden, uncomfortable withdrawal symptoms in someone whose body has become dependent on opioids.
How it works
Opioids cause overdose by attaching to specific receptors in the brain that control breathing, slowing it down or stopping it altogether. Naloxone works by rushing to those same receptors and physically knocking the opioid molecules off, restoring normal breathing within minutes. Because it doesn't distinguish between opioid molecules causing an overdose and opioid molecules a person may be dependent on, it can also trigger sudden opioid withdrawal in someone whose body has adapted to opioids being present.
What it’s used for
Narcan is used in emergencies to reverse a known or suspected opioid overdose — it restores breathing when opioids have slowed or stopped it. It's meant to buy time, not replace a trip to the emergency room, because the opioid causing the overdose can outlast naloxone's effect, meaning someone can slip back into an overdose after the medicine wears off. If given to someone physically dependent on opioids, it can trigger abrupt, uncomfortable withdrawal symptoms like body aches, sweating, and a racing heart, and in newborns exposed to opioids in the womb, withdrawal from naloxone can be dangerous if not treated properly.
- Mechanism
- Opioid receptor antagonist, competitively displaces opioids from receptors
- Drug class
- Small molecule
- Therapeutic area
- Emergency / Neurology