Pholcodeine Stats & Data
GPFAJKDEDBRFOS-FKQDBXSBSA-NPharmacology
DrugBankMechanism of Action
The mechanism of action of pholcodine is directly performed in the medulla oblongata. In this site, it exerts analgesic properties on the peripheric reflexogenic receptors. This site is commonly known as the "cough center."
Metabolism
The metabolism of pholcodine seems to be very slow and due to the elimination profile, it is thought that most of the administered dose undergoes metabolism. There is some evidence in preclinical trials that indicate that morphine is a minor metabolite of pholcodine and that it accounts for 1% of the administered dose.
Effect Profile
CuratedStrong euphoria with moderate itching/nausea, mild sedation
Tolerance & Pharmacokinetics
drugs.wikiNo tolerance chart. Our decay curves for opioids were estimates, and a curve can make tolerance look longer-lasting than it is, which is the dangerous direction.
Opioid tolerance drops fast when you stop, and even a few days off can be enough, so a dose that used to be normal can now stop your breathing. Overdose deaths rise sharply after prison, detox or leaving treatment, and tolerance also falls during a hospital stay. After any break, start with a much smaller amount, try a test dose first, don't use alone, and keep naloxone within reach. Alcohol, benzodiazepines, gabapentinoids and other sedatives make an opioid overdose much more likely.
Sources: FRANK: heroin · National Harm Reduction Coalition · WHO: opioid overdose · Merrall et al. 2010 · Binswanger et al. 2007 · Strang et al. 2003 · FDA 2019: gabapentinoids and breathing