You’ve probably heard people throw around the words “opiate” and “opioid” (maybe even me!) and find yourself wondering what the difference is between these two words. Here is a basic overview for you to learn before we dive deeper:
Opiate - A drug derived from the opium poppy plant (examples are morphine, codeine, and heroin).
Synthetic Opioid - Any synthetic (“man-made”) narcotic that has opiate-like activities (eg pain relief, sedation, constipation, pupil constriction), but is not derived from opium.
Natural Opioid - Any natural substance (eg plants) that has opiate-like activities, but is not derived from opium.
Endogenous Opioid - An opiate-like substance, such as endorphin or enkephalin (natural painkilling neurotransmitters), produced by the body (such as from exercise).
Opiates are a class of drug that has been derived from a plant commonly called the opium poppy. Morphine and codeine are considered natural opiates, while heroin and oxycodone are synthetic variants. Hydrocodone, more commonly known as Vicodin, is semi-synthetic. Whether these opiate drugs are natural, synthetic, or semi-synthetic, they all originate from the Iranian poppy plant (Papaver bracteatum). Opiate refers to any drug that is derived from the opium poppy plant. Opioid is a more general term that includes opiates as well as synthetic drugs/medications such as tramadol, methadone, and buprenorphine (active drug in Suboxone and Subutex) that produce analgesia and other effects similar to morphine. Additionally, plants not related to the opium poppy that bind to opioid receptors and produce opiate-like effects are also classified as opioids.
Kratom (Mitragyna speciosa) is a commonly used plant in the coffee family that contains alkaloids with these properties (eg mitragynine and 7-hydroxymitragynine).

To give you another perspective on the difference between the terms “opiate” and “opioid,” I’m going to talk about the main reason why there is so much confusion regarding this topic. And to do that, I’m going to quote The National Alliance of Advocates for Buprenorphine Treatment (naabt.org). Here’s what this organization has to say on the topic which should bring more clarity to your understanding: At one time “opioids” referred to synthetic opiates only (drugs created to emulate opium, however different chemically). Now the term Opioid is used for the entire family of opiates including natural, synthetic and semi-synthetic.
Medical professionals use the word opioid to refer to most opioids, and opiate for a specific non-synthetic opioid; however, many only use “opioid”. Consistent with the newest definition, this website uses “opioid” to refer to all opioids and opiates. An opioid is any agent that binds to opioid receptors (protein molecules located on the membranes of some nerve cells) found principally in the central nervous system and gastrointestinal tract and elicits a response.
According to naabt.org, there are four broad classes of opioids:
Endogenous opioid, naturally produced in the body, endorphins
Opium alkaloids, such as morphine and codeine
Semi-synthetic opioids such as heroin, oxycodone, and buprenorphine
Fully synthetic opioids, such as methadone, that have structures unrelated to the opium alkaloids
But according to the newest definition, any drug (natural, semi-synthetic, or synthetic) that binds to opioid receptors in your body is referred to as an opioid, even if the drug is totally natural and derived from Iranian poppy. You can probably see why there is some gray area and thus confusion regarding this topic. Since many people and professionals refer to the old definitions and some individuals, professionals, and organizations (such as naabt.org) use the newest definition, it’s no wonder this topic has so many people scratching their heads.
💥 ABOUT MATT FINCH💥
Matt Finch is the Founder of Opiate Addiction Support, a blog that has received more than 2.5 million visitors, a former Certified Alcohol & Drug Counselor, a Certified Strategic Intervention Coach, Certified Fit Recovery Coach, Certified Level 2 Qigong Instructor, and a Certified Advanced Food-Based Healing Instructor Specializing in Alcohol & Drug Recovery-Based Nutritional Therapeutics. Matt is also co-founder and co-host (along with Chris Scott) of the Elevation Recovery Podcast, a Professional Member of the Alliance For Addiction Solutions, and the creator of several online recovery courses with thousands of students combined.
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#Opioids #Opiates #TypesOfOpioids
23 окт 2024
