Characterizing the subjective, psychomotor, and physiological effects of a hydrocodone combination product (Hycodan) in non-drug-abusing volunteers

Abstract

Hycodan at the highest dose tested had effects similar to that of a prototypic mu agonist, morphine. Both drugs produced pleasant (including drug liking) as well as unpleasant subjective effects. Post-session ratings of overall liking and "want to take drug again" were not significant.

Likeability and Abuse Liability of Commonly Prescribed Opioids

“…Both hydrocodone and morphine demonstrated similar subjective positive and negative effects [6,8]. This same pattern was identified when comparing extended-release morphine and immediate-release hydrocodone preparations [11].…”

“…Some studies included questionnaires involving reinforcement data including drug effect, liking, and take again [6][7][8][9]. One study directly assessed breakpoint values of participants' desire for drug vs. money [10].…”

“…Most studies that included morphine used morphine as a gold standard opioid and differentiated the abuse potential of morphine vs. the newer opioid drugs. None of the randomized controlled trials that included morphine found statistically significant abuse potential or reinforcing effects of morphine [6,8,9]. At high doses, morphine was found to have predominantly dysphoric effects and increased negative side effects including dry mouth and flushing [8,9].…”

“…Oxycodone also demonstrated significantly increased reinforcing characteristics. "Take again" ratings were consistently higher for oxycodone than morphine [6,10]. One study found no substantial difference in subjective effects related to likability of oxycodone, hydrocodone, and hydromorphone, but did demonstrate increased risk of abuse over placebo for all three opioid products assessed [13].…”

Characterizing the subjective, psychomotor, and physiological effects of oral oxycodone in non-drug-abusing volunteers

“…One could argue that we might have observed an increase in MBG scores in the morphine condition had a higher dose been tested, but in another study, oral doses of up to 100 mg were tested without an increase in scores on this scale (Petry et al 1998). In a recent study examining the effects of a prescription oral opioid combination product that contained hydrocodone, no increase in MBG scores were noted across a range of doses in non-drug-abusing volunteers (Zacny 2003). Further studies with other prescription opioids are needed to determine whether the increase in MBG scores noted with oxycodone is peculiar to this particular opioid.…”