Dextrorphan
Dextrorphan
Dextrorphan (pronunciation: dex-tro-or-fan) is a psychoactive drug of the morphinan chemical class which acts as an antitussive or cough suppressant. It is the dextrorotatory stereoisomer of racemorphan, the levo-half being levorphanol. Dextrorphan is produced by O-demethylation of dextromethorphan by CYP2D6.
Etymology
The term "Dextrorphan" is derived from the words "dextro", meaning right, and "orphan", referring to its status as a drug that was not originally intended for human use. The "dextro" prefix is used in chemistry to denote a molecule that rotates plane-polarized light to the right.
Pharmacology
Dextrorphan is an NMDA antagonist and contributes to the psychoactive effects of dextromethorphan. The pharmacology of dextrorphan is similar to that of dextromethorphan, however, it does not have the same affinity for the sigma-1 receptor.
Related Terms
- Dextromethorphan: The parent compound of dextrorphan, used in many over-the-counter cough suppressants.
- CYP2D6: An important enzyme in the body that metabolizes many drugs, including dextromethorphan into dextrorphan.
- NMDA antagonist: A class of anesthetics that work by antagonizing, or inhibiting, the NMDA receptor. Dextrorphan is a member of this class.
- Levorphanol: The levo-half stereoisomer of racemorphan, of which dextrorphan is the dextrorotatory stereoisomer.
External links
- Medical encyclopedia article on Dextrorphan
- Wikipedia's article - Dextrorphan
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