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| Clinical data | |
|---|---|
| Trade names | Demerol, others |
| Other names | Meperidine (USAN US) |
| Pregnancy category |
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| Dependence liability | High |
| Addiction liability | High |
| Routes of administration | By mouth, intravenous, intramuscular, intrathecal, subcutaneous, epidural |
| Drug class | Opioid |
| ATC code | |
| Legal status | |
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| Pharmacokinetic data | |
| Bioavailability | 50–60% (Oral), 80–90% (Oral, in cases of hepatic impairment) |
| Protein binding | 65–75% |
| Metabolism | Liver: CYP2B6, CYP3A4, CYP2C19, Carboxylesterase 1 |
| Metabolites | • Norpethidine • Pethidinic Acid • others |
| Elimination half-life | 2.5–4 hours, 7–11 hours (liver disease) |
| Excretion | Renal |
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| IUPHAR/BPS | |
| DrugBank | |
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| ChEMBL | |
| CompTox Dashboard (EPA) | |
| ECHA InfoCard | 100.000.299 |
| Chemical and physical data | |
| Formula | C15H21NO2 |
| Molar mass | 247.34 g·mol−1 |
| 3D model (JSmol) | |
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Pethidine (meperidine) (often called Demerol in the United States) is a synthetic opioid similar to morphine. This means it is a man-made drug, not from a plant. It is a painkiller. It is used against moderate to severe pain.
It is sometimes used in childbirth (during the first stage of labour) with or without the additional help of morphine It can mix badly with other medicines, including muscle relaxants, some antidepressants, benzodiazepines, and alcohol.
Pethidine is not recommended in people with liver disease, kidney disease, an enlarged prostate (benign prostate hypertrophy), with trouble peeing, hyperthyroidism, asthma or Addison's disease. It can also be bad for people who have had seizures or epilepsy.
