Also known as
Pink, pinky, U4
Classification
Opioid
Overview
This is a synthetic opioid pain medication developed as a dangerous designer druga term used for those illegal drugs that are created synthetically in a lab. They are made to mimic the effects of existing drugs. More. Since 2015, reports have surfaced of multiple deaths due to street use of U-47700 1.
What does it look like?
Source
Exported from illegal labs in China 1.
Street price
U-47700 has also been identified and sold on the Internet misleadingly as a ‘research chemical’ at roughly $30 per gram 1.
How long do its effects last?
Onset of effects
- insufflatedInsufflating, commonly referred to as snorting, is a method of drug administration where powdered substances are inhaled through the nose. More – 5 – 20 minutes 2.
- oral – 15 minutes 3.
- insufflatedInsufflating, commonly referred to as snorting, is a method of drug administration where powdered substances are inhaled through the nose. More/plugged – 15 minutes 3.
- intravenous – 0 – 1 minutes 3.
Peak
- insufflatedInsufflating, commonly referred to as snorting, is a method of drug administration where powdered substances are inhaled through the nose. More – 1 – 2 hours 2.
Duration of effects
- insufflatedInsufflating, commonly referred to as snorting, is a method of drug administration where powdered substances are inhaled through the nose. More – 2 – 3 hours 2.
- oral – 5 – 7 hours 3.
- insufflatedInsufflating, commonly referred to as snorting, is a method of drug administration where powdered substances are inhaled through the nose. More/plugged – 3 – 4 hours 3.
- intravenous – 1 – 2 hours 3.
After-effects
- oral – 1 – 4 hours 3.
- insufflatedInsufflating, commonly referred to as snorting, is a method of drug administration where powdered substances are inhaled through the nose. More/plugged – 1 – 4 hours 3.
- intravenous – 1 – 4 hours 3.
Pharmacology
U-47700 is selective for the ยต-opioid receptor, with various sources claiming 7.5x the potency of morphine 4, 5.
Opioids exert their effects by binding to and activating the ฮผ-opioid receptor. This occurs because opioids structurally mimic endogenousproduced within or caused by factors within the body. More endorphins'feel-good' chemicals produced by the body itself More which are naturally found in the body and also work with the ฮผ-opioid receptor set. The way in which opioids structurally mimic these natural endorphins'feel-good' chemicals produced by the body itself More results in their euphoriafeelings of joy and happiness, pain relief and anxiolyticDrugs that relieve medically-diagnosed anxiety. More effects. This is because endorphins'feel-good' chemicals produced by the body itself More are responsible for reducing pain, causing sleepiness, and feelings of pleasure. They can be released in response to pain, strenuous exercise, orgasm, or general excitement.
U-47700 may also be an agonist for the kappa-opioid receptor system. As a result of this, it has become the lead compound of selective kappa-opioid receptor ligands such as U-50488 and U-69,593, which share very similar structures 6. Its structure led to other chemists experimenting with it to see if rigid analogs would retain activity 7. Although not used medically, the selective kappa ligands are used in research 8, 2.
Toxicity
U-47700 has a high toxicityThis is when too much of something is taken over a short period of time More relative to its dose due to its extreme potency. As with all opioids, long-term effects can vary but can include diminished libido, apathy and memory loss. It is also potentially lethal when mixed with depressants like alcohol or benzodiazepines 2.
Tolerance
As with other opioids, the chronic use of U-47700 can be considered moderately addictive with a high potential for abuse and is capable of causing psychological dependence among certain users. When addiction has developed, cravings and withdrawal symptoms may occur if a person suddenly stops their usage.
Tolerancethis is the process by which the receptors in your brain become habituated to the action of a drug. When tolerance is reached, more of the drug is required to achieve the same effect. With benzodiazepines, and probably with many other classes of drugs as well, tolerance is virtually always associated with some degree of physical dependence. If you find that you are experiencing tolerance, this is a clear warning sign that you may have formed a dependence. More to many of the effects of U-47700 develops with prolonged and repeated use. The rate at which this occurs develops at different rates for different effects, with tolerancethis is the process by which the receptors in your brain become habituated to the action of a drug. When tolerance is reached, more of the drug is required to achieve the same effect. With benzodiazepines, and probably with many other classes of drugs as well, tolerance is virtually always associated with some degree of physical dependence. If you find that you are experiencing tolerance, this is a clear warning sign that you may have formed a dependence. More to the constipation-inducing effects developing particularly slowly for instance. This results in users having to administer increasingly large doses to achieve the same effects. After that, it takes about 3 – 7 days for the tolerancethis is the process by which the receptors in your brain become habituated to the action of a drug. When tolerance is reached, more of the drug is required to achieve the same effect. With benzodiazepines, and probably with many other classes of drugs as well, tolerance is virtually always associated with some degree of physical dependence. If you find that you are experiencing tolerance, this is a clear warning sign that you may have formed a dependence. More to be reduced to half and 1 – 2 weeks to be back at baseline (in the absence of further consumption). U-47700 presents cross-tolerance with all other opioids, meaning that after the consumption of U-47700 all opioids will have a reduced effect.
It is highly advisable not to become physically dependent on this substance, as physical dependence can develop in a short period 2.
Effects
Physical effects
- physical euphoriaan intense feeling of pleasure and well-being More,
- pupil constriction,
- appetite suppression,
- cough suppression,
- pain relief,
- respiratory depressionslowing the drive and effectiveness of breathing More,
- sedationthe state of being relaxed or sleepy because of a drug More,
- constipationmeans that you're not passing stools regularly or you're unable to completely empty your bowels. More,
- difficulty urinating,
- itchiness 2.
Cognitive effects
- anxiety,
- cognitive euphoriastate of intense well-being, happiness, and excitement More,
- compulsive redosing,
- depression,
- irritability,
- dream potentiationcan be described as a cognitive component which increases the intensity, vividness and frequency of sleeping dream states. This effect also creates higher detail and definition within dreams alongside of an increase in the likelihood of one's dreams becoming lucid. More,
- anxiety suppression,
- cognitive fatiguethe decline in the ability to think effectively and maintain focus. More,
- decreased libido,
- thought deceleration 2.
After-effects
- cognitive fatiguethe decline in the ability to think effectively and maintain focus. More,
- thought deceleration,
- anxiety,
- depression,
- irritability 2.
Side-effects
- euphoriafeelings of joy and happiness and other psychoactive effects,
- sedationthe state of being relaxed or sleepy because of a drug More, relaxation, numbness,
- potent analgesiadecreased pain awareness. More,
- severe, possibly fatal respiration depression,
- pinpointthe pupils are very small. More pupils,
- constipationmeans that you're not passing stools regularly or you're unable to completely empty your bowels. More,
- itching,
- drug tolerancethis is the process by which the receptors in your brain become habituated to the action of a drug. When tolerance is reached, more of the drug is required to achieve the same effect. With benzodiazepines, and probably with many other classes of drugs as well, tolerance is virtually always associated with some degree of physical dependence. If you find that you are experiencing tolerance, this is a clear warning sign that you may have formed a dependence. More, addiction,
- seizuresthe outward effect can vary from uncontrolled jerking movement (tonic-clonic seizure) to as subtle as a momentary loss of awareness More,
- psychosis,
- fatal overdose 1.
Interactions
Although many drugs are safe on their own, they can become dangerous and even life-threatening when combined with other substances. The list below contains some common potentially dangerous combinations, but may not include all of them. Certain combinations may be safe in low doses of each but still increase the potential risk of death. Independent research should always be done to ensure that a combination of two or more substances is safe before consumption 2.
- Depressants (1,4-Butanediol, 2m2b, alcohol, barbiturates, benzodiazepines, GHB/GBL, methaqualone) – This combination can result in dangerous or even fatal levels of respiratory depressionslowing the drive and effectiveness of breathing More. These substances potentiate the muscle relaxation, sedationthe state of being relaxed or sleepy because of a drug More and amnesiainability to remember caused by one another and can lead to unexpected loss of consciousness at high doses. There is also an increased risk of vomiting during unconsciousness and death from the resulting suffocation. If this occurs, users should attempt to fall asleep in the recovery position or have a friend move them into it.
- Dissociatives – This combination can result in an increased risk of vomiting during unconsciousness and death from the resulting suffocation. If this occurs, users should attempt to fall asleep in the recovery position or have a friend move them into it.
- Stimulants – It is dangerous to combine U-47700, a depressant, with stimulants due to the risk of excessive intoxication. Stimulants decrease the sedativeOne of a diverse group of drugs manufactured for medical purposes to relax the central nervous system. More effect of U-47700, which is the main factor most people consider when determining their level of intoxication. Once the stimulanta drug that acts on the Central Nervous System, increasing some rates of function such as heart-rate wears off, the effects of U-47700 will be significantly increased, leading to intensified disinhibition as well as other effects. If combined, one should strictly limit themselves to only taking a certain amount of U-47700 2.
Dangerous
- Ketamine – Both substances bring a risk of vomiting and unconsciousness. If the user falls unconscious while under the influence there is a severe risk of vomit aspirationvomit being inhaled into the lungs, a potentially life-threatening condition More if they are not placed in the recovery position.
- MXE – This combination can potentiate the effects of the opioid.
- DXM – CNSthe Central Nervous System, upon which certain drugs act depression, difficult breathing, heart issues, hepatoxicrelating to or causing injury to the liver. More, just very unsafe combination all around. Additionally if one takes dxm, their tolerancethis is the process by which the receptors in your brain become habituated to the action of a drug. When tolerance is reached, more of the drug is required to achieve the same effect. With benzodiazepines, and probably with many other classes of drugs as well, tolerance is virtually always associated with some degree of physical dependence. If you find that you are experiencing tolerance, this is a clear warning sign that you may have formed a dependence. More of opiates goes down slightly, thus causing additional synergistic effectsan effect arising between two or more agents, entities, factors, or substances that produces an effect greater than the sum of their individual effects More.
- Cocaine – Stimulants increase respiration rate allowing a higher dose of opiates. If the stimulanta drug that acts on the Central Nervous System, increasing some rates of function such as heart-rate wears off first then the opiate may overcome the patient and cause respiratory arrestRespiratory arrest is caused by airway obstruction, decreased respiratory drive, or respiratory muscle weakness. More.
- Alcohol – Both substances potentiate the ataxialoss of motor coordination More and sedationthe state of being relaxed or sleepy because of a drug More caused by the other and can lead to unexpected loss of consciousness at high doses. Place affected patients in the recovery position to prevent vomit aspirationvomit being inhaled into the lungs, a potentially life-threatening condition More from excess. Memory blackouts are likely.
- GBL / GHB – The two substances potentiate each other strongly and unpredictably, very rapidly leading to unconsciousness. While unconscious, vomit aspirationvomit being inhaled into the lungs, a potentially life-threatening condition More is a risk if not placed in the recovery position.
- Tramadol – Concomitant use of tramadol increases the seizure risk in patients taking other opioids. These agents are often individually epileptogenic and may have additive effects on seizure threshold during coadministration. Central nervous system- and/or respiratory-depressant effects may be additively or synergisticallyThe effect arising between two or more agents, entities, factors, or substances that produce an effect greater than the sum of their individual effects. More present.
- Benzodiazepines – Central nervous systembrain and spinal cord and/or respiratory-depressant effects may be additively or synergisticallyThe effect arising between two or more agents, entities, factors, or substances that produce an effect greater than the sum of their individual effects. More present. The two substances potentiate each other strongly and unpredictably, very rapidly leading to unconsciousness. While unconscious, vomit aspirationvomit being inhaled into the lungs, a potentially life-threatening condition More is a risk if not placed in the recovery position. Blackouts/memory loss likely 3.
Caution
- PCP – PCP can reduce opioid tolerancethis is the process by which the receptors in your brain become habituated to the action of a drug. When tolerance is reached, more of the drug is required to achieve the same effect. With benzodiazepines, and probably with many other classes of drugs as well, tolerance is virtually always associated with some degree of physical dependence. If you find that you are experiencing tolerance, this is a clear warning sign that you may have formed a dependence. More, increasing the risk of overdose.
- Nitrous oxide – Both substances potentiate the ataxialoss of motor coordination More and sedationthe state of being relaxed or sleepy because of a drug More caused by the other and can lead to unexpected loss of consciousness at high doses. While unconscious, vomit aspirationvomit being inhaled into the lungs, a potentially life-threatening condition More is a risk if not placed in the recovery position. Memory blackouts are likely.
- Amphetamines – Stimulants increase respiration rate allowing a higher dose of opiates. If the stimulanta drug that acts on the Central Nervous System, increasing some rates of function such as heart-rate wears off first then the opiate may overcome the patient and cause respiratory arrestRespiratory arrest is caused by airway obstruction, decreased respiratory drive, or respiratory muscle weakness. More.
- MAOIsMAOIs may be used to treat the symptoms of depression. More – Coadministration of monoamine oxidase inhibitors (MAOIsMAOIs may be used to treat the symptoms of depression. More) with certain opioids has been associated with rare reports of severe and fatal adverse reactions. There appear to be two types of interaction, an excitatory and a depressive one. Symptoms of the excitatory reaction may include agitation, headache, diaphoresisexcessive sweating, hyperpyrexiaan excessive elevation of body temperature above the average normal temperature. More, flushing, shivering, myoclonusa brief, involuntary twitching of a muscle or group of muscles. More, rigidity, tremor, diarrhea, hypertensionhigh blood pressure, tachycardiarapid pulse rate, seizuresthe outward effect can vary from uncontrolled jerking movement (tonic-clonic seizure) to as subtle as a momentary loss of awareness More, and coma. Death has occurred in some cases 3.
Withdrawal
U-47700 withdrawal symptoms can be especially painful and emerge after 2 – 4 hours after the last dose administration 2.
Drug testing
Currently, U-47700 is not included in standard workplace drug screens in the U.S.; however, forensics or medical laboratory testing may identify U-47700 through analytical techniques such as mass spectrometry 9.
Health hazards
The DEAUS Drug Enforcement Administration More have reported at least 46 deaths linked to use of U-47700 that occurred in 2015 and 2016. According to the DEAUS Drug Enforcement Administration More, no other reports of U-47700 use in the U.S. were found prior to 2015.
In January 2017, a toxicology case report was published in the Annals of Emergency Medicine that detailed events in which fentanyl and U-47700 were being sold misleadingly as the prescription opioid pain medication Norco (acetaminophen and hydrocodone) on the streets of Northern and Central California. In one patient who presented to the emergency room, naloxone (Narcan) was administered which reversed respiratory depressionslowing the drive and effectiveness of breathing More and pinpointthe pupils are very small. More pupils. After additional chemical analysis, it was found the “Norco” contained hydrocodone, fentanyl, and U-47700 9, 1.
Footnotes:
U-47700, 2017, https://www.drugs.com/illicit/u-47700.html
U-47700, 2017, https://psychonautwiki.org/w/index.php/U-47700
U-47700, 2017, http://drugs.tripsit.me/u-47700
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Zhao, S. and Totleben, M. J. and Mizsak, S. A. and Freeman, J. P. and Szmuszkovicz, J., Phenanthridone Analogs of the Opiate Agonist U-47,700 in the trans-1,2-Diaminocyclohexane Benzamide Series, Heterocycles, 2000, 52, 1, 325-332, https://doi.org/10.3987/COM-99-S27, http://www.heterocycles.jp/newlibrary/libraries/abst/07731
Jucker, E., Progress in Drug Research, 1999, Szmuszkovicz, J., U-50,488 and the ะบ receptor: A personalized account covering the period 1973 to 1990, 167-195, https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-0348-8730-4_4, http://link.springer.com/chapter/10.10072F978-3-0348-8730-4_4
Armenian, P. and Olson, A. and Anaya, A. and Kurtz, A. and Ruegner, R. and Gerona, R. R., Fentanyl and a Novel Synthetic Opioid U-47700 Masquerading as Street “Norco” in Central California: A Case Report, Annals of Emergency Medicine, 2017, 69, 1, 87-90, http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.annemergmed.2016.06.014, http://www.annemergmed.com/article/S0196-0644(16)30292-X/fulltext