Heroin , also known as diacetylmorphine and diamorphine among other names, [ 1 ] is a morphinan opioid substance synthesized from the dried latex of the opium poppy ; it is mainly used as a recreational drug for its euphoric effects.
Heroin is used medically in several countries to relieve pain , such as during childbirth or a heart attack, as well as in opioid replacement therapy.
Various white and brown powders sold illegally around the world as heroin are routinely diluted with cutting agents. Black tar heroin is a variable admixture of morphine derivatives—predominantly 6-MAM 6-monoacetylmorphine , which is the result of crude acetylation during clandestine production of street heroin. Heroin is typically injected , usually into a vein , but it can also be snorted, smoked, or inhaled.
In a clinical context, the route of administration is most commonly intravenous injection ; it may also be given by intramuscular or subcutaneous injection, as well as orally in the form of tablets. Common side effects include respiratory depression decreased breathing , dry mouth, drowsiness, impaired mental function, constipation, and addiction. Treatment of heroin addiction often includes behavioral therapy and medications. Heroin was first made by C. Alder Wright in from morphine, a natural product of the opium poppy.
Bayer 's original trade name of heroin is typically used in non-medical settings. It is used as a recreational drug for the euphoria it induces. Anthropologist Michael Agar once described heroin as "the perfect whatever drug.
