heroin

Print
Trade Name(s): diamorphine
Group 4: Illicit Substances AHFS Class: Opiate Agonist
Formweb: heroin
Info Links: Chemotherapy Extravasation Policy
PPE:
Illicit Substance
ActivityGlovesMaskGogglesGown or Wrist/Arm ProtectionNotes/Instructions
Performing testing or handling evidenceGloves Double
Nitrile		Mask
Disposable N100, R100 or P100FFR		GogglesGown

NIOSH offers the following recommendations to help prevent emergency responders’ exposures to illicit drugs, including fentanyl:

  • Always wear nitrile gloves when illicit drugs may be present and change them properly when they become contaminated.
  • Wear respiratory protection if powdered illicit drugs are visible or suspected.
  • Avoid performing tasks or operations that may cause illicit drugs to become airborne.
  • Do not touch the eyes, nose, or mouth after touching any surface that may be contaminated, even if wearing gloves.
  • Wash hands with soap and water after working in an area that may be contaminated, even if gloves were worn. Do not use hand sanitizer or bleach.

For more information: www.cdc.gov/niosh/topics/fentanyl/toolkit.html

Mechanism of Action:

The pharmacological actions of morphine and morphine-like drugs such as heroin mediate primarily through the mu opioid receptor (MOR). It represents the target of the most valuable painkiller in contemporary medicine. /Investigators/ report that Poly(ADP-ribose) polymerase 1 (PARP-1) binds to the double-stranded poly(C) element essential for the MOR promoter and represses promoter activity at the transcriptional level. ... In cotransfection studies, PARP-1 repressed the MOR promoter only when the poly(C) sequence was intact. When PARP-1 was disrupted in NS20Y cells using siRNA, transcription of the endogenous target MOR gene increased significantly. Chromatin immunoprecipitation assays showed specific binding of PARP-1 to the double-stranded poly(C) element essential for the MOR promoter. Inhibition of PARP-1's catalytic domain with 3-aminobenzamide increased endogenous MOR mRNA levels in cultured NS20Y cells, suggesting that automodification of PARP-1 regulates MOR transcription. Our data suggest that PARP-1 can function as a repressor of MOR transcription dependent on the MOR poly(C) sequence.

Reference: PubChem

Exposure Risk:

  • Fatal if swallowed
  • Harmful if swallowed
  • Fatal in contact with skin
  • May cause an allergic skin reaction
  • Fatal if inhaled
  • Harmful if inhaled
  • May cause allergy or asthma symptoms or breathing difficulties if inhaled

Reference: PubChem

Supplemental Information:

CSA SCH: C-I

Source References:

DrugBank

NIH DailyMed

NIH PubChem

FDA Medication Guides

FDA Specific Drug Information

NIOSH Documents:

Approved on September 12, 2024