Why isn't pure morphine ever used?

[Green Xenon]

Hi:

 

Why isn't molecularly-pure morphine just mixed with clean "drinking" water and ingested?

 

Why is the morphine molecule combined with HCl, sulfate, or other impurities?

 

 

Thanks,

 

GX

[CharonY]

Hi:

 

Why isn't molecularly-pure morphine just mixed with clean "drinking" water and ingested?

 

Why is the morphine molecule combined with HCl, sulfate, or other impurities?

 

 

Thanks,

 

GX

 

The hydrochloride is not an impurity. Morphine salts are purposefully synthesized to increase water solubility.

[John Cuthber]

I suspect that another reason is that the salts are easier to purify by recrystallisation and also are more stable wrt oxidation.

 

Why ask the question, and why put it in terms of "impurity"?

[Suxamethonium]

As far as I personally am aware the morphine is formulated as a salt (HCl etc) to increase solubility in aqueous solution. Passive ions (e.g. Na+ Cl-) would also added to an IV so it is not hypotonic when injected. The dilution of the morphine also allows the dose to be much more accurately controlled/measured and in the case of IV more easily adminsitered over time. If you are interested further, try looking up pharmaceutics to understand why different drug formulations exist for any given drug.