Diacetylmorphine hydrochloride

{
  "id": "MLC-T-ONC-013030",
  "term": "Diacetylmorphine hydrochloride",
  "field": "Oncology and biomedicine",
  "definition": "The hydrochloride salt of a diacetyl derivative of the opiate morphine, a naturally occurring alkaloid extracted from the seedpod of the Asian poppy (Papaver sp.). Once administered, diamorphine (or diacetylmorphine) is rapidly hydrolyzed to 6-monoacetylmorphine (6-MAM) and then to the end-product morphine which binds to opiate receptors located throughout the mammalian nervous and gastrointestinal systems. Inducing a potent analgesia, the use of diamoprhine is often escalated due to a tolerance effect, resulting in abuse that is associated with fatal overdose, abortion, venous sclerosis, and opportunistic infections, among other adverse effects.",
  "synonyms": [
    "diamorphine hydrochloride",
    "heroin hydrochloride"
  ],
  "references": [
    "National Cancer Institute Thesaurus"
  ],
  "url": "https://mlchart.com/terminology/oncology/diacetylmorphine-hydrochloride/"
}