
Health Dictionary
Reliable, easy-to-read patient information on common medical conditions — written in plain language, free of jargon, and grounded in current evidence. Browse the most frequent diagnoses, understand what they mean for everyday life, and learn which steps and questions help you have a focused conversation with your doctor.
PEPAP
Introduction
PEPAP is an opioid analgesic that is an analogue of pethidine (meperidine).
It is related to the drug MPPP, with a phenethyl group in place of the 1-methyl substitution and an acetate ester rather than propionate.
PEPAP presumably has similar effects to other opioids, producing analgesia, sedation and euphoria. Side effects can include itching, nausea and potentially serious respiratory depression which can be life-threatening.
PEPAP could be particularly dangerous as it has been found to be a potent CYP2D6 inhibitor, which makes it likely to cause adverse interactions with some other drugs.[1]
It is however not known whether the byproducts formed during the synthesis of PEPAP are neurotoxic in the same way as the MPPP byproduct MPTP.
References
- ↑ Pritzker D, Kanungo A, Kilicarslan T, Tyndale RF, Sellers EM. Designer drugs that are potent inhibitors of CYP2D6. Journal of Clinical Psychopharmacology. 2002 Jun;22(3):330-2.
