What is "buprenorphine"

n. (context medicine English) A semisynthetic opioid that is used to treat opioid addiction.

Buprenorphine is a semisynthetic opioid derivative of thebaine. It is a mixed partial agonist opioid receptor modulator that is used to treat opioid addiction in higher dosages, to control moderate acute pain in non-opioid-tolerant individuals in lower dosages and to control moderate chronic pain in even smaller doses. It is available under the trade names Cizdol, Subutex (typically used for opioid addiction), Temgesic ( sublingual tablets for moderate to severe pain), Buprenex (solutions for injection often used for acute pain in primary-care settings), Norspan and Butrans ( transdermal preparations used for chronic pain). The combination buprenorphine/naloxone is also used for opioid addiction.