Furanylfentanyl (Fu-F) is an

opioid Opioids are substances that act on opioid receptors to produce morphine-like effects. Medically they are primarily used for pain relief, including anesthesia. Other medical uses include suppression of diarrhea, replacement therapy for opioid use ...

analgesic that is an

analog Analog or analogue may refer to: Computing and electronics * Analog signal, in which information is encoded in a continuous variable ** Analog device, an apparatus that operates on analog signals *** Analog electronics, circuits which use analog ...

fentanyl Fentanyl, also spelled fentanil, is a very potent synthetic opioid used as a pain medication. Together with other drugs, fentanyl is used for anesthesia. It is also used illicitly as a recreational drug, sometimes mixed with heroin, cocain ...

and has been sold as a

designer drug A designer drug is a structural or functional analog of a controlled substance that has been designed to mimic the pharmacological effects of the original drug, while avoiding classification as illegal and/or detection in standard drug tests. D ...

. It has an ED₅₀ value of 0.02 mg/kg in mice. This makes it approximately one fifth as potent as fentanyl.

Side effects

Side effects of

analogs are similar to those of fentanyl itself, which include

itching Itch (also known as pruritus) is a Wikt:sensation, sensation that causes the desire or reflex to scratch. Itch has resisted many attempts to be classified as any one type of Sensory system, sensory experience. Itch has many similarities to pain, ...

nausea Nausea is a diffuse sensation of unease and discomfort, sometimes perceived as an urge to vomit. While not painful, it can be a debilitating symptom if prolonged and has been described as placing discomfort on the chest, abdomen, or back of the ...

and potentially serious respiratory depression, which can be life-threatening. Fentanyl analogs have killed hundreds of people throughout Europe and the former Soviet republics since the most recent resurgence in use began in Estonia in the early 2000s, and novel derivatives continue to appear. Life-threatening adverse reactions caused by furanylfentanyl use have been observed in Sweden and Canada. At least seven deaths in Cook County, Illinois, have been linked to furanylfentanyl in 2016, with additional deaths in suburban Chicago in 2017.

Detection in biological fluids

Furanylfentanyl may be measured in blood or urine to monitor for use, confirm a diagnosis of poisoning, or assist in a medicolegal death investigation. Commercially available

immunoassay An immunoassay (IA) is a biochemical test that measures the presence or concentration of a macromolecule or a small molecule in a solution through the use of an antibody (usually) or an antigen (sometimes). The molecule detected by the immunoass ...

s are often used as initial screening tests, but chromatographic techniques are generally used for confirmation and quantitation. Blood furanylfentanyl concentrations are expected to be in a range of 1-45 μg/L in victims of fatal overdosage.

Legal status

Furanylfentanyl is illegal in Sweden as of January 2016. The United States

Drug Enforcement Administration The Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA; ) is a United States federal law enforcement agency under the U.S. Department of Justice tasked with combating drug trafficking and distribution within the U.S. It is the lead agency for domestic en ...

(DEA) proposed a temporary placement of furanylfentanyl into Schedule I of the Controlled Substances Act on 27 September 2016. On November 29, 2016, the DEA issued its final rule, making furanylfentanyl Schedule I.

References

{{Opioid receptor modulators Anilides Designer drugs Mu-opioid receptor agonists Piperidines Synthetic opioids Fentanyl 2-Furyl compounds

Side effects

Detection in biological fluids

Legal status

See also

References