Comment · Wed, October 30, 2013
Dancesafe has released a harm reduction app to Android!
What they were answering
klafka · 3 points
Opioid is any drug that affects the opioid receptors. Technically opiates all come from the poppy so opium, morphine, codeine, thebaine. Opioid is a more inclusive term and probably more accurate. However, there are a number of atypical opioids that you wouldn't think to include such as dextromethorphan. So no matter what we'll be slightly incorrect.
u/MisterYouAreSoDumb
Dextromethorphan is a derivative of the morphinan group, but does not have opioid affinities. It does potentiate μ-opioid agonists like morphine, though. However, it is not an opioid.
Tianeptine on the other had does have opioid affinities, but is not considered a traditional opioid. Then you have things like salvinorin A, which is a k-opioid agonist. However, it does not lead to the effects that most people associate with opiates. So when one really thinks of opiates, they are thinking about drugs that have strong μ-opioid affinities. So if you really wanted to be 100% correct with your labeling, you would have to make the category μ-opioid agonists.
It should really be about receptor affinity, not molecular structure.