U-48800

What is  u-48800 

The NSO u-48800 [trans‐2‐(2,4‐dichlorophenyl)‐N‐2‐(dimethylamino)cyclohexyl)‐N‐methylacetamide, monohydrochloride] appeared in 2017 for the first time on the market. Together with its regioisomer U‐51754 (methene‐U‐47700), which was also described as an NSO.  It belongs to the so‐called U‐drugs and is structurally non‐related to classical opioids  as morphine and fentanyl.  u-48800 receptor affinity studies were not yet performed, but based on the analogy to U‐51754, comparable pharmacological effects are likely.

Due to a higher affinity to the κ‐receptor in comparison to the μ‐receptor, analgesia with fewer unwanted pharmacological effects. Expect Respiratory depression. Solimini et al recently reviewed the pharmacotoxicology of non‐fentanyl‐derived NSOs. This found u-48800 available as a “research chemical”; of the opioid analgesic class to replace U‐47700 and that conventional drug tests do not detect such compounds. Due to the growing number of acute intoxication cases, they encouraged pharmacological, toxicological, and forensic research on these compounds to provide effective detection methods, amongst others.

The Challenge

Diverted prescription opioid analgesics (e.g., oxycodone, hydrocodone, hydromorphone), failed opioid drug candidates (e.g., benzamide derivatives), and various legal and illegal fentanyl analogs (e.g., acetyl fentanyl, furanylfentanyl, carfentanil) constitute the class of New Synthetic Opioids (NSOs), which is currently posing a global public health threat
What does u-48800 do?
Morever, Similar to opioids, cannabinoids produce their effects by interacting with specific receptors, located within different parts of the CNS. In conclusion, cannabinoids regulate how cells communicate – how they send, receive, or process messages.