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Also known as: OxyContin, Oxyfast, Percolone
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oxycodone, semisynthetic drug with potent pain-relieving effects that is derived from thebaine, an alkaloid that occurs naturally in the opium poppy (Papaver somniferum). Oxycodone was synthesized from thebaine in 1916 and was first used clinically the following year. Today it is prescribed for moderate to severe pain and is sold under various brand names, including OxyContin, Percolone, and Oxyfast. A widely prescribed drug known as Percocet contains oxycodone in combination with acetaminophen. Oxycodone produces pain-relieving effects by binding to and stimulating opioid receptors in the central nervous system. This action, which inhibits the neural relay of pain signals from affected ...(100 of 399 words)

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