What is Fentanyl Made Of?

Fentanyl is a synthetic opioid medication first made by Paul Janssen in 1959. The structure of fentanyl was created by studying analogs of similar drugs, and the use of fentanyl led to the creation of fentanyl citrate, which combines fentanyl and citric acid.

Fentanyl is an opioid, so it binds to opioid receptors in the nervous system, but it is thought to be up to 100 times more potent than morphine.

According to the Drug Enforcement Administration, fentanyl is available in several different forms, some of the most common of which include:

• Transdermal patches: One of the most common ways fentanyl is administered is by transdermal patch, which is essentially a patch that goes directly on the skin and includes fentanyl in a gel form. A common brand name of these patches is Duragesic. The patches slowly release fentanyl into the skin and then the bloodstream over a period of 48 to 72 hours.
• Buccal tablets: Fentanyl buccal tablets are typically effervescent. One brand name of these tablets is Fentora.
• Sublingual tablets: Sublingual fentanyl is given as a dissolvable film that’s placed under the tongue, and it is absorbed through the sublingual mucosa to begin working quickly. A brand name of these sublingual tablets is Abstral. Sublingual sprays (Subsys) are also available.
• Nasal sprays: One brand-name, nasal spray form of fentanyl is called Lazanda.
• Lozenges and lollipops: Fentanyl lozenges are similar in their makeup to the lollipop versions of fentanyl, and they are for opioid-tolerant individuals, particularly for the treatment of breakthrough cancer pain, and in some cases for pain not related to cancer. One brand name of fentanyl lollipops is Actiq. This is also a fast-acting way to administer fentanyl, and around 25 percent of the drug is absorbed through the oral mucosa.
• Intravenous liquid (injectable formulations): Fentanyl, when used for anesthesia and analgesia, can be given intravenously, usually in combination with a benzodiazepine for various surgeries and procedures. It can sometimes be given as part of spinal anesthesia or epidural anesthesia.

So what is fentanyl made of? Essentially, chemicals.

The chemical name for fentanyl is N-phenyl-N propenamide. It was originally synthesized following a four-step process that included condensing N-benzyl-4-piperidone and reducing it with LAH, and the final step included performing the Finkelstein reaction.

While fentanyl is synthetic, it is synthesized from the opium poppy, which is why opioids all have similar effects and characteristics.

There are a lot of risks with fentanyl, and one of the biggest is the fact that when people attempt to purchase it for illicit use, there is a lot of uncertainty. For example, illegally manufactured fentanyl is becoming a tremendous problem.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reports there was a 426 percent increase in fentanyl products seized from 2013 to 2014. Other reports show that the number of deaths involving synthetic opioids including fentanyl rose 79 percent during that same time period. Officials believe the spikes in overdoses are stemming from illegally manufactured fentanyl.

One of the reasons why is that fentanyl is more potent and cheaper than heroin, so illegal manufacturers can make a lot more doses from a batch, and make more profit as a result. This happened with Prince. He took fentanyl, but the pills were identified through labeling as hydrocodone.

Something else that’s triggering so many overdose deaths is the fact that illegally manufactured fentanyl is being mixed with other illicit drugs like heroin, and people may not even realize it when they take it. Fentanyl is much more potent, and a much smaller amount can lead to an overdose very quickly.

It’s important to be aware not just of what fentanyl is made of, but the potential for drugs purchased illegally to contain it and the risks that can come with this.