Encyclopedia >  Medicine  >  Drugs  >  Pharmacology

codeine

codeine (kōˈdēn) [key], alkaloid found in opium. It is a narcotic whose effects, though less potent, resemble those of morphine. An effective cough suppressant, it is mainly used in cough medicines. Like other narcotics, codeine is addictive. See drug addiction and drug abuse.

The Columbia Electronic Encyclopedia, 6th ed. Copyright © 2012, Columbia University Press. All rights reserved.

More on codeine from Fact Monster:

  • narcotic - narcotic narcotic, any of a number of substances that have a depressant effect on the nervous ...
  • opium - opium opium, substance derived by collecting and drying the milky juice in the unripe seed pods of ...
  • opiate drug - opiate drug opiate drug, any of a group of drugs derived from opium. Used medicinally to relieve ...
  • opium: Medical Uses - Medical Uses Opium was commonly used as an analgesic until the development of morphine. Morphine ...
  • endorphins - endorphins endorphins , neurotransmitters found in the brain that have pain-relieving properties ...

See more Encyclopedia articles on: Pharmacology