Heroin
Systematic (IUPAC) name
(5α,6α)-7,8-didehydro-4,5-epoxy-17-methylmorphinan-3,6-diol diacetate
Identifiers
CAS number	561-27-3
ATC code	N07BC06
PubChem	5462328
DrugBank	DB01452
ChemSpider	4575379
Chemical data
Formula	C21H23Template:OrganicBoxTemplate:OrganicBoxTemplate:OrganicBoxTemplate:OrganicBoxTemplate:OrganicBoxTemplate:OrganicBoxTemplate:OrganicBoxTemplate:OrganicBoxTemplate:OrganicBoxTemplate:OrganicBoxTemplate:OrganicBoxTemplate:OrganicBoxTemplate:OrganicBoxNTemplate:OrganicBoxO5Template:OrganicBoxTemplate:OrganicBoxTemplate:OrganicBoxTemplate:OrganicBoxTemplate:OrganicBoxTemplate:OrganicBoxTemplate:OrganicBoxTemplate:OrganicBox
Mol. mass	?
SMILES	eMolecules & PubChem
Synonyms	Diacetylmorphine, acetomorphine, (dual) acetylated morphine, morphine diacetate
Pharmacokinetic data
Bioavailability	<35% (by mouth), 44–61% (inhaled)
Protein binding	0% (morphine metabolite 35%)
Metabolism	Liver
Half life	2–3 minutes
Excretion	90% kidney as glucuronides, rest biliary
Therapeutic considerations
Pregnancy cat.	?
Legal status	Prohibited (S9)(AU) Schedule I(CA) Class A(UK) Schedule I(US)
Dependence Liability	High
Routes	Intravenous, inhalation, transmucosal, by mouth, intranasal, rectal, intramuscular, subcutaneous, intrathecal

When heroin was first made (around 1900), it was sold as a cough medicine and a painkiller. It was marketed in bottles like this one

Heroin for medical use in hospitals, as a painkiller. It is in liquid form, so it can be given with a syringe (needle)

Heroin is a drug. It is also known as Diacetylmorphine or Diamorphine. Heroin was originally a trade name. It is an opioid - a type of drug which acts like morphine in the body. Heroin is called a semi-synthetic opioid. This means it is made from an opiate that occurs in nature. For Heroin, that natural opiate is morphine.