What Is Naloxone and Why Is It in Suboxone?
Naloxone is a medication that is used to reverse overdoses of opioids. It does this by knocking other opioids off the receptors, preventing negative effects such as respiratory depression (slowed breathing). Naloxone does not interfere with buprenorphine’s effects when the SUBOXONE is taken under the tongue as prescribed. When Suboxone is placed under the tongue as prescribed, very little naloxone is absorbed into the bloodstream. The patient should not feel the effects of naloxone. The naloxone in Suboxone is there to deter people from dissolving Suboxone and injecting it. When Suboxone is used incorrectly (by injection), its naloxone component can cause withdrawal symptoms to rapidly occur. Subutex® (buprenorphine HCl sublingual tablets) contains only buprenorphine, without naloxone, and may be used to start people on treatment for opioid dependence.
