Also known as Physeptone, this is a synthetic drug structurally similar to morphine, one of many opioid drugs used to treat severe pain. Methadone is less sedating, shorter lasting and more reliable when taken orally. Although vomiting is common, this is generally less severe than with morphine.
A synthetic opioid analgesic with a long duration of action, used primarily to treat pain and to detoxify or maintain patients who are addicted to narcotic pain relievers. Methadone is habit-forming and subject to abuse; its use should be carefully supervised. In well-run treatment programs, its use has been associated with reductions in illegal drug use, transmission of human immunodeficiency virus, and criminal behaviors.