Desomorphine

Desomorphine is a potent synthetic opioid analgesic derived from morphine. Illicit preparations known as krokodil have been associated with severe tissue damage, especially when injected.

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Opioid receptor: A cell-surface receptor activated by endogenous peptides and opioid drugs, influencing pain, reward, and bodily functions. Desomorphine produces opioid effects by activating these receptors.
Lyndon F. Small: An American medicinal chemist who led research on morphine derivatives at the University of Virginia. Small’s research team first synthesized desomorphine in the 1930s.
Analgesic: A drug or treatment that relieves pain without necessarily eliminating its cause. Desomorphine was developed and used as an opioid analgesic.
Heroin: A semisynthetic opioid made from morphine and used illicitly or, in some countries, medically. Both are potent opioids, but heroin is chemically distinct from desomorphine.
Necrosis: The death of cells or tissues in a living organism. Necrotic tissue has been reported in severe injuries linked to impure krokodil injections.
Mu-opioid receptor: The opioid receptor subtype chiefly responsible for opioid analgesia, respiratory depression, and euphoria. Its activation accounts for many of desomorphine’s central effects.
Morphine: A naturally occurring opioid alkaloid used medically to treat severe pain. Desomorphine is a chemically modified derivative of morphine.
Pain management: The clinical assessment and treatment of pain using medications and other interventions. Desomorphine’s original role was the relief of severe pain.
Fentanyl: A synthetic opioid used medically for severe pain and implicated in many overdose deaths. Fentanyl is another potent opioid, but it is not desomorphine or krokodil.
Cellulitis: A bacterial infection of the skin and tissues beneath it. Injection wounds can become infected and develop cellulitis.