Chemical Properties
Crystalline Solid
Uses
Potent derivative of Fentanyl. Analgesic (narcotic).
Controlled substance (opiate)
Definition
ChEBI: Sufentanil citrate is an anilide.
Brand name
Sufenta (Akorn).
General Description
Sufentanil is a short acting synthetic opioid analgesic most commonly used for pain relief during medical operations. This certified solution standard is applicable to use in clinical toxicology, pain prescription monitoring, or forensic analysis by LC-MS/MS or GC/MS. Sufentanil is sold under the trade name Sufenta.
Clinical Use
Addition of the 4-methoxymethyl group and bioisosteric replacement of the phenyl with a 2-thiophenyl on the fentanyl structure results in a 10-fold increase in μ opioid activity.
The resultant compound, sufentanil, is 600 to 800 times more potent than morphine. Despite its
greater sedative and analgesic potency, sufentanil produces less respiratory depression at
effective anesthetic doses. Sufentanil is available in an intravenous dosage form, and it is used for
anesthetic procedures. It has a faster onset and shorter duration of action than fentanyl. The short
duration is caused by redistribution from brain tissues after intravenous dosage.
Veterinary Drugs and Treatments
An opioid analgesic, sufentanil may be useful as an anesthesia adjunct
or as an epidural analgesic. In humans, it has been used as the
primary anesthetic in intubated patients with assisted ventilation,
and as a post-operative analgesic.
