Subutex

(SOO-buh-teks)

Subutex®️ is a brand name for the medication buprenorphine, which is a mono-product partial opioid agonist used to treat opioid use disorder (OUD) and manage chronic pain. It is prescribed as a sublingual tablet and is meant to be dissolved under the tongue. Subutex is used as part of medications for addiction treatment (MAT) for OUD and is used under certain specific conditions, for example with patients who have a documented allergy to naloxone and can't take a combination product like Suboxone which contains both buprenorphine and naloxone.

Historical context

Buprenorphine was first synthesized in the 1960s and was initially used for pain management. In the early 2000s, buprenorphine was approved for the treatment of OUD in the United States, and Subutex and Suboxone were introduced as the first buprenorphine-containing medications for this purpose.

Medical formulations

Subutex is available in sublingual tablet form in various strengths, including 2 mg and 8 mg tablets.

How long does Subutex stay in your system?

Buprenorphine in Subutex has a half-life of approximately 24 to 42 hours. It takes roughly 120 to 210 hours for the drug to be completely eliminated from the body.

Street names

Bupe, Subs, Oranges, Stop signs

Appearance

Subutex tablets are white, oval-shaped, and imprinted with a numeric identifier corresponding to the strength of the tablet (e.g., "B2" for the 2 mg tablet and "B8" for the 8 mg tablet). Half-Life: Buprenorphine in Subutex has a half-life of approximately 24 to 42 hours. It takes roughly 120 to 210 hours for the drug to be completely eliminated from the body.

Common pills

• 2 mg tablet: This tablet is a white, oval-shaped pill with "B2" imprinted on one side. The "B2" imprint indicates that it is a 2 mg strength buprenorphine tablet.
• 8 mg tablet (oval): This tablet is a white, oval-shaped pill with "B8" imprinted on one side. The "B8" imprint indicates that it is an 8 mg strength buprenorphine tablet.
• 8 mg tablet (hexagonal): This tablet is a white, hexagonal-shaped pill with "54 411" imprinted on one side. The "54 411" imprint indicates that it is an 8 mg strength buprenorphine tablet.