What does apomorphine mean?
Apomorphine is a synthetic pharmaceutical compound structurally related to morphine but pharmacologically quite different: rather than relieving pain through opioid receptors, it acts as a potent agonist at dopamine receptors in the brain. Its principal modern use is in the treatment of Parkinson's disease, where it is administered by subcutaneous injection or continuous infusion to counteract the sudden loss of medication effect — so-called 'off' episodes — that patients with advanced disease experience. Historically it was also employed as an emetic to induce vomiting, a role now largely confined to veterinary practice, particularly in treating dogs that have ingested toxins. The name is potentially misleading: despite deriving from morphine, apomorphine lacks meaningful analgesic activity. It remains a specialised term, familiar mainly to clinicians, pharmacists, and researchers, and appears in formal medical contexts such as prescribing guidelines, clinical trials, and neurological literature.
nounA synthetic drug derived from morphine that acts as a dopamine receptor agonist, used chiefly to treat the motor fluctuations of Parkinson's disease and to induce vomiting in some veterinary contexts.
- A dopamine receptor agonist drug used to manage 'off' episodes in advanced Parkinson's disease.
- An emetic (vomit-inducing agent) formerly used in medicine and still used in veterinary practice.
"The neurologist prescribed an apomorphine pump to smooth out the patient's off episodes between levodopa doses."
"Apomorphine is delivered by subcutaneous injection or continuous infusion to rescue patients from sudden 'off' periods."
"In veterinary medicine, a single dose of apomorphine is commonly given to make a dog vomit after it has swallowed something toxic."
Rarely pluralised; the plural would apply only to distinct formulations or dose forms, not to the substance itself.
"Several apomorphines were tested before one showed reliable bioavailability."
Despite its name, apomorphine isn't a stronger form of morphine — it doesn't relieve pain at all; instead it mimics dopamine in the brain.
Reviewed by Deb Chak, Editor. AI-assisted content curated by RJS Tech Solutions LLP.
Etymology of apomorphine
The word combines the Greek prefix 'apo-' (meaning 'away from' or 'derived from') with 'morphine', reflecting its preparation from the opium alkaloid. It was first synthesised in the late nineteenth century, when chemists observed that treating morphine with acid produced a compound whose effects differed markedly from those of the parent drug. The 'apo-' prefix links it etymologically to other Greek-derived terms such as 'apogee' and 'apophysis'.
How apomorphine is actually used
Strictly a medical and pharmacological term; encountered almost exclusively in clinical settings, prescribing information, and scientific literature rather than everyday speech.
Easily confused with apomorphine
Morphine is an opioid analgesic that relieves pain by acting on opioid receptors, whereas apomorphine has no significant analgesic effect and instead stimulates dopamine receptors.