Disposition of morphine in man.

The disposition of morphine was investigated by means of radioimmunoassay after a single intravenous dose (10 milligrams per 70 kilograms) was administered to 10 adult normal male subjects who had not received other drugs for 2 weeks preceding the study. A multiphasic decline in serum concentrations of morphine occurred. Detectable blood concentrations of morphine, or of a metabolite, or of both persisted for 48 hours after a single intravenous dose.