Hydrocodone
Also called Dihydrocodeinone and Hydroconum.
An opioid painkiller, usually combined with paracetamol and sold as Vicodin and Norco. Hydrocodone (C18H21NO3, 299 g/mol) is an opioid dispensed on prescription.
Sources and notes
- The introductionfrom sourceMoleculeFinder curated
- Other namesfrom sourceWikidataIts English label and aliases on Wikidata.
- Formula and weightcomputedPubChem
- 2D drawingcomputedPubChem structure, drawn by RDKit
- 3D modelfrom sourcePubChem 3D conformerLoaded after the page has painted, and on a phone only when you ask for it; the 2D drawing shows until it arrives.
Where you encounter it
Dispensed on prescription, not sold on a shelf. Hydrocodone on the product labels we hold.
Medicines
Every product and list we hold
Sources and notes
- The product labels and their strengthsfrom sourceDailyMed (FDA label)Each label lists the molecule as an ingredient, and an active ingredient at the strength shown.
- How it gets therefrom sourceMoleculeFinder curatedEach mark is set by hand on our lists, never inferred; a label's ingredient is added by the maker. A row with no mark data says Not marked.
- The line abovefrom sourceMoleculeFinder curatedFrom the group the molecule belongs to.
Explore its structure
Choose a part to light it up.
A C=O with a carbon on each side. Its oxygen accepts hydrogen bonds but has no hydrogen to give, and it resists oxidation better than an aldehyde.
From: standard chemistry.
A nitrogen bonded to three carbons, with no hydrogen of its own. Its spare pair of electrons can still pick up a hydrogen ion, so a tertiary amine is a base.
From: standard chemistry.
An oxygen bridging two carbons, written C-O-C. It accepts hydrogen bonds but has no hydrogen to give, and it is slow to react.
From: standard chemistry.
Sources and notes
- The drawingcomputedPubChem structure, drawn by RDKitThe page's one shipped drawing, with the chosen part lit in amber under it.
- The partscomputedFound by ruleEach part is found by a chemical pattern, never picked by hand atom by atom; its words say where they come from.
Compare a related molecule
Oxycodone
Hydrocodone
One hydroxyl group apart.
Oxycodone and hydrocodone are nearly the same molecule, both semi-synthetic opioids made from thebaine, differing by one hydroxyl group that oxycodone carries.
Oxycodone vs Hydrocodone, side by sideSources and notes
- The sentencefrom sourceMoleculeFinder comparison notesThe pair's answer line.
- The two drawingscomputedPubChem structures, drawn by RDKitDrawn the same way round; the amber marks where the two differ.
- The captionfrom sourceMoleculeFinder curated
Properties and sources
Calculated by PubChem
- Molecular formula
- C18H21NO3
- Molecular weight
- 299.4 g/mol
- XLogP3octanol/water, log units
- 2.2
- Polar surface areatopological
- 38.8 Ų
- H-bond donors
- 0
- H-bond acceptors
- 4
- Rotatable bonds
- 1
- Complexity
- 509
Measured LD50, HSDB via PubChem
375 mg/kg pure hydrocodone, rat, oral
An LD50 is an animal study measurement, not a dose for a person.
Reported Hazard label (GHS), ECHA, HSDB via PubChem
Danger Flammable pictogram (GHS02), Toxic pictogram (GHS06), Irritant pictogram (GHS07), Health hazard pictogram (GHS08) and Environmental pictogram (GHS09); hazard statements H225, H301, H302, H311, H317, H331, H334, H370, H400, H402, H412
Reported Licence
The US Food and Drug Administration licenses Hydrocodone for human use (NDA 206627, authorized November 20, 2014), as Hysingla ER. Drugs@FDA
Groups it belongs to
- Category
- Prescription medicine
- Family
- Opioids
- Elements
- Nitrogen
- Hazard classes
- Flammable, Acutely toxic, Irritant, Health hazard, Environmental hazard, GHS Danger
CN1CC[C@]23[C@@H]4[C@H]1CC5=C2C(=C(C=C5)OC)O[C@H]3C(=O)CC4PubChem CID 5284569 · Wikidata Q411441 · InChIKey LLPOLZWFYMWNKH-CMKMFDCUSA-N · Data refreshed
Questions
- What is Hydrocodone?
- An opioid painkiller, usually combined with paracetamol and sold as Vicodin and Norco. Hydrocodone (C18H21NO3, 299 g/mol) is an opioid dispensed on prescription.
- How toxic is Hydrocodone?
- The reported LD50 of Hydrocodone is 375 mg/kg (rat, oral). An LD50 is an animal study measurement, not a dose for a person. Its GHS hazard label carries the signal word Danger and the hazard pictograms Flammable, Toxic, Irritant, Health hazard and Environmental. from sourcefrom source
- What kind of molecule is Hydrocodone?
- Hydrocodone has the formula C18H21NO3 and a molecular weight of 299.4 g/mol. MoleculeFinder files it under opioids, in the prescription medicine group. from sourcefrom sourcefrom sourcefrom source
- What else is Hydrocodone called?
- Hydrocodone is also called Dihydrocodeinone and Hydroconum. from source
- Who licenses Hydrocodone as a medicine?
- The US Food and Drug Administration licenses Hydrocodone for human use (NDA 206627, authorized November 20, 2014), as Hysingla ER. from source
Sources and notes
- Calculated valuescomputedPubChemComputed from the structure, so no laboratory conditions apply; complexity is PubChem's own structural score.
- LD50from sourceHSDB via PubChemOther values the sources report: mouse, another route, 86 mg/kg; rat, another route, 150 mg/kg. The page shows the one LD50 the site uses everywhere.
- Hazard labelfrom sourceECHA, HSDB via PubChemThe label combines these classifications.
- ECHAfrom sourceAttributionSource: European Chemicals Agency, echa.europa.eu.
- Licencefrom sourceDrugs@FDARead 2026-10-21.
- Data refreshedfrom sourceMoleculeFinder2026-11-09
Keep exploring
More related molecules
- Morphine Also an opioid
- Mesembrine Both carry an ether and a ketone group.
- Dextromethorphan Both carry an ether group.
Sources and notes
- A group apartfrom sourceMoleculeFinder comparison captions
- The same kind of moleculefrom sourceMoleculeFinder curated groupsA structural neighbour in the same family or type group; the line names the group in its own words.
- Similar in shapecomputedRDKit Morgan/TanimotoNeighbours by structural fingerprint; the sentence names the chemical groups the two share.
- The drawingscomputedPubChem structures, drawn by RDKit