Trefentanil is a short-acting synthetic opioid of the piperidine class. The drug caused potent analgesia with the peak effect occurring 3 min after injection. There was no significant difference in analgesic potency of trefentanil and alfentanil as measured by tolerance to tibial pressure at 3 min. Trefentanil had a pharmacokinetic and pharmacodynamic profile similar to alfentanil, with a small extent of tissue distribution and a rapid blood/brain equilibration. Trefentanil caused significant respiratory depression at doses of 32 ug/kg and 64 ug/kg. It is a mu-opioid receptor agonist. Trefentanil produced naloxone reversible anti-nociception equi-efficacious to that of fentanyl.