OxyContin (oxycodone HCI controlled-release) is the brand name for an opioid analgesic (pain reliever) — a narcotic. It is available by prescription only and is used to treat moderate to severe pain when around-the-clock analgesic is needed for an extended period of time. OxyContin is available in tablet form in 5 doses: 10, 20, 40, 80, and 160mg. (However, the manufacturer is no longer shipping 160mg).

Mainly utilized as pain medication, OxyContin is taken every 12 hours because the tablets contain a controlled, time-released formulation of the medication. Most pain medications must be taken every three to six hours. Abusers remove the sustained-release coating to get a rapid release of the medication, causing a rush of euphoria similar to heroin.

OxyContin, approved by the FDA in 1995, is an opium derivative that contains the same active ingredient as Percodan and Percocet. OxyContin is intended for use by terminal cancer patients and chronic pain sufferers. The structural formula for oxycodone hydrochloride is as follows: The chemical formula is 4, 5-epoxy-14-hydroxy-3-methoxy-17-methylmorphinan-6-one hydrochloride. OxyContin is designed so that the oxycodone is slowly released over time.