How long does Subutex stay in your system?

Medically reviewed by Carmen Pope, BPharm. Last updated on Aug 22, 2024.

Official answer

by Drugs.com

The effects of Subutex last for 24 hours.
After one dose of Subutex, no trace of the drug would be expected to be found after 5 to 8 days in healthy people, or 7 to 14 days in those with severe liver disease.
Subutex (the brand) has been discontinued but generic equivalents of buprenorphine (the active ingredient) are still available. In most cases, Subutex has been replaced by generic 2mg and 8 mg sublingual buprenorphine.

Subutex was an oral sublingual medication that contained buprenorphine that was used to treat opioid addiction. Subutex was not approved to relieve pain. Subutex (the brand) has now been discontinued but generic equivalents of buprenorphine (the active ingredient) are still available.

Subutex sublingual was only usually given at the start of an addiction treatment program. After the initial period, Subutex was usually switched to another medication such as Bunavail, Sublocade, Suboxone, or Zubsolv. In most cases, Subutex has been replaced by generic 2 and 8 mg sublingual buprenorphine.

When calculating how long Subutex lasted in the body, you need to consider the elimination half-life of buprenorphine. This is the time it takes for half of the drug to be metabolized and eliminated in the body.

The elimination half-life of buprenorphine is 24 to 42 hours Generally, it takes four to five half-lives for a drug to be eliminated from the body. In most healthy people, no trace of Subutex would have been found after 120 to 210 hours (5 to 8 days).

Buprenorphine is metabolized by the liver and eliminated in the urine and feces. In people with moderate-to-severe liver disease, the half-life of buprenorphine is significantly prolonged.

In moderate liver impairment, the half-life of buprenorphine is increased by 35%.
In severe liver impairment, the half-life of buprenorphine is increased by 57%.

Based on a calculation of 5 half-lives for Subutex to be removed:

For people with moderate liver disease, no trace of Subutex would be expected to be found after approximately 160 to 284 hours (6 to 12 days).
For people with severe liver disease, no trace of Subutex would be expected to be found after approximately 188 to 330 hours (7 to 14 days).

Why was Subutex discontinued?

Reckitt Benckiser Pharmaceuticals Inc., the manufacturer of Subutex, chose to discontinue the drug in the United States in 2011 after developing new formulations that were less likely to be abused. Subutex is still available in other parts of the world, and generic forms of sublingual buprenorphine are available in the United States. Continue reading

What happens if you swallow Subutex?

While swallowing Subutex (buprenorphine) is unlikely to be harmful, it will reduce how much medicine your body takes in and make the medicine much less effective. Continue reading

How long do you keep Subutex under your tongue?

Subutex should be kept under the tongue until it has completely dissolved (which takes 4 to 8 minutes on average). Do not swallow, chew, or move the tablet after it is placed under the tongue, as doing any of these makes the medicine less effective. Before taking Subutex, do NOT smoke, eat or drink for 15 minutes before putting the tablet under your tongue, and do not smoke, eat or drink for 15 minutes after putting it under your tongue.

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