Once a widely prescribed painkiller, it has largely been replaced by alternative oxycodone compounds containing paracetamol (acetaminophen) instead of aspirin, such as Percocet.
The oxycodone component in the combination is technically 14-hydroxy-7,8-dihydrocodein-6-one, a white odorless, crystalline powder which is synthesized from the opium alkaloid thebaine.
Prior to the introduction of paracetamol, Percodan was the mainstay in post-operative oral pain treatment due to the potency and long half-life of oxycodone.
All products containing oxycodone (including Percodan, Percocet, OxyContin) have the potential to be habit-forming.
Oxycodone can produce drug dependence of the morphine type and, therefore, has the potential for being addictive.