One of the opioid alkaloids present in opium poppies, codeine, is the starting point for the semi-synthetic opioid hydrocodone, commonly referred to as dihydrocodeinone. It is an oral narcotic analgesic used to treat moderate to severe pain. One study comparing the potency of hydrocodone and oxycodone discovered that 50% more hydrocodone was required to produce the same level of miosis. This indicates that oxycodone is almost 50% more potent than hydrocodone, according to the researchers' interpretation.