Heroin

General 7: From the heart to the liver

Part of the oxygenated blood containing heroin and morphine molecules is pumped to the liver via the aorta and the hepatic artery. It diffuses there through the branches of the hepatic artery.

At the same time, the portal vein brings blood to the liver from the small intestine. Later, when the drug molecules have spread throughout the body, some of them will also reach the liver via the portal vein.