Cytogenetic aspects of buprenorphine maintenance treatment program--preliminary report.

: The study was aimed at a preliminary evaluation of the effect of buprenorphine, a synthetic opioid used as a substitute in the therapy of dependence on psychoactive substances, on the structure of the genetic material of patients receiving such treatment. The material for the study were lymphocyte cultures from peripheral blood, analysed by a cytogenetic micronuclear test. The obtained results were compared with the literature data on the mutagenic action of methadone.