Oxycodone vs Hydrocodone: Differences and Similarities What’s Oxycodone Oxycodone is a semisynthetic, moderately potent  opioid synthesized from thebaine, an opioid alkaloid found in the Persian poppy. It is  an opiate agonist that is the main active ingredient in a number of narcotic pain medications, including Percocet, OxyContin and Percodan. When taken orally oxycodone is 1.5 times more potent than morphine and commonly used to […]