Stimulants/Pills

Stimulants

stimulates the central nervous system / can increase alertness, energy, and confidence / can be snorted, injected, swallowed, or smoked

Ex of stimulants

cocaine, methamphetamine, amphetamine, methylphenidate, caffeine, nicotine, pseudoephedrine

Cocaine

alkaloid and 2 plant metabolite / obtained from erythroxylum coca and novogranatense / recreational drug with minimal medical use / mostly snorted or injected / effects felt within minutes of use and last 5 to 90 minutes / recognized as a narcotic drug as well

Cocaine street names

big bloke, big flake, blanca, crack, icing, line, pearl

History of cocaine

indigenous people of south america chewed on the leaves

1855 (cocaine)

cocaine alkaloid was isolated from the coca leaf (Gaedeke/Albert Neiman)

1884 (cocaine)

Dr. Carl Koller discovered local anesthetic properties - ophthalmic

1886 (cocaine)

coca-cola with a pinch of coca leaves

1906

Pure Food and Drug Act

1914

Harrison Narcotic Act

Coca plant

grows between 7-10 ft in height / straight branches / thin, opaque, lanceolate leaves / small, clustered flowers with short stalks / flowers mature into red berries / E. coca requires acidic soil below pH 5.5, optimal 3.5 / typically harvested 3-4 times per year

Kingdom (coca plant)

plant

Division (coca plant)

spermatophyta

Class (coca plant)

dicotyledons

Order (coca plant)

geraniales

Family (coca plant)

erthroxylaceae

Genus (coca plant)

erythroxylum

Species I (coca plant)

erythroxylum coca

Variety I (coca plant)

erythroxylum ipadu

Species 2 (coca plant)

erythroxylum novagranatense

Variety 2 (coca plant)

erythroxylum truxillense

Coca alkaloids (tropane-type)

benzoylecogine, cocaine, ecgonidine, ecgonine, hydroxytropaeocaine, methlecgonine cinnamate, tropacocaine, truxilline

Coca alkaloids (pyrrolidine type)

cuscohygrine, dihydrocuscohygrine, hygrine, nicotine

Name of cocaine

benzoylmethylecgonine (C₁₇H₂₁NO₄)

Tertiary amine in cocaine

functional group attached at 3 different layers / key site for protonation / this allows cocaine to exist in acid or base forms

Aromatic ring of cocaine

allows it to come in and out of its 3 dimensional shape

Ester group of cocaine

2 esters, benzo ester and methyl ester / important in metabolism and degradation

Isomers of cocaine

pseudococaine, allococaine, pseudoallococaine / same chemical formula, but different structure

Semisynthetic production of cocaine

natural precursor: ecgonine or related tropane alkaloid / chemical modification produces cocaine / yielding a greater amount of cocaine

Synthesized yield of cocaine

145 kg of dried coca leaves = 1 kg cocaine HCl

Clandestine yield of cocaine

240 kg of dried coca leaves = 1.4 kg coca paste = 0.9 kg of cocaine base = 1kg of cocaine HCl

Adulterants

added to cut product / produces more money

Crack (cocaine base)

cocaine + sodium bicarbonate + water + heat

Cocaine base

free base form (crack) / not very flammable / contains cuts / solid off white chunks / mostly odorless / makes cracking sounds when smoked

Cocaine HCl

cocaine salt / white powder / dissolves in water / higher purity than cocaine base / more expensive

Biochemistry of cocaine

binds to dopamine transporter and forms complex / the complex blocks the function and dopamine accumulates

Metabolism and excretion of cocaine

extensively metabolized by the liver / broken down by hydrolytic ester cleavage / eliminated metabolites consist mostly of benzoylecgonine, ecgonine methyl ester, and ecgonine

Amphetamine

stimulant / pharmaceutical preparation / used for ADHD and ADD / sch II

Common street names for amphetamine

bennies, ampes, cartwheels, speed, hearts, wake ups, dexies, footballs

1887 (amphetamine)

first synthesized in Germany

1932 (amphetamine)

benzedrine inhaler - asthma

1937 (amphetamine)

used in WWII to fight fatigue and maintain energy levels / calming effects in children with ADHD or ADD

1951 (amphetamine)

now regulated

1970 (amphetamine)

controlled substance act put restrictions on the substance

Enantiomers of amphetamine

mirror image / levoamphetamine and dextroamphetamine

Methamphetamine

has enantiomers / produced in clandestine labs

P2P amalgan method of production for methamphetamine

P2P + methylamine → methamphetamine

Red phosphorus reduction method of production for methamphetamine

ephedrine + iodine or a red phosphorus system → methamphetamine

Red phosphorus reduction procedure for methamphetamine

hydriodic acid or iodine solution + red phosphorus / add ephedrine and heat for 5 - 8 hours / strong alkali added followed by solvent / solvent poured off and hydrogen chloride gas added / precipitating methamphetamine HCl crystals

Biochemistry of methamphetamine

interferes with a normal reuptake of dopamine, serotonin, and norepinephrine / acts directly on the nerve terminals causing an increased amount of these neurotransmitters to be released / this increase results in a massive stimulation to the central nervous system / the increase in serotonin contributes to the mood changes; psychotic behavior, and aggressiveness in users / in therapeutic doses, it has a common effect on children with ADD or ADHD, but in adults there is an increased stimmulation