drugs and forensic toxicology

drug

natural or synthetic substance that is used to produce physiological or psychological effects in humans or other high order animals

psychological dependence

conditioned use of a drug caused by a underlying emotional needs

examples of drugs with high psychological dependence

alcohol, heroin, amphetamines, and barbiturates

physical dependence

need for a drug that has been brought about by its regular use; dependence is characterized by withdrawl sickness when administration of the drug suddenly stops (develops only when the drug user adheres to a regular schedule of drug intake - always high)

examples of drugs that cause physical dependence

alcohol, heroin, and barbiturates

most widely abused drug in the world

alcohol

narcotics

provide relief from pain and produces sleepiness by depressing the nervous system and vital body functions (blood pressure and heart rate)

narkotikos

greek for lethargic or sluggish

opioids

chemical compounds that are extracted or refined from natural plant matter (poppy plant)

analgesics

a drug of substance that lessen or eliminate pain

oxycontin

active ingredient is oxycodone, closely related to morphine and heroin, prescribed for treatment of chronic pain

hallucinogen

a substance that induces changes in mood, attitude, thought processes, and perceptions

examples of hallucinogens

weed, hashish, LSD, PCP, ecstacy

ADME

adsorption, distribution, metabolism, excretion

toxin from bufo alvarius frog

buforenine

stimulants

substance taken to increase alertness or activity, high blood pressure, reduced memory, malnutrition, hyperthermia

amphetamines

“uppers” or “speed”

examples of stimulant drugs

caffeine, nicotine, amphetamines, methamphetamine, cocaine, ecstasy, ephedrine

difference between cocaine and crack

cocaine is readily water soluble (snorted, injected) crack is typically smoked

depressants

a substance that depresses the functions of the central nervous system

examples of depressants

alcohol, barbiturates (sleeping pills), antipsychotics (valium, xanax)

hydrophilic drugs are excreted through…

kidneys and urine

lipophilic drugs are excreted through…

fecal matter

empathogens

class of drugs that produces feelings of empathy, emotional openness, and connection

dissociatives

psychoactive drugs that alter a person’s perception of reality, producing feelings of detachment from oneself, the environment, and reality

anabolic steroids

steroids that promote muscle growth, synthetic compounds that are chemically related to the male sex hormone testosterone

preliminary (screening) tests

test that is nonspecific and preliminary in nature

subjecting the material to a series of color tests that produce characteristic colors for the more commonly encountered illiict drugs

confirmatory tests

a single test that specifically identifies a substance

what is tlc useful for in drugs

analyzing multicomponent specimens that come into the lab, no quality control in drugs

gas chromatography

separates mixtures on the basis of their distribution between a stationary liquid phase and a moving gas peak

metabolism

absorption, distribution, elimination

fate of alcohol

ethyl alcohol > acetaldehyde > acetic acid > carbon dioxide + water

when was breathalyzer developed

1954

ratio of alcohol in the blood to alcohol in alveolar breath

1 mL of blood contains nearly the same amount of alcohol as 2100 mL of alveolar breath

field sobriety testing

horizontal-gaze nystagmus, walk and turn, nose touch, one leg stand

limit for BAC

0.08%, established in 2000

implied consent law

operating a motor vehicle on a public highway carries a stipulation that the driver must submit to a test for alcohol intoxication if requested or lose their drivers license for a period of time (6 months to a year)