chap 8 & 9 forensics

controlled drugs

material whose possession is controlled by law

cannabis

a tall annual hemp plant native to central Asia which marijuana is harvested; refers to the harvested product

teratogen

an agent that an cause birth defects in an embryo or fetus.

• ex: alcohol & thalidomide

akaloid

bitter tasting, basic organic compound w/ nitrogen-containing rings, normally obtained from plants.

• has powerful effects on living things.

• ex: cocaine, nicotine, strychine, caffeine, morphine.

analgesics

drugs that relieve pain

designer drugs

drugs synthesized w/ particular pharmacological characterisitcs, designed for abuse and evasion of specific drug laws.

spectrophotometry

measurement of the absorption of electrromagnetic radiation of a substance at different wavelengths of the spectrum.

plasma

fluid portion of blood obtained by centrifuging whole blood sample

metabolism

sum of all chemical processes occuring in an organism

presumptive test

test that presumes the presence of the questioned substance; aka screening test

immiscible

describes materials that do not mix

enzyme

protein that acts as a catalyst in a living organism

antibody

protein produced by a body’s immune system that tags a molecule in order to destroy it

EMIT

enzyme immunoassay test to detect particular types of metabolities in body fluids, commonly used for screening drug use.

confirmatory test

test that specifically identify one substance

spectroscopy

branch of science that involves the study of electromagnetic radiation and its interaction w/ matter

ions

atoms or molecules that have lost/gained one or more eleectron, and thus have a net positive or neg charge

analyte

substance being analyzed

toxicology

study of the adverse effects of chemicals or physical agents on living organisms

toxins

substances that cause injury to the health of a living thing on contact or aborption; by interacting w/ enzymes and receptors.

• reserved for naturally produced substances that kill rapidly in small quantities

chronic exposure

continuing eposure to toxins over a long period of time thus chornic toxicity

acute toxicity

effects of a toxin occuring almost immediately (hours/days) after an exposure

synergism

combined effect of substances exceeds the sum of their individual effects

• combo exceeds individual effects

antagonism

combined effect of substances decreases their individual effects (opposite of syntergism)

• combo decreases individual effects

chelating agent

cancels out the poison/antidote; organic compound that complexes with a metal to form a ring structure; c

Ld50

lethal dose need to kill 50% of the a given population

isotopes

chemcial elements that have the same # of protons, but diff # for neutrons

half-life

timem it takes for half a sample to decay

microgram

one millionth of a gram, or one thousandth of a milligram

DUI

driving under the influence

nystagmus

rapid, involuntary jerking of the eyeball