Drugs Society Midterm 2

Where did cocaine originate? and what source?

Andes Mountains in Bolivia and Peru

What was intiial route of administration? (OG method and why)

Holding leaf and chewing to increase energy

Anti-cocaine propaganda

• 1900s, black men took it and did crimes on white

• allowed excessive arrests

  • racially motivated

Processes in making illicit cocaine

• coca leaves + organic solvent (kerosene or gasoline)

• soak, mix, mash - excess liquid filtered out = coca paste

  • becomes cocaine hydrochloride, salt mixing easy with water

Modes of administration for cocaine

• snort intransal

• dissolve in saline/water before injecting IV

• smoke

How to make smokable cocaine

• hydrochloride portion needs to be removed

  • do that by adding volatile organic solvent, ex ethter

Free-basing definition

the “freed” cocaine “base” can be heated and the vapors are inhaled. another version of smoking ig. intesifies effects of cocaine.

Why is making crack cocaine less dangerous than free basing?

crack cocaine is made by mixing powder cocaine with baking soda+water, and drying it. No explosive chemicals are required.

What method yields the most intense effect?

Intravenous injection and inhalation

Crack and powder cocaine are the same. True or False.

True

How is cocaine used as a local anesthetic?

It prevents the influx of Na+ ions into the cell, interrupting neural conduction (communication between neurons)M

Mode of action for cocaine:

• research currently on dopamine, norepinephrine, serotonin

• blocks the reuptake of dopamine

  • extends duration of their effects

Know this diagram ad how cocaine acts at nerve synapse

dopamine transporter blocked by cocaine

Metabolism and elimination of cocaine

• Metabolized by enzymes in blood and liver (dealt with by)

• half life of about one hour

  • 3 days for complete elimination form urine (moderate use)

What factors may lead to acute toxicity with cocaine usage?

• adulterated (or cut) with other chemicals that are more dangerous than cocaine

  • illegal dealers discovered they can save money and stretch cocaine by adding cheaper agents

Clinical signs that lead to death when taking cocaine

Profound CNS (nervous system) stimulation, progressions to convulsions, leading to respiratory or cardiac arrest

What is chronic psychosis and how does it affect the user?

• means large doses of drug repeatedly, over span of several days

• causes severe appetite adn sleep disruption, aggrigation, restless, paranoia

  • Paranoid psychosis: indivual loses touch with reality, hallucinations (PARANOI=CRAZY)

Is addiction to cocaine common?

majority of suers do not, and never

What is crack baby syndrome?

Drug addiction, extremem suffering, physical/development disabailities, intellectual inefrioity. Pre exposure when fetus

Has it been proven?

No, most women malnourished, drink addict, using other drugs

Known history of amphetamines:

China: medicinal tea from herbs, ma huang

american scientists, active ingredine ephedrine

1932 patent amphetamine

timeline of amphetamines

1880 to present

Amphetamine effects

stimulating SNS (sympathetic, fight or flight)

brochiolar dilator

elevate blood pressure

Fact: won’t let sleeping dogs lie

lead to research on treatment for narcolepsy (sleeping dz)

What is mode of action of amphetamines?

• increases activity of monoamine neurotransmittors (dopamine, norepinephrine, serotonin)

• stimnualte release instead of inhibiting reuptake (reabsorption)

• displaces monoamine transmitters from storage sites

Know this diagram and what amphetamins do at past synaptic nerve site

Theories of mod of action of amphetamines

-more potent release of norepinephrine than of dopamine and serotonin

• norepinephrine mediates europhoric effects and not dopamine

  • likley like cocaine, neurotransmitter pathways

route of administration of amphetamines

• oral

• intranasal

• intravenous

  • smoked

timeline of effects of amphetamines

• intranasal peak effects 5-20min

• peak effects after IV and smoking 5-10min

• half life of amphetamines 5-12 hrs

  • complete eliminatino in 3 days

What have been prescription uses for emphetamines?

weight control and narcolepsy

ADHD

• improving mental performnace

• fatigue/sleep deprivation

• police officers and military

Cathinones (bath salts) found in east african shrub khat

• Chemicals produce mood elevating effects similar to classic stimulants

  • mephedrone, a prototypical cathinone, produces effects similar to amphetamine and MDMA

Depressents history

• Chloral hydrate: early 1900s, Mickey Finn, added chloral hydrate to drinks of customers

  • people robbed by his house girls

Paraldehyde

1829 and introduced in 1882

• would be more popular because cns depressant, little resp depressions, saftey margin

  • cons: noxious tast/odor

Barbituates

• first CNS depressant prescrip meds for anti seizure meds

• effects in 1min, last 2-3 hrs

• long acting drugs take longer to produce effects, but last longer

• reduce nervousness and anxiety, low doses 30-50mg

• sleeping pill shigher doses 1002-00 fo shorger actign drug

• short acting (secobarbital)

• long acting (phenobarbital)

  • replaced b more modern drugs

acute toxicity of barbiturates

• cns depressents: cause of death typ resp depression (breathing slow until stop)

• physical dependence, seizures if stopped after addic

• usually from sleeping pill

• replaced by BENZODIAZEPINES

  • hghly addictive

Known history of ludes/supors Methaqulone

Methaqualone synthesized in india

• 1960 Germany over the counter

• 62’ first metahqualone suicide

• dr overprescriving hypnotic drugs, thought to be safer than barbiturates

• 1973