Lecture 7- Psychomotor Stimulants I: Amphetamines And Cocaine Flashcards
Psychomotor stimulants do what
-Psycho: stimulate alertness, arousal
-Motor: stimulate motor activity
Amphetamines have a similar structure to
Catecholamines (dopamine, norepinephrine, epinephrine)
What’s the base structure of amphetamines
Phenylethylamine
Naturally occurring amphetamines
-Cathinone
-Ephedrine/ pseudoephedrine
Effects of cathinone
-Increased heart rate
-Excitement
-Euphoria
-Decreased appetite
-Potent stimulant
Effects of ephedrine
-Constricts nasal blood vessels
-Cold treatment
Amphetamines have a racemic (1:1) mixture of
-d- and l-isomer
-Can be called amphetamines even if not 1:1
What is d-amphetamine
Dextroamphetamine
What is L-amphetamine
-Levoamphetamine
-Less potent
Methamphetamines were first synthesised by
Akira Ogata in Japan (1919)
What is pseudoephedrine (PE)
Precursor to meth
What is appetrol
-Amphetamine
-Used for weight loss
-Only a small amount maintained weight control
Most ADHD and ADD drugs are
Psychomotor stimulants
Amphetamines elimination half life is
10 hours
Amphetamines have what autonomic functions in humans
-Increased blood pressure
-Hyperthermia
-Bronchodilation
What are the withdrawal effects of amphetamines
-Increased fatigue
-Anxiety
-Depressed mood
-Craving that can last for days
Major effects of amphetamines
-Analeptic
-Anorexia
-Decreased fatigue, increased alertness
-Euphoria
-Amphetamine psychosis
What are the psychomotor stimulant effects of amphetamines in non humans
-Complex dose-effect relations
-Low doses-locomotor hyperactivity
-Higher doses-stereotyped behaviour
Do non-humans have the same autonomic functions as humans
Yes
Unconditioned effects of amphetamines in non humans
-Lower dose produces more naturalistic behaviours
-Increasing dose cause naturalistic behaviours to become repetitive ’mindless’ fragmented stereotypes
Features of alkaloid in leaves of erythroxylon coca
-Reduces altitude sickness
-Reduces hunger and increases energy
-Taken as tea
-Naturally occurring insecticide
Forms of cocaine
-Raw leaves
-Cocaine paste
-Cocaine hydrochloride
-Crack
-Cocaine free base
-Cocaine with other ingredients
Features of cocaine in the form of raw leaves
-Alkaloid content low
-Absorbed in the mucous membranes of the mouth
-Eat with lime to increase pH of the saliva, release more active ingredient
-Low addictive potential
-Does not produce a high
Features of cocaine paste
-Made in pit ‘pozo’
-20-80% cocaine sulphate
-100kg of leaves= 1kg of paste
-Cheap, low grade smokable cocaine