Narcotic Drugs

 Pharmacologically
classified as an
analgesic
 Central Nervous
System (CNS)
Depressants
 Popular drugs –
heroin, morphine,
codeine, methadone
and propoxyphene
 Hallucinogens
 Marijuana
 Derived from the plant
Cannabis
 Hashish – concentrated
 Sinsemilla – unfertilized
flowering tops of the
female Cannabis plant
 Active ingredient is THC
 Potency is normally 4-5%
 Simsemilla averages 6-12%
 Liquid hashish averages 8-
22%
 Potential medical uses
 Hallucinogens
 LSD – derived from ergot, a fungus of
certain grains and grasses
 Powerful drug
 Visual hallucinations, changes in moods,
anxiety, tension, etc
 Flashbacks possible
 Phencyclidine (PCP)
 Human response unpredictable
 Dangerous drug – paranoia and
violence possible
 Schizophrenic behavior possible
days after use
 Methylenedioxymethamphetamine
(aka MDMA or Ecstasy)
 Originally patented as appetite
suppressant
 Severe adverse reactions, including
fatal side effects
 Depressants
 Alcohol (aka ethanol, ethyl alcohol, booze, etc.)
 Central nervous system depressant
 Legalized and most widely used drug
 A common effect is impairment
 Legal blood alcohol level in Oklahoma
 is 0.10%, or 100 mg/dL
 Barbiturates
 All are derivatives of barbituric acid
 Big 5: amobarbital, secobarbital,
phenobarbital, pentobarbital and butalbital
 Methaqualon
 . Tranquilizers
 Major players: reserpine, chlorpromazine,
meprobamate, chlordiazepoxide, diazepam
 Inhalants
 Volatile organic solvents – toluene, naphtha,
gasoline among others
 Initial exhilaration and euphoria followed by
impaired judgment, drowsiness and stupor
 Danger of liver, heart and brain damage
 Stimulants
 Amphetamines
 Initial feeling of well-being and
alertness followed by fatigue and a
loss of appetite
 Amphetamine, methamphetamine and
“ice” (crystal meth) are favorites
 Phenmetrazine and phendimetrazine
have similar properties
 Cocaine
 First used medically by Freud in
Europe
 Medical use is now limited
 Extracted from the leaves of coca plant
(Erythroxylon coca)
 “Crack” cocaine is the drug of choice
 Cocaine produces the strongest
psychological compulsions for
continued use
 Drugs: Organized by Control Laws
 Federal law restricting the manufacture and distribution
of dangerous substances
 The U.S. Attorney General has the authority to change
the schedules
 The criminal penalties associated with this law are
greatest with schedules I and II.
Controlled Substances Act
 Schedule I
 No medical use
 High potential for abuse
 Heroin, LSD, methaqualone and marijuana - High potential for abuse
 Cocaine, opiates, PCP, amphetamines, methadone and fast-acting barbiturates

 Schedule II
 Accepted medical use
 Potential for psychological or physical dependence
 Cocaine, opiates, PCP, amphetamines, methadone and fast-acting barbiturates

 Schedule III
 Less potential for abuse than schedules I and II
 Currently accepted medical use
 Potential for low or moderate physical dependence or high psychological
dependence
 Anabolic steroids, some codeine preparations and some barbiturate
preparations (phenobarbital not included)
 Controlled Substances Act
 Schedule IV
 Low potential for abuse relative to schedule III drugs
 Currently accepted medical use
 Relatively low limited dependence risk
 Propoxyphene, phenobarbital, meprobamate, diazepam and
chlordiazepoxide

 Schedule V
 Low abuse potential
 Medical use
 Less potential for producing dependency
 Certain opiate drug mixtures that contain non-narcotic medicinal
ingredients

 Designer drugs
 Can be placed under schedule I
 Fentanyl analogues

 Control of chemical precursors

 Example – precursors to amphetamine, methamphetamine and PCP are
controlled as schedule II substances
 Drugs: Organized by Chemistry
 Extraction, Separation and isolation
 Liquid-Liquid
 TLC
 HPLC

 Characterization
 Color tests - often termed presumptive tests
 Marquis – purple color in presence of opiates and orange-
brown in presence of amphetamines
 Dillie-Koppanyi – violet-blue color in presence of
barbiturates
 Duquenois-Levine – purple color in presence of marijuana
 Van Urk – blue-purple color in presence of LSD
 Scott – blue color in presence of cocaine

 Characterization
 UV and IR Spectroscopy
 GC-MS
 Note that the neutral classification  Alkaloids are generally derived
includes those drugs that have no from plants while the nonalkaloids
ionizable center and those which are are syhtthetic or semisynthetic
amphoteric
 Morphine
Dia(acetyl)morphine - opiod,
Methyl Salicylate - Aspirin amphoteric
active ingredient in heroin
pKa = 3.5 pKa = 8
 HPLC Separation of Methamphetamines
Column: C8, 4.6 x 150 mm

Mobile Phase:
85% 25 mM phosphate buffer
15% ACN

Flow Rate: 1.0 mL/min

Temperature: 35°C

Detection: 254 nm

Sample: Amphetamines pKa

1. Phenylpropanolamine 9.4
2. Ephedrine 9.6
3.Amphetamine 9.9
4. Methamphetamine 10.1
5. Phenteramine 10.1
 Problems
1. Aspirin (acetylsalicylic acid) has a of 3.5. The pH of the stomach is approximately 1,
while the pH of the intestines is approximately 6. Calculate the fraction of aspirin that is
ionized in each area (show your work), and use the results to predict where the drug is
preferentially absorbed.

2. Repeat the calculation in Question 5 for caffeine, a weak base with a of 0.6.

3. Diazepam tablets are supplied in 2-, 5-, and 10-mg increments. Suppose several tablets
are received in a laboratory as evidence and, using the Physician’s Desk
Reference, an analyst was able to tentatively identify them as Valium®, 10 mg. Suppose
further that you learn that the tablets also contain anhydrous lactose,
starches, dyes, and calcium stearate. Describe a method for isolating the active ingredient
from fillers, using a LLE scheme. Justify and explain each step of
the method.

4. Quinine is a dibasic molecule with of 5.1 and 9.7. It is encountered as a diluent (cutting
agent) for heroin. To extract quinine from an aqueous solution, what pH should be used
and why?

5. Devise a solvent extraction method that could be used to separate a mixture of

powdered sugar, cornstarch, cocaine, and amphetamine. Justify each step and separation.