J. bukowczan dopalacze v1.0

What are designer drugs? New wave

of psychoactive compounds

Jerzy Bukowczan

Department of Pharmacognosy and Phytochemistry

Medical University of Silesia

supervisor: dr hab. Ilona Kaczmarczyk-Sedlak

Introduction Marketed legally in shops.

Caused acute poisonings and deaths.

Banned in 2010.

Came back under many names:„designer drugs”, „research chemicals”,„legal highs”,„bath salts”,„cleaning agents”,„dopalacze”.

Designer drugs – possible dangers

Unknown contents of „legal high” products

• dangerous mixes (even with alcohol or caffeine)

• difficult hospital treatment

Designer drugs – possible dangers

Unknown contents of „legal high” products

• dangerous mixes (even with alcohol or caffeine)

• difficult hospital treatment

No valuable information about dosage

• acute overdose and anaphylaxis

• beginners try experienced users’ doses

Designer drugs – possible dangers

Unknown contents of „legal high” products

• dangerous mixes (even with alcohol or caffeine)

• difficult hospital treatment

No valuable information about dosage

• acute overdose and anaphylaxis

• beginners try experienced users’ doses

OTC medicine also used as „legal highs”

Material and methods

Literature review about „designer drugs”:research, pharmacology and poisoning treatment

Internet sites analysis on ways to get „legally high”

Interviews with users

Designer drugs - classification

Stimulants

Hallucinogens

Cannabinoids

Sedatives

StimulantsPhenetylamines

cathinones

2C-s

amphetamines

Piperazines

Plant-derived hallucinogens

Argyreia nervosahawaiian woodrose

LSA

Mitragyna speciosakrathom

mitragynine

Mimosa tenuifloraDMT

Synthetic hallucinogens

Tryptamines

Phenethylamines

Dissociativesketamin and PCP derivatives

Synthetic cannabinoids

Indole derivativesso called JWH group

Phenols

Classicalbased on THC

SedativesBarbiturates and benzodiazepines

not labeled as medicine(i. e. etizolam)

GHB and derivatives:GBL, GHV, GVL

Other ways of getting high... Stimulants

pseudoephedrine (Sudafed, Acatar, Clarinase)methcathinone

Hallucinogens

• deliriants: dimenhydrinate (Aviomarin)diphenhydramine (Apap Noc)benzydamine (Tantum Rosa)

• dissociatives: dextrometorphan (Acodin, Tussidex)

Sedativescodeine (Thiocodin, Neoazarina, Pini)allobarbital (Stomach drops with pabialgine)

Conclusions

New psychoactive drugs are designed constantly

It is hardly possible to control them all

Pharmacists should be aware of every possible usage of certain medicines and chemicals

Patient education is a crucial matter

Thank you for your attention!

References:• Jolanta B. Zawilska.„Legal Highs” – New Players in the Old Drama. Current Drug Abuse

Reviews, 2011, 4, 122-130.• Sebastian Dresen, Nerea Ferreiros, Michael Putz, Folker Westphal,e Ralf Zimmermannb,

Volker Auwarter. Monitoring of herbal mixtures potentially containing synthetic cannabinoids as psychoactive compounds. J. Mass. Spectrom. 2010, 45, 1186–1194.

• Monika Ciechomska, Michał Woźniakiewicz, Renata Wietecha–Posłuszny. Activity and bio transformatio n of three synthetic “legal highs ”: mephedrone, methylone and 3,4-methyle nodioxypyro valerone Problems of Forensic Sciences 2012, vol. 89, 71–85.

• Dorota KLIMASZYK, Katarzyna NAWROCKA. ACUTE INTOXICATIONS WITH “LEGAL HIGHS” AND RECREATIONAL DRUGS – CHALLENGES FOR TOXICOLOGISTS. Problems of Forensic Sciences 2009, vol. LXXX, 450–458.

• Piotr Hydzik, Ewa Gomółka, Adrianna Sulka, Sylwia Cudzich-Czop. Acute methoxetamine poisoning – case report. Problems of Forensic Sciences 2012, vol. 91, 235–242.

• Dariusz Zuba, Bogumila Byrska, Martyna Maciow. Comparison of “herbal highs” composition. Anal Bioanal Chem (2011) 400:119–126.