Heroin administration

Hemby SE, Martin TJ, Co C, Dworkin SI, Smith JE. 1995. The effects of intravenous heroin administration on extracellular nucleus accumbens dopamine concentrations as determined by in vivo microdialysis. J Pharmacol Exp Ther 273(2) 591-598. 

Jenkins, A.J., B.A. Holicky, T.M. Grant, W.D. Darwin, et al., Blood concentrations and pharmacological effects after oral heroin administration, paper presented at Society of Forensic Toxicolo-gists/The International Association of Forensic Toxicologists, Joint Conference (October 1994), abstr. 127, 1994. 

Brugal MT, Barrio G, De LF, Regidor E, Royuela L, Suelves JM. Factors associated with non-fatal heroin overdose assessing the effect of frequency and route of heroin administration. Addiction 2002 97(3) 319-27. 

Nakahara et al. studied the disposition of 6-AM in monkey and human hair. 6-AM and morphine were present in all hair samples, and heroin was not detected. In addition, the concentration of 6-AM was greater than the concentration of morphine. Nakahara et al. also evaluated the total morphine content (heroin and 6-AM were hydrolyzed to morphine) in monkey hair following subcutaneous administration of heroin (2.5 mg) and morphine (10 mg). Although the morphine dose was 4 times greater than the heroin dose, the mean morphine concentration was only about two thirds of that found following heroin administration. The results indicate that heroin and 6-AM are incorporated more readily into hair than morphine. Based upon this information, the theoretical distribution of heroin and its metabolites in hair is illustrated in Figure 6. 

Smith ML, Shimomura ET, Summers J, Paul BD, Nichols D, Shippee R, et al. Detections time and analytical performance of commercial urine opiate immunoassays following heroin administration. J Anal Toxicol 2000 24 522-9. 

Toxic leukoencephalopathy has been described in a 32-year-old man with heroin dependence after intravenous heroin administration [73" ]. A brain MRI scan was consistent with spongiform leukoencephalopathy. These findings reversed over 2 years. 

Anhydride has been used for the illegal manufacture of heroin [561-27-3] (acetyknorphine) and certain other addictive dmgs. Regulations on acetic anhydtide commerce have long been a feature of European practice. After passage in 1988 of the Chemical Diversion and Trafficking Act, there is also U.S. control. Orders for as much as 1,023 kg acetic anhydtide, for either domestic sale or export, require a report to the Department of Justice, Dmg Enforcement Administration (54). 

Ettenberg, A. Pettit H.O. Bloom, F.E. and Koob, G.F. Heroin and cocaine intravenous self-administration in rats Mediation by separate neural systems. Psychopharmacology 78 204-209, 1982. 

Abuse of phencyclidine hydrochloride (PCP) is a national problem that has reached epidemic proportions in urban areas of the United States. The drug is inexpensive, readily obtainable, and is usually used in combination with other drugs such as marijuana, heroin, cocaine, and alcohol (Golden et al. 1982). The routes of PCP use include inhalation, ingestion and parenteral administration. 

Zito, K.A., Vickers, G., and Roberts, D.C.S., Disruption of cocaine and heroin self-administration following kianic acid lesions of the nucleus accumbens, Pharmacol. Biochem. Behav, 23, 1029, 1985. 

Fattore, L., Spano, S., Gregorio, C., Deiana, S., Fadda, P., and Fratta, W., Cannabinoid CB1 antagonist SR 141716A attenuates reinstatement of heroin self-administration in heroin-abstinent rats, Neuropharmacology, 48, 1097, 2005. 

Pettit, H.O., Ettenberg, A., Bloom, F.E., Koob, G.F. Destruction of dopamine in the nucleus accumbens selectively attenuates cocaine but not heroin self-administration in rats. Psychopharmacology. 84 167, 1984. 

Ranaldi, R., Wise, R.A. Intravenous self-administration of methamphetamine-heroin (speedball) combinations under a progressive-ratio schedule of reinforcement in rats. Neuroreport. 11 2621, 2000. 

Sizemore G.M., Davies H M., Martin T.J., Smith J.E. Effects of 2beta-propanoyl-3beta-(4-tolyl)-tropane (PTT) on the self-administration of cocaine, heroin, and cocaine/heroin combinations in rats. Drug Alcohol Depend. 73 259, 2004. 

Finally, intravenous drug administration and the sharing of needles and syringes is common among opiate addicts this creates a serious risk of cross-infection. Many studies have shown a high incidence of HIV and hepatitis B and C among heroin addicts. This risk is somewhat reduced in medically controlled narcotic prescription... 

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