Heroin methadone and

J. H. Knox and J. Jurand, Separation of morphine alkaloids heroin, methadone and other drugs by ion-exchange chromatography, J. Chromatogr., 52 398 (1973). 

Rook EJ, Hillebrand MJX, Rosing H, van Ree J, Beijnen JH (2005) The quantitative analysis of heroin, methadone, and their metabolites and the simultaneous detection of cocaine, ace-tylcodeine and their metabolites in human plasma by high-performance liquid chromatography coupled with tandem mass spectrometry. J Chromatogr B 824 213-221... 

There are at least 25 alkaloids of opium belonging to different chemical classes morphine (about 10 % of opium), noscapine or narcotine (about 5 %), papaverine (1 %), codeine (0.4 %), tebaine (0.4 %), narceine (0.2 %), but not all of these possess psychotropic effects. The illicit opiates may be natural molecules, such as morphine and codeine, and semisynthetic, such as heroin. Methadone and meperidine represent a group of totally synthetic molecules with opiate psychotropic effects. 

Narcotic-induced pulmonary edema. Pulmonary edema is a common sequel to narcotic overdose (morphine, heroin, methadone, and propoxyphene) and is associated with a significant mortality rate. The exact mechanism has not been delineated, but two reasonable hypotheses have been suggested. First, narcotic-induced pulmonary edema may be a form of neurogenic pulmonary edema because both syndromes have complications of cerebral edema and hypothalamic dysfunction (Jaffe, 1970). Second, narcotics are known to release histamine, which may alter alveolar capillary membrane permeability (Brashear et al, 1974). Early treatment with narcotic antagonists produces immediate reversal of respiratory depression and miosis, while the pulmonary edema resolves more slowly. 

One such technique, called lead modification, enables scientists to identify the portion of a compound responsible for its medicinal properties and then to design similar compounds with better properties. We will see an example of this technique, specifically, where the discovery of morphine led to the development of a whole family of potent analgesics (codeine, heroin, methadone, and many others). 

Novick, D.M. et al., Natural killer cell activity and lymphocyte subsets in parenteral heroin abusers and long-term methadone maintenance patients, J. Pharmacol. Exp. Ther., 250, 606, 1989. 

The PE spectra of some other alkaloids like methadone and the opiate narcotics morphine, codeine and heroin have been investigated by Klasinc and coworkers95. Also in this study structure-activity relationships based on IPs were sought but not found. Since the interaction of the drug molecule with the receptor is highly specific, it is not unreasonable that the molecular rather than the electronic structure is more important for the physiological activity. 

Hulse GK, Milne E, English DR, Holman CD. (1997). The relationship between maternal use of heroin and methadone and infant birth weight. Addiction. 92(11) 1571-79. 

Fernandez et al. [27] applied HPLC with diode array detection (DAD) to the determination of heroin, methadone, cocaine and metabolites in plasma after mixed-mode SPE. Analytes were separated using a RP8 column (250 mm x 4.6 mm i.d., 5 jam particle size) and acetonitrile-phosphate buffer pH 6.53 as mobile phase with elution in the gradient mode. The method, which provides a LLOQ of 0.1 j,g/mL for all compounds, was successfully applied to 21 plasma samples from fatal overdoses. 

The situation of daily dependent heroin use was sufficient to merit methadone treatment, but a (requested) detoxification attempt was not successful. His initial dosage was reinstated and the urine tests at his further appointments did not show heroin, but four consecutive tests showed cocaine, benzodiazepines and cannabis, in addition to his methadone. He was generally unenthusiastic about methadone, and after a pattern of missing an increasing number of collection days he dropped out of engagement with us. 

Dolan KA, Shearer J, White B, Zhou J, Kaldor J Wodak AD (2005). Four-year follow-up of imprisoned male heroin users and methadone treatment mortality, re-incarceration and hepatitis C infection. Addiction, 100, 820-8... 

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