Synthetic narcotics

Antitussive effects (tested on cats) have been reported for MGXs from Rudbeckia [147] and mahony [58]. Comparative tests performed under the same conditions with some drugs used in clinical praxis revealed a significantly higher activity than expressed by the non-narcotic synthetic drugs. 

Trichloroethylene [79-01-6J, trichloroethene, CHCL=CCL2, commonly called "tri," is a colorless, sweet smelling (chloroformlike odor), volatile Hquid and a powerhil solvent for a large number of natural and synthetic substances. It is nonflammable under conditions of recommended use. In the absence of stabilizers, it is slowly decomposed (autoxidized) by air. The oxidation products are acidic and corrosive. Stabilizers are added to all commercial grades. Trichloroethylene is moderately toxic and has narcotic properties. 

The synthesis of dextromethorphan is an outgrowth of early efforts to synthesize the morphine skeleton. /V-Methy1morphinan(40) was synthesized in 1946 (58,59). The 3-hydroxyl and the 3-methoxy analogues were prepared by the same method. Whereas the natural alkaloids of opium are optically active, ie, only one optical isomer can be isolated, synthetic routes to the morphine skeleton provide racemic mixtures, ie, both optical isomers, which can be separated, tested, and compared pharmacologically. In the case of 3-methoxy-/V-methylmorphinan, the levorotatory isomer levorphanol [77-07-6] (levorphan) was found to possess both analgesic and antitussive activity whereas the dextrorotatory isomer, dextromethorphan (39), possessed only antitussive activity. Dextromethorphan, unlike most narcotics, does not depress ciUary activity, secretion of respiratory tract fluid, or respiration. 

Morphine, when extracted from raw opium and treated chemically, yields the semisynthetic narcotics hydromorphone, oxymorphone, oxycodone, and heroin. Heroin is an illegal narcotic in the United States and is not used in medicine. Synthetic narcotics are those man-made analgesics with properties and actions similar to the natural opioids. Examples of synthetic narcotic analgesics are methadone, levorphanol, remifen-tanil, and meperidine Additional narcotics are listed in the Summary Drug Table Narcotic Analgesics. 

Methadone, a synthetic narcotic, may be used for the relief of pain, but it also is used in the detoxification and maintenance treatment of those addicted to narcotics. Detoxification involves withdrawing the patient from the narcotic while preventing withdrawal symptoms. 

Classical or conventional pharmaceutical agents in combination with lactide/glycolide polymers have been widely studied since about 1973. In general, these compounds are bioactive agents usually produced by synthetic chemistry, with molecular weights of less than a few hundred and relatively stable structures. Examples include steroid hormones, antibiotics, narcotic antagonists, anticancer agents, and anesthetics. 

Heroin, a synthetic derivative of the p opioid receptor agonist morphine, is a well-documented narcotic that alters mood and rewarding behaviors. To date, heroin is the most abused opioid with an estimated 750,000-1,000,000 hardcore users in the... 

The use of natural products as medicine has invoked the isolation of active compounds the first commercial pure natural product introduced for therapeutic use is generally considered to be the narcotic morphine (1), marketed by Merck in 1826, and the first semi-synthetic pure dmg aspirin (2), based on a natural product salicin (3) isolated from Salix alba, was introduced by Bayer in 1899. This success subsequently led to the isolation of early dmgs such as cocaine, codeine, digitoxin (4), quinine (5), and pilocarpine (6), of which some are still in use. ... 

For the complete or partial reversal of narcotic depression, including respiratory depression, induced by opioids including natural and synthetic narcotics, propoxyphene, methadone, nalbuphine, butorphanol, and pentazocine. Also indicated for the diagnosis of suspected acute opioid overdosage. 

In the alkaloid synthesis, L-phenylalanine (Figure 30) provides to alkaloid the phenyl or phenylpropyl nucleus. These kinds of nuclei occur in cathionine, cathine, ephedrine, pseudoephedrine and norpseudoephedrine. Such alkaloids are found especially in many species of Ephedra. Natural alkaloid molecules from these plants have similar properties to synthetic compounds used as narcotics (e.g., amphetamine). 

The most known narcotics are the opium alkaloids such as morphine, codeine, thebaine, papaverine, noscapine and their derivatives and modified compounds such as nalmorphine, apomorphine, apomopholcodine, dihydrocodeine, hydro-morphone and heroine, also known as diamorphine. Synthetic narcotics share the structural skeleton of morphine and include dextromethorphan, pentazocine, phenazocine meperidine (pethidine), phentanyl, anfentaitil, remifentalin, methadone, dextropropoxyphene, levoproxyphene, dipipanone, dextromoramide, meptazinol and tramadol. Thebaine derivatives are also modified narcotics and include oxycodone, oxymorphone, etorphine, buprenorphine, nalbuphine, naloxone or naltrexone. Narcotics can be semi-synthesized or totally synthesized from the morphine and thebaine model. The compounds serve various purposes in clinical practise. 

Fentanyl, a potent synthetic narcotic analgesic, and norfentanyl were determined in postmortem samples nsing liqnid-liquid extraction (LLE) and HPLC-ESI(h-)-MS-MS enabling the authors to determine the distribntion of parent compound and metabolite in tissnes and organs of a suicidal fatality case [36]. However, matrix effects were not investigated. 

Fentanyl is a semi-synthetic opioid, ft is a much more powerful version of morphine. Fentanyl is used during surgery as an anesthetic and is extremely dangerous when taken in a nonmedical context. First created in Belgium in the 1950s, fentanyl is 80 times more powerful than morphine. Due to its strength, fentanyl is listed as a Schedule I narcotic in the United States. 

In the drug discovery stage, suitable sources are explored. Sources of drug molecules can be natural, e.g. narcotic analgesic, morphine, from Papaver somnifemm (Poppy plant), synthetic, e.g. a popular analgesic and antipyretic, paracetamol, or semi-synthetic, e.g. semi-synthetic penicillins. 

Depressants account for 1 per cent of global seizure cases and other drugs for 4 per cent. This includes substances such as methaqualone, khat, various synthetic narcotics, LSD, ketamine, various non-specified psychotropic substances, and inhalants. Some of these substances (such as khat, ketamine and some of the psychotropic substances) are not under international control, but are under national control in several Member States. 

Zhao Wanpeng, Deputy Director of International Cooperation Division, Narcotics Control Bureau, Ministry of Public Security, Measures Implemented in China for the Prevention of Illicit Production of Synthetic Drugs and their Precursors, presentation given to the conference Europe-Asia - Cooperation on Synthetic Drugs and their Precursors, 6-7 March 2007. 

The strong decline of ATS precursor seizures in 2005 is linked to successes in precursor control, which works by preventing the diversion of chemicals into illicit manufacture. If suspicious precursor shipments are actually suspended or stopped, the amount of seizures will obviously go down. For instance, as a part of project PRISM (Precursors Required In Synthetic drug Manufacture), a task force involving several countries and international organizations, the International Narcotics Control... 

There are also synthetic narcotics that are not related to opium. They include the painkiller Meperidine (best known as Demerol), which is frequently given during childbirth or after surgery. Patients can become dependent on these drugs depending on the dose, length of time taken, and individual chemistry. 

Janssens, F., Torremans, J., Janssen, P.A.J. Synthetic 1,4-disubstituted 1,4-dihydro-5H-tetrazol-5-one derivatives offentanyl alfentanil (R 39209), a potent, extremely short-acting narcotic analgesic, J. Med. Chem. 1986, 29, 2290-2297. 

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