Scopolamine abuse

Anticholinergics are rarely used. One wonders why they are used at all, for in most cases, the experience is unpleasant or frightening. Still, stories are told of people who separate scopolamine and other anticholinergics from cold remedies, or people who use jimson weed, and of those who abuse prescription anticholinergics, such as amitryptyline, trihexyphenidyl, or benztropine mesylate. One can only assume that for some people, any alteration of consciousness, even though it may not be pleasant, is desirable. 

In addition, hair might represent a valuable specimen for confirmation of drug abuse [95] even though specific pitfalls should be avoided for reliable measurement [94], Table 8 refers to two LC-MS/MS methods that were used to detect atropine and scopolamine in hair [56, 57],... 

Kintz P, Villain M, Evans J, Pujol ML, Salquebre G, Cirimele V (2007) A case of abuse in which children were forced to take tablets containing scopolamine segmental analysis of hair for scopolamine by ultra performance liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry. Forensic Toxicol 25 49-52... 

Kintz P, Villi an M, Barguil Y, Chariot JY, Cirimele V (2006) Testing of atropine and scopolamine in hair by LC-MS-MS after Datura inoxia abuse. J Anal Toxicol 30 454-457... 

Combining opiates with anticholinergic drugs is a common practice in recreational abuse (SEDA-21, 34). Heroin mixed with hyoscine (scopolamine) is nicknamed polo and point on point. Mixed drug toxicity, with atypical signs and symptoms of opiate abuse, has been reported (70). 

Scopolamine methylnitrate, 675 Scopolia, 674 Scopos, 674 SCOT columns, 182 Screening, for diuretics, 32 for drugs of abuse, 27 for laxatives, 32 for solvent abuse, 31 tests on blood, 6 tests on stomach contents, 5 tests on urine, 4 Scuroforme, 419 S-Diazine, 982 S-Dimidine, 984 SDMO, 991 SE-30, 180 Sea-legs, 724 Sebizon, 981 Secadrex, 309, 663 Secbutobarbital, 967 Secbutobarbitone, 967 Secbutobarbitone sodium, 968 Seclodin, 677 Secobarbital, 951 Secobarbital sodium, 951... 

Heroin, morphine, and codeine can constrict the pupil. Moreover, the pupillary fight response is enhanced. This response appears to be due to action on the central nervous system, possibly on the visceral nucleus of the oculomotor nuclear complex. Note, however, that either heroin or cocaine abuse can be associated with mydriasis if the drug is mixed with scopolamine or atropine. 

Scopolamine in therapeutic doses normally causes CNS depression manifested as drowsiness, amnesia, fatigue, and dreamless sleep, with a reduction in rapid eye movement (REM) sleep. Scopolamine also causes euphoria and is therefore subject to some abuse. Scopolamine is effective in preventing motion sickness. 

Psilocybin, mescaline, and LSD have similar central (via serotonergic systems) and peripheral (sympathomimetic) effects. None of these hallucinogenic drugs have been shown to have teratogenic potential. Contrast this with the established potential for teratogenicity or other fetal toxicity with abuse of ethanol, amphetamines, and cocaine. Unlike most hallucinogens, phencyclidine acts as a positive reinforcer of self-administration in animals. Scopolamine is not a positive reinforcer but does exert atropine-like effects. The answer is (D). 

The tropane alkaloids represent from pharmaceutical point of view one of the most important groups of alkaloids, on the one hand because of the alkaloids atropine (5) and scopolamine (6), both widely used in pharmacotherapy, and on the other hand because of cocaine, most known for is its abuse as a stimulant. The former two alkaloids are extracted from a variety of Solanaceae, and the latter alkaloid is isolated from the leaves of Erythro-xylon coca. For the plant cell and tissue culture of the latter plant we have not been able to find any literature. For the Solanaceae, however, many studies have been published. Several genera of this family have been studied extensively, for example, Anisodus, Atropa, Datura, Duboisia, Hyoscyamus, and Scopolia. Of these Datura has widely been used as a model system for the development of various techniques in plant cell and tissue culture and for basic studies of cultured plant cells, without reference to alkaloid production. 

Tropane alkaloids include some medicinally important secondary plant metabolites as atropine (racemic mixture of 1- and d-hyoscyamine) and scopolamine. This group also includes cocaine, which, since it is a major drug of abuse, is frequently analyzed in forensic science. GC analysis of this class of compounds was first shown to be possible by Lloyd et al. in 1960. 

Hyoscyamine, its racemate atropine, (—)-scopolamine, and cocaine are among the oldest drugs used in medicine or as drugs of abuse. Furthermore, the purplish-black berries of Atropa belladonna L. (Deadly nightshade)... 

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