Stimulant, cocaine

Bijlsma L, Sancho JV, Pitarch E, Ibanez M, Hernandez F (2009) Simultaneous ultra-high-pressure liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry determination of amphetamine and amphetamine-like stimulants, cocaine and its metabolites, and a cannabis metabolite in surface water and urban wastewater. J Chromatogr A 1216(15) 3078-3089... 

Dependence and withdrawal can occur with all of the stimulants. Cocaine is one of the most strongly reinforcing drugs in self-administration paradigms in animals and also has a psychological withdrawal syndrome. A typical pattern of withdrawal includes a ravenous appetite, exhaustion, and mental depression, which may last for several days after the drug is withdrawn. Because tolerance develops quickly, abusers may take large doses, compared with those used medically, for example, as anorexiants. 

In neurochemical terms, amphetamine and cocaine boost monoamine activity. Amphetamine has a threefold mode of action first, it causes dopamine and noradrenaline to leak into the synaptic cleft second, it boosts the amount of transmitter released during an action potential and third, it inhibits the reuptake of neurotransmitter back into presynaptic vesicles. These three modes all result in more neurotransmitter being available at the synapse, thus generating an increase in postsynaptic stimulation. Cocaine exerts a similar overall effect, but mainly by reuptake inhibition. The main neurotransmitters affected are dopamine and noradrenaline, although serotonin is boosted to a lesser extent. These modes of action are outlined in Chapter 3, and the neurochemical rationale for drug tolerance is covered more fully in Chapter 10. The main differences between amphetamine and cocaine are their administration routes (summarised above) and the more rapid onset and shorter duration of action for cocaine. 

Alousi, A. and Weiner, N. The regulation of norepinephrine synthesis in sympathetic nerves effect of nerve stimulation, cocaine, and catecholamine-releasing agents. Proc. Natl Acad. Sci. U.S.A. 56 1491-1496,1966. 

Monoamines include the catecholamines (dopamine and norepinephrine) and 5-hydroxytryptamine. Although these compounds are present in very small amounts in the CNS, they can be localized using extremely sensitive histochemical methods. These pathways are the site of action of many drugs for example, the CNS stimulants cocaine and amphetamine appear to act primarily at catecholamine synapses. Cocaine blocks the reuptake of dopamine and norepinephrine, whereas amphetamines cause presynaptic terminals to release these transmitters. 

Cannabis Amphetamine-type stimulants Cocaine Opiates of which heroin... 

Local anaesthetic and CNS stimulant Cocaine. Alkaloid from leaves of Erythroxylon coca narcotic agent... 

As you can see from Figure 23-1, alkaloids include compounds that may be classified as antimicrobial (quinine), as analgesics (morphine, codeine), as hallucinogens (mescaline, LSD), as stimulants (cocaine, atropine, caffeine),... 

The psychomotor stimulants, cocaine and D-amphetamine, are considered together because they share a similar psychopharmacological profile.19 20 Low to moderate doses of both drugs given acutely to nontolerant, nonanxious subjects produce increases in positive mood (euphoria), energy, and alertness. Experienced cocaine users were unable to distinguish between intravenous (IV) cocaine and D-amphetamine,21 and cross-tolerance between cocaine and D-amphetamine with respect to their anorectic effect has been demonstrated.22 Additionally, the toxic psychosis observed after days or weeks of continued use of both psychostimulants is very similar. The fully developed toxic syndrome, characterized by vivid auditory and visual hallucinations, paranoid delusions, and... 

We have described the mesolimbic dopamine pathway and the neuropharmacology of reward and have specifically emphasized the mechanism of action of several classes of dmgs of abuse, including stimulants (cocaine and amphetamines), hallucinogens, designer drugs and phencyclidine, nicotine, marijuana, opiates, alcohol, benzodiazepines, and sedative-hypnotics. We have even mentioned how receptors and the mesolimbic dopamine pathway could play a role in the psychopharmacology of obesity. 

Miyaguchi H, Inoue H (2011) Determination of amphetamine-type stimulants, cocaine and ketamine in human hair by liquid chromatography/linear ion trap-Orbitrap hybrid mass spectrometry. Analyst 136(17) 3503—3511. doi 10.1039/c0an00850h... 

Choice of substance can make a difference. Although most any substance (and activity) can become psychologically addictive, only some tend to become physically addictive. Stimulants (cocaine, for example), depressants (alcohol, for example), and narcotics (heroin, for example) are more likely to become physically addicting than inhalants (paint thinner, for example) or hallucinogens (LSD, for example). Whether marijuana can be physically addictive seems open to debate (it meets the criterion of tolerance but not withdrawal, see "physical addiction" on page 53). 

Table IV-1-10 summarizes the properties of drugs of abuse. These include the CNS stimulants (cocaine j and amphetamines), the CNS depressants (benzodiazepines, barbiturates, and ethanol), the opioids j (morphine, heroin, methadone, fentanyl, and others), the hallucinogens (marijuana and other j...

The present drug laws are a pathetic mess. The old adage that ignorance of the law is no excuse becomes a ludicrous statement when the laws themselves are rooted in ignorance. One classical example of this is the classification of the stimulant Cocaine as a narcotic. One is... 

These ayahuasca cohorts are known stimulants, used alone and as ayahuasca additives. In the latter case, their function appears to be counteracting the marked soporific effects of ayahuasca, so shaman or patient will not fall asleep during the session. Both Ilexguayusa and PauUiniayoco are known to be abundant sources of the stimulant caffeine (Lewis et al. 1991 Schultes 1986A Schultes Raffauf 1990), and Erythroxlum coca vat. ipadii is a known source of the stimulant cocaine (Holmstedt etal. 1971 Plowman 1981),... 

Narcotics are reportedly among the most widely abused substances in the world, particularly the CNS stimulants cocaine and methamphet-... 

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