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25 pages, 1770 KiB  
Review
Cocaine: An Updated Overview on Chemistry, Detection, Biokinetics, and Pharmacotoxicological Aspects including Abuse Pattern
by Rita Roque Bravo, Ana Carolina Faria, Andreia Machado Brito-da-Costa, Helena Carmo, Přemysl Mladěnka, Diana Dias da Silva, Fernando Remião and on behalf of The OEMONOM Researchers
Toxins 2022, 14(4), 278; https://doi.org/10.3390/toxins14040278 - 13 Apr 2022
Cited by 82 | Viewed by 48173
Abstract
Cocaine is one of the most consumed stimulants throughout the world, as official sources report. It is a naturally occurring sympathomimetic tropane alkaloid derived from the leaves of Erythroxylon coca, which has been used by South American locals for millennia. Cocaine can [...] Read more.
Cocaine is one of the most consumed stimulants throughout the world, as official sources report. It is a naturally occurring sympathomimetic tropane alkaloid derived from the leaves of Erythroxylon coca, which has been used by South American locals for millennia. Cocaine can usually be found in two forms, cocaine hydrochloride, a white powder, or ‘crack’ cocaine, the free base. While the first is commonly administered by insufflation (‘snorting’) or intravenously, the second is adapted for inhalation (smoking). Cocaine can exert local anaesthetic action by inhibiting voltage-gated sodium channels, thus halting electrical impulse propagation; cocaine also impacts neurotransmission by hindering monoamine reuptake, particularly dopamine, from the synaptic cleft. The excess of available dopamine for postsynaptic activation mediates the pleasurable effects reported by users and contributes to the addictive potential and toxic effects of the drug. Cocaine is metabolised (mostly hepatically) into two main metabolites, ecgonine methyl ester and benzoylecgonine. Other metabolites include, for example, norcocaine and cocaethylene, both displaying pharmacological action, and the last one constituting a biomarker for co-consumption of cocaine with alcohol. This review provides a brief overview of cocaine’s prevalence and patterns of use, its physical-chemical properties and methods for analysis, pharmacokinetics, pharmacodynamics, and multi-level toxicity. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Toxicity of Plant Derived Substances)
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12 pages, 16813 KiB  
Review
Khat, a Cultural Chewing Drug: A Toxicokinetic and Toxicodynamic Summary
by Bárbara Silva, Jorge Soares, Carolina Rocha-Pereira, Přemysl Mladěnka, Fernando Remião and on behalf of The OEMONOM Researchers
Toxins 2022, 14(2), 71; https://doi.org/10.3390/toxins14020071 - 20 Jan 2022
Cited by 42 | Viewed by 16635
Abstract
Khat (Catha edulis) is a recreational, chewed herbal drug that has been used as a psychostimulant for centuries in East Africa and the Arabian Peninsula, namely in Somalia, Ethiopia, and Yemen. However, the growing worldwide availability of khat has produced widespread [...] Read more.
Khat (Catha edulis) is a recreational, chewed herbal drug that has been used as a psychostimulant for centuries in East Africa and the Arabian Peninsula, namely in Somalia, Ethiopia, and Yemen. However, the growing worldwide availability of khat has produced widespread concern. The plant comprises a large number of active substances, among which cathinone, cathine, and norephedrine are the main constituents, which can be included in the group of sympathomimetics of natural origin. In fact, these compounds are amphetamine analogues, and, as such, they have amphetamine-like nervous system stimulant effects. Chewing the leaves gives people a sensation of well-being and increases energy, alertness, and self-confidence. The chronic use of khat is, however, associated with severe cardiac, neurological, psychological, and gastrointestinal complications. The psychological dependence and withdrawal symptoms of khat are the reasons for its prolonged use. The aim of this paper is to review current knowledge on the khat plant with toxicokinetic and toxicodynamic perspectives. Namely, this review paper addresses in vitro, in vivo, and human studies. The models used, as well as the concentrations and doses with the respective biological effects, are discussed. Additionally, the main drug interactions involved with khat are described. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Toxicity of Plant Derived Substances)
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