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Identification and Quantification of Cocaine and Active Adulterants in Coca-Paste Seized Samples: Useful Scientific Support to Health Care

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Abstract

Adulteration is a common practice in the illicit drugs market, but the psychoactive and toxic effects provided by adulterants are clinically underestimated. Coca-paste (CP) is a smokable form of cocaine which has an extremely high abuse liability. CP seized samples are sold adulterated; however, qualitative and quantitative data of CP adulteration in forensic literature is still scarce. Besides, it is unknown if adulterants remain stable when CP is heated. This study was designed to report the chemical content of an extensive series of CP seized samples and to demonstrate the stability (i.e., chemical integrity) of the adulterants heated. To achieve this goal, the following strategies were applied: (1) a CP adulterated sample was heated and its fume was chemically analyzed; (2) the vapor of isolated adulterants were analyzed after heating; (3) plasma levels of animals exposed to CP and adulterants were measured. Ninety percent of CP seized samples were adulterated. Adulteration was dominated by phenacetin and caffeine and much less by other compounds (i.e., aminopyrine, levamisole, benzocaine). In the majority of CP analyzed samples, both cocaine and caffeine content was 30%, phenacetin 20% and the combination of these three components reached 90%. Typical cocaine pyrolysis compounds (i.e., BA, CMCHTs, and AEME) were observed in the volatilized cocaine and CP sample but no pyrolysis compounds were found after isolated adulterants heating. Cocaine, phenacetin, and caffeine were detected in plasma. We provide current forensic data about CP seized samples and demonstrated the chemical integrity of their adulterants heated.

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Acknowledgements

This study was supported by the Smoked Cocaine in South Cone Countries Grant CICAD-OEA (USA), Premio Concursable Junta Nacional de Drogas (Uruguay), and PEDECIBA (Uruguay). Marcela Martínez-Busi, José Pedro Prieto, and Martín Galvalisi had postgraduate fellowships from ANII.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Departamento de Neuroquímica, Instituto de Investigaciones Biológicas Clemente Estable, Montevideo, Uruguay

    Juan Andrés Abin-Carriquiry & Marcela Martínez-Busi

  2. Plataforma de Servicios Analíticos, Instituto de Investigaciones Biológicas Clemente Estable, Montevideo, Uruguay

    Juan Andrés Abin-Carriquiry & Marcela Martínez-Busi

  3. Departamento de Neurofarmacología Experimental, Instituto de Investigaciones Biológicas Clemente Estable, Avenida Italia 3318, 11600, Montevideo, Uruguay

    Martín Galvalisi, José Pedro Prieto & María Cecilia Scorza

  4. Cátedra de Farmacognosia y Productos Naturales, Facultad de Química, Universidad de la República, Montevideo, Uruguay

    Manuel Minteguiaga

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  1. Juan Andrés Abin-Carriquiry
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  2. Marcela Martínez-Busi
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  3. Martín Galvalisi
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  4. Manuel Minteguiaga
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  5. José Pedro Prieto
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  6. María Cecilia Scorza
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Correspondence to María Cecilia Scorza.

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Abin-Carriquiry, J.A., Martínez-Busi, M., Galvalisi, M. et al. Identification and Quantification of Cocaine and Active Adulterants in Coca-Paste Seized Samples: Useful Scientific Support to Health Care. Neurotox Res 34, 295–304 (2018). https://doi.org/10.1007/s12640-018-9887-1

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s12640-018-9887-1

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