Heroin Preparations Research Articles

Illicitly Imported Heroin Products: Some Physical and Chemical Features Indicative of Their Origin

Samples taken from over 200 seizures of imported illicit heroin preparations of known geographical origin have been examined by gas liquid chromatography (GLC). The chromatographic characteristics were considered in conjunction with the physical appearance of the materials and it was found possible in many instances to discriminate between samples of different origin. Thus by carrying out GLC and HPLC and a visual inspection on a sample of unknown provenance, it may be possible to give an opinion as to its geographical origin.

Capillary gas chromatographic analysis of illicit diamorphine preparations

An improved capillary gas chromatographic method for the analysis of illicit diamorphine preparation is reported. The method was able to resolve the impurities and more frequent adulterants and contaminants present in street heroin preparations with a diamorphine detection limit of 0.2 ng in split-less mode.

Use of high-performance liquid chromatography to quantitate the opiate and sugar content of illicit heroin preparations

Two high-performance liquid chromatographic systems can be used to obtain the opiate and sugar content of illicit heroin preparations. The combined quantitative results can then be used to determine if the samples originate from a common source.

Toxicologic Assessments in Acute Heroin Fatalities

The recent improvements in analytic methods enable routine morphine detection in blood in microgram or nanogram quantities. It is now possible to assess acute death from heroin use by toxicologic analyses. A review of available data indicates a rapid distribution of morphine even in sudden fatalities, to the various organs of the body. Blood morphine levels in most acute heroin-involved deaths range from 0.1 to 1.0 microgram/ml, while morphine concentration in liver ranges from 0.1 to 10.0 microgram/gm. In rapid death, the blood to liver ratio is approximately 1:5. Blood and liver appear to be the specimens of choice in determining fatality due to heroin; however a distribution study that included other tissues such as brain, bile, and urine would afford a more meaningful evaluation in forensic investigation. The correlation of the survival periods of decedents to concentrations of morphine in tissues is discussed. Since morphine concentration decreases precipitously in antemortem blood immediately after administration of heroin, the assurance of detecting and determining morphine is greater in blood specimens from decedents who died within 1 hr after drug taking than from those who survived for a longer period. Blood levels of morphine also appear to be regulated by dosage. The role of ethanol and other drugs, including excipients in illicit heroin preparations, in acute narcotism is still poorly understood. Morphine is produced in the antemortem metabolism of codeine. A close evaluation of toxicologic data is necessary to determine whether the morphine detected, if a metabolite, is a conversion product of codeine, heroin, or both. In any event, the cause of death involving heroin is determined only after information from history and pathology, as well as toxicology, are carefully correlated.

Separation of Acetylcodeine from Illicit Heroin by Thin Layer Chromatography

Abstract The presence of acetylcodeine as an impurity in illicit heroin preparations has been demonstrated by the detection of codeine in hydrolyzed samples. The method described here, using thin layer chromatography, showed that acetylcodeine per se can be separated from illicit heroin and that it can be used as a basis for screening such illicit preparations for acetylcodeine.