Drug Samples Research Articles

Prevalance of self - medication( self - Drug use)in Hadhramout Governorate

Self-medication is worldwide method of prevention and treatment of many health problems and self -use of drugs is commonly practiced. To evaluate the prevalence of this problem in our community in Hadhramout this study was conducted.Data were collected from randomly selected dispensaries and drug stores in the four largest cities in Hadhramout, Mukalla,Al-shiher ,,Al-ghail &Sayoon during the period October - December 1999 .1100 out of 4040 (27% ) were self-drug users .(39%) were 21-30years age ,(22%) over 40 years and (I4%) bellow l0years.(67%") of self- drug user were of primary school level of education and bellow, (17%o)of secondary school and (16%o) of university level. The most common methods of drug requisition were to desuibe the complaints to the dispenser (35.8%o), (21.4%o) showed sample of drug or empty container and some brought an old prescription (11.5%o). some other methods of requisition were also seen. Analgesics-antipyretics were the most drugs requested (35.7%o), antibiotics (25.9%o), drugs for respiratory system (10.4%o), ant parasitic (5.2%") and antacids (5%Q. Tonics and drugs for DM, HTN were also requested by this methods. The most common cause of self- medication were previous experience (48.3%o), advises from relatives andfriends (10.3%o) and thinking of simplicity of the diseases that no need to consult a doctor (10.3%o). (60%0) of the patients lrnow some adverse reaction of the drugs, (25%o) knew and (15%r) didn't know about .Of all the patients (42.8%0) practicing self-medication occasionally, (31%o) very rarely and (26.2%o) mostfor the timeslt is concluded that self-drug use is commonly practiced in our community as affirdable and easy way of treatment by dffirent age groups and at all levelsof education. There is misuse and iirational over use of not only the OTC drugs but almost every Qpe of drugs. Suitable health education programs, Proper regulations and close observation is recommended

Development of HPLC-CAD method for simultaneous quantification of nine related substances in ursodeoxycholic acid and identification of two unknown impurities by HPLC-Q-TOF-MS

Ursodeoxycholic acid has gained increasing attention due to its recent discovery of the preventive effect on SARS-CoV-2 infection. Ursodeoxycholic acid has been included in various pharmacopoeias as an old drug, and the latest European Pharmacopoeia lists nine potential related substances (impurities A∼I). However, existing methods in pharmacopoeias and literature can only quantify up to five of these impurities simultaneously, and the sensitivity is inadequate, as the impurities are isomers or cholic acid analogues lacking chromophores. Herein, a novel gradient RP-HPLC method coupled to charged aerosol detection (CAD) was developed and validated for the simultaneous separation and quantification of the nine impurities in ursodeoxycholic acid. The method proved sensitive and allowed the quantification of the impurities as low as 0.02 %. Relative correction factors of the nine impurities were all within the range of 0.8–1.2 in the gradient mode by optimizing chromatographic conditions and CAD parameters. In addition, this RP-HPLC method is fully compatible with LC-MS due to the volatile additives and high percentage of the organic phase, which can be directly used for the identification of impurities. The newly developed HPLC-CAD method was successfully applied to commercial bulk drug samples, and two unknown impurities were identified by HPLC-Q-TOF-MS. The effect of CAD parameters on the linearity and correction factors was also discussed in this study. Overall, the established HPLC-CAD method can improve the methods in current pharmacopoeias and literature and contributes to understanding the impurity profile for process improvement.

Fluorimetric Determination of Antiviral (COVID-19) Drug Favipiravir in Bulk and Pharmaceutical Dosage Forms

Favipiravir is a synthetic prodrug, which was first discovered while assessing the antiviral activity of chemical agents active against the influenza virus in the chemical library of Toyoma chemicals. It works by inhibiting RNA dependant RNA polymerase (RdRP), an enzyme required for RNA viral replication inside human cells. A simple, rapid, and economic method was developed for the quantitative determination of Favipiravirusing spectrofluorometer. The Favipiravir standard drug solution and sample tablet solution was prepared using double distilled water as a diluent. The different concentrations ofpure drugin the range 2-10 μg/ml and one sample solution were measured for the intensity at 432nm in the spectrofluorometer. The calibration curve was plotted and the sample’s unknown concentration was calculated from the plot. The calibration curve was found to be linear with r2 value obtained as 0.99.There are various other methods available for the quantification of Favipiravir which include RP-HPLC, UV-spectroscopic methods, FTIR, LC-MS with different extraction methods spiked in human plasma but not by using spectrofluorometer. Favipiravir shows fluorescence when dissolved in appropriate solvent hencethis method was developed to quantify Favipiravir which is a simple and efficient method. This method developed is easy and can be used for routine quality control test for Favipiravir pharmaceutical formulations.
 Keywords: Favipiravir, spectrofluorometer, Calibration curve.

Psychotropic drugs and the environment: a comprehensive analysis of surface water concentrations and associated risks

IntroductionFor most countries it is currently unknown to what degree concentrations of psychotropic drugs in surface water exceed environmental threshold concentrations (ETCs) [MOU1] for ecosystems and what risk mitigation could be applied. ETCs are defined as per-compound threshold concentrations above which detrimental effects on reproduction, growth, and mortality of aquatic organisms cannot be excludeObjectivesTo quantify levels of antidepressants, antipsychotics, mood stabilizers, and benzodiazepines in surface water, investigate their sources and assess whether these levels exceed ETCs.Methods: DesignCross-sectional analysis of measured and modeled data. Environmental levels were compared to ETCs to evaluate their risks for the aquatic environment. Finally, sources of psychotropic drugs were investigated.SettingAll available Dutch water monitoring data from all regional and national monitoring campaigns of 2019, the last year before the COVID-19 pandemic.ExposuresConcentrations of aripiprazole, carbamazepine and its metabolites, clozapine, diazepam, (es)citalopram, fluoxetine, haloperidol, nortriptyline, olanzapine, oxazepam, temazepam, quetiapine, sertraline, valproic acid, and venlafaxine.Main outcomes and measuresThe main outcomes were measured and modeled concentrations of the aforementioned agents in surface water. As a secondary outcome, where possible, average risk quotients (RQs) were calculated by dividing the measured or modeled concentrations by the ETC. An RQ > 1 was interpreted as a risk to the environment.ResultsPsychotropic drug samples (n=1201; 14-520 measurements per drug) showed the highest average concentrations for oxazepam (0.91 μg/L; RQ = 1.89) and carbamazepine (0.74 μg/L; RQ = 1.48), with individual measurements exceeding ETCs. For other drugs, measured concentrations did not reach the detection limit (amisulpride, (es)citalopram, quetiapine, and venlafaxine) or did not exceed the ETC (fluoxetine). Furthermore, households contributed most to psychotropics in surface water. Finally, psychotropics were cleared less efficiently from a wastewater treatment plant than other medications.ConclusionsPsychotropic drugs are present in surface water, are primarily emitted by households, and may put organisms at risk. We signal a need to reduce concentrations of several psychotropic agents in the environment. Our findings set the stage for policies and research aimed at curtailing emissions of psychotropic drugs into the environment and highlight a need for responsible prescribing and waste measures.Disclosure of InterestNone Declared

Microneedle arrays integrated with microfluidic systems: Emerging applications and fluid flow modeling.

Microneedle arrays are patches of needles at micro- and nano-scale, which are competent and versatile technologies that have been merged with microfluidic systems to construct more capable devices for biomedical applications, such as drug delivery, wound healing, biosensing, and sampling body fluids. In this paper, several designs and applications are reviewed. In addition, modeling approaches used in microneedle designs for fluid flow and mass transfer are discussed, and the challenges are highlighted.

Adverse incidents and therapy options for opioid use disorders in forensic psychiatry

IntroductionPatients admitted into Forensic Clinics for Dependency Diseases (FCDD) in Germany are diagnosed with at least one substance use disorder. Opioid use disorders is common in this clinical population. Surprisingly, data on the availability and practice of opioid substitution treatment (OST) options in German FCDD according to Sect. 64 of the German Criminal Code (StGB) is scarce. Additionally, important data on the prevalence of adverse incidents such as violent behavior, relapse or escape from the clinic are missing for this highly specific treatment setting.ObjectivesOur aim ewas to describe the clinical practice regarding opioid substitution therapy in forensic psychiatry in Germany and to identify the prevalence of relevant adverse incidents during the therapy process.MethodsWe conducted a observational study including all FCDD units in Germany via a questionnaire. We assessed the clinical practice and total number of patients that received an OST, clinical reasons for beginning and ending the OST, number of treatments terminated without success, number of successful treatments and relevant adverse incidents such as violent behavior, relapse, escape and reoffending. The data was analyzed descriptively.Results15 of the existing 46 FCDD participated in our study (33%). In total, 2483 patients were treated in the participating FCDD, 18% of the patients were relocated into prison due to treatment termination and 15% were discharged successfully. 275 adverse incidents were reported: violence against a patient (4%), violence against staff (1,6%), escape (4,7%) and reoffending (0,5%). Merely in seven FCDD treating 1153 patients, an OST was availabe. Available options included buprenorphine/naloxone, buprenorphine, methadone and levomethadone. Regarding adverse incidents and successful discharge, no differences were detected in the clinics with or without an OST. In the clinics that offered an OST, we found a significantly higher rate for treatment termination without success (p<0.007) in comparison to clinics without this program. 99 patients received an OAT and this treatment was ended due to illegal drug abuse (57%), refusal to give an urine drug sample (71%) and in cases were the OAT was given away to other patients (85%).ConclusionsSurprisingly, opioid substitution therapy is only accessible in a part of the FCDD in Germany. Reasons for this are unclear. Critical incidents such as violent behavior against staff/patients and escape are not uncommon in this forensic psychiatric treatment setting. Further studies are needed to enhance the understanding of the limited OST practice and the risks for patients and staff in this specific forensic treatment setting.Disclosure of InterestNone Declared

Physicochemical assessment and insilico studies on the interaction of 5-HT2c receptor with herbal medication bioactive compounds used in the treatment of premature ejaculation

Abstract Premature ejaculation (PE) affects one in every four men around the world, and there is no known cure for this sexual dysfunction. Many non-herbal and herbal medications are prescribed for their treatment, some of which have not been thoroughly evaluated for their efficacy and role in the body. Premature ejaculation herbal treatment medication produced in Abia State, Nigeria, were analysed for its efficacy using Fluoxetine as a compared compound, a selective serotonin reuptake inhibitor in the treatment of PE. The herbal drugs were analysed using both classical and spectroscopic methods for the determination of its proximate content, phytochemical analysis, heavy metals concentrations and bioactive compounds. The interactions with the 5-HT2c serotonin receptors were investigated using in silico computational analysis, molecular docking, and pharmacokinetic properties of the selected compounds with ADMET screening. The availability of important phytochemicals such as alkaloids, terpenoids, flavonoids, tannins, and saponins was recorded, and the proximate content values were within the recommended ranges. Heavy metals such as Pb (46 mg/kg), Cd (22 mg/kg), Ni (35 mg/kg), and Mn (132 mg/kg) were found in excess of the recommended limits. Fifty-one compounds were discovered in the herbal drug samples, which were then screened for drug-ability using the Lipinski rule. In this study, six (6) compounds with the highest binding affinities among the compounds under investigation were reported. All six compounds were found to have binding affinity scores ranging from −7.5 kcal/mol to −10.5 kcal/mol. Their interactions in the active sites of the target receptors were with amino acids residues like ASP 134, VAL 135, SER 138, VAL 208, PHE 327, VAL 354, TRY 358, PHE 328, GLY 218, ASN 331, ALA 222, and LEU 350 sharing hydrophobic and electrostatic bonds. The study predicted the ADMET properties of the compounds under investigation and discovered that some of them had good pharmacokinetic properties and CYP2C19 enzyme inhibitory potential. This research suggests that these compounds could be active ingredients in herbal medications used to treat premature ejaculation. However, after using this medication, serum concentrations of patients can be measured to further assess its efficacy.

An overview of New Psychoactive Substances (NPS) in northeast Brazil: NMR-based identification and analysis of ecstasy tablets by GC-MS

The actual illicit market for synthetic drugs is characterized by a wide variety of psychoactive substances of different chemical and pharmacological classes, such as amphetamine-type stimulants and new psychoactive substances. The knowledge about its chemical composition, as well as the nature and quantity of the active substances present, is important for emergency care in intoxication cases by these substances and to establish adequate chemical and toxicological analysis procedures in forensic laboratories. The aim of this work was to study the prevalence of amphetamine-type stimulants and new psychoactive substances in the states of Bahia and Sergipe, in the northeast region of Brazil, involving samples of drugs seized by the local police forces from 2014 to 2019. In a total of 121 seized and analyzed samples, in which ecstasy tablets predominated (n = 101), nineteen substances were identified using GC-MS and 1D NMR techniques, comprising classical synthetic drugs and new psychoactive substances (NPS). In order to determine the composition of ecstasy tablets, an analytical method based on GC-MS was applied after validation. Analyzes of 101 ecstasy tablets showed that MDMA was the main substance, being found in 57% of the samples, in amounts between 27.3 and 187.1 mg per tablet. In addition, mixtures of MDMA, MDA, synthetic cathinones and caffeine were observed in 34 samples. These results demonstrate that the variety of substances found and the composition of seized materials in northeast Brazil is similar to other studies carried out previously in other Brazilian regions.

Effect of current flow applied for graphene synthesis and its application for the detection of ciprofloxacin in fish, urine and drugs

The electrochemical exfoliation method adopted in this study presents the quality variations of the graphene oxide (GO) produced under applied currents flow (Alternating current (AC) and Direct current (DC)). The obtained GOs were reduced by a fast, efficient, and environmentally-friendly electrochemical method using CV without the addition of chemical agents. Subsequently, the r-GOs obtained were used as carbon paste electrode (CPE) modifiers (r-GOAC-CPE and r-GODC-CPE) for the determination of Ciprofloxacin (Cipro) traces in fish tissues, urine and drug samples. The prepared electrodes were characterized by X-ray diffraction (XRD) and thermogravimetric and differential thermal analysis (DTA-TGA). Comparison of the electrochemical performances of each preparation (r-GOAC-CPE and r-GOAC-CPE) has been performed using cyclic voltammetry (CV) and differential pulse voltammetry (DPV). Under the optimal experimental parameters, the electro-oxidation peak signal was linearly related to Cipro concentration in the range from 1.0 × 10−7 to 5.0 × 10−5 mol/L for r-GOAC-CPE and from 3.0 × 10−7 to 5.0 × 10−5 mol/L for r-GODC-CPE. The developed sensors enabled to achieve a detection limit (DL) of 4.08 × 10−9 mol/L and a quantification limit (QL) of 13.36 × 10−9 mol/L for r-GOAC-CPE and 17.74 × 10−9 mol/L and 59.13 × 10−9 mol/L for r-GODC-CPE. The prepared sensors were successfully applied for Cipro recognition in fish tissues, urine and drug samples.

Selective and sensitive determination of tinidazole in pharmaceuticals and biological matrix using poly(diphenylamine -4- sulfonic acid) modified glassy carbon electrode

Antibiotics have been effectively used in the last decades to prevent bacterial infections in humans and animals. In this study an electrochemical sensor based on poly(diphenylamine sulfonic acid) (poly(DPASA)) modified glassy carbon electrode was prepared by electropolymerization of 1.0 mM DPASA in 0.1 M KCl in the potential window of −1.2 to +1.80 V for 20 cycles and characterized using cyclic voltammetry and electrochemical impedance spectroscopy using [Fe(CN)6]3−/4-. In contrast to GCE, the poly(DPASA)/GCE showed catalytic activity towards the reduction of tinidazole, which attributed to increase in its surface area. A good linear relationship between the reductive peak current and square root of scan rate indicated that tinidazole reduction at poly(DPASA)/GCE was diffusion controlled process. The peak current response of tinidazole reduction at the poly(DPASA)/GCE was linearly related with its concentration ranged from 0.05 to 300 μM with detection limit and quantification of 0.00427 μM and 0.0142 μM, respectively. The tinidazole content of drug samples claimed 300 mg/tablet in three tablets (China, Cyprus, and India) were detected in the range 96% (Cyprus 20) to 101.78% (India 40) of the expected with %RSD value below 2.0%. The poly(DPASA)/GCE was successfully applied for tinidazole detection in drugs and urine samples, where recovery between 96.0 and 101.78% and 98.45 to 101.11% were obtained, respectively. The selectivity of poly(DPASA)/GCE was evaluated in the presence of amoxicillin, ciprofloxacin, paracetamol, glucose and uric acid in drug samples and there were no significant change in the current response of tinidazole, indicated the excellent selectivity of the poly(DPASA)/GCE.

Determination of trace amount of iron cations using electrochemical methods at N, S doped GQD modified electrode

In this work, nitrogen and sulfur co-doped graphene quantum dot-modified glassy carbon electrodes (N, S-GQD/GCE) were used for the recognition of iron cations in aqueous solutions. The dissolved cations are detected based on the faradaic reduction or oxidation current of Fe(III) and Fe(II) obtained at the N, S-GQD/GCE surface. Cyclic voltammetry (CV), square wave voltammetry (SWV), and hydrodynamic amperometry are used as suitable electrochemical techniques for studying electrochemical behavior and determination of Fe cations. Based on the obtained results, it is concluded that the presence of free electrons in the structure of N, S-GQD could facilitate electron transfer reaction between Fe(III) and electrode surface which with increased surface area results in increased sensitivity and lower limit of detection. By performing suitable experiments, the best condition for preparing the modified electrode and determining Fe(III) was selected. Under optimized conditions, the amperometric response is linear from 1 to 100 nM of Fe(III) with a detection limit of 0.23 nM. The validity of the method and applicability of the sensor is successfully tested by the determination of Fe(III) in drug and water real samples. This sensor opened a new platform based on doped nanoparticles for highly sensitive and selective detection of analytes.

A Simple Methods for Determination of Methylene Blue using Smartphone-Based as Digital Image Colorimetry

The advancement of smartphones that produce high-resolution photos has made their use even more developed. One application that is currently developing is a digital image produced as colorimetry. Digital image-based colorimetry is an easy and simple determination method and can be an alternative for analyzing dyes quantitatively. In this method, the color response of the digital image is analyzed, namely red-green-blue (RGB) with values from 0 to 255. This data is extracted from digital images using ImageJ 1.52a software for quantitative determination. In this study, 2 standard methods were used, namely external standards and standard addition to evaluating the most suitable method to obtain accurate measurements. In addition, 2 methods were used to determine the relationship of response to methylene blue levels. The 1st method used simple linear regression of each color red, green, or blue (univariate). The 2nd method is used in multivariate linear regression of the 3 colors red, green, and blue. The accuracy of the method was validated using UV-Vis spectrophotometry as the reference method. The results showed that the multivariate models produced very good accuracy, namely precision of up to 99 % compared to the simple regression method with the univariate. HIGHLIGHTS Smartphone cameras can be applied easily as a simple, fast, and inexpensive colorimetric method for quantitative analysis of methylene blue content The univariate models for external standard and standard addition methods showed up to 90 % precision for fish drug samples against UV-Vis spectrophotometric methods The multivariate models for the external standard method provide up to 99 % precision results for fish drug samples against UV-Vis spectrophotometric methods· GRAPHICAL ABSTRACT

Forensic implication of seized drug imitating methamphetamine with mileage in crime

BackgroundThe increase in drug abuse a major global issue. Clandestine laboratories along with illegal drug trafficking and trade increase the menace. Increased confiscation of illicit drugs not only indicates the manifold rise in drug abuse in Delhi and its neighboring region but also signifies an escalation and proliferation in other drug-related criminal activities. Investigating agencies around the world are working hard to combat and eradicate this problem. The samples seized by these agencies are subsequently sent for forensic examination to rule out the presence of any illicit drugs. Few such seized crystalline samples such as “methamphetamine” were submitted for examination with a query for the identification of any scheduled substance. The analysis outline followed was physical, chemical, Fourier transform infrared spectrometer analysis for detection, identification, and confirmation of seized drug samples. The purpose of a detailed investigation regarding the identification of the crystalline sample was also to understand the criminal activities involved in the consistent seizures and the forensics behind it.ResultsThe comprehensive examination identified the sample as an inorganic salt of sodium thiosulfate with the absence of contraband methamphetamine. The study on salt-imitating methamphetamine underlines its diverse uses as in adulteration, trafficking to camouflage narcotics drug and its involvement in numerous other illegal purposes which on the other hand has a very crucial impact on society and its well-being.ConclusionsThe novel findings will update the investigating agencies and other experts regarding the importance of the detection of sodium thiosulfate salt in seized samples and will well establish the foul play behind large seizures to justify the role of forensic science. This unique finding deals with a very sensitive issue that has immense social impact and needs exceptional thoughtfulness.

A Portable Wireless Intelligent Nanosensor for 6,7-Dihydroxycoumarin Analysis with A Black Phosphorene and Nano-Diamond Nanocomposite-Modified Electrode

In this work, a novel portable and wireless intelligent electrochemical nanosensor was developed for the detection of 6,7-dihydroxycoumarin (6,7-DHC) using a modified screen-printed electrode (SPE). Black phosphorene (BP) nanosheets were prepared via exfoliation of black phosphorus nanoplates. The BP nanosheets were then mixed with nano-diamond (ND) to prepare ND@BP nanocomposites using the self-assembly method, achieving high environmental stability. The nanocomposite was characterized by SEM, TEM, Raman, XPS and XRD. The nanocomposite was used for the modification of SPE to improve its electrochemical performances. The nanosensor displayed a wide linear range of 0.01-450.0 μmol/L with a low detection limit of 0.003 μmol/L for 6,7-DHC analysis. The portable and wireless intelligent electrochemical nanosensor was applied to detect 6,7-DHC in real drug samples by the standard addition method with satisfactory recoveries, which extends the application of BP-based nanocomposite for electroanalysis.

Carfentanil structural analogs found in street drugs by paper spray mass spectrometry and their characterization by high-resolution mass spectrometry.

Carfentanil is one of the most potent synthetic opioids ever developed, with an estimated analgesic potency approximately 20-100 times that of fentanyl and 10,000 times that of morphine. Carfentanil has been appearing in the illicit drug supply in many regions and has been linked to fatal overdose events. A subset of 59 street drug samples obtained in Victoria, B.C., that were confirmed to contain carfentanil were analyzed by mass spectrometry for this study. Carfentanil quantitation by paper spray mass spectrometry ranged from 0.05 to 2.95 w/w% (median =0.32%) in the original drug sample. Paper spray mass spectrometry analysis also detected two unknown peaks at m/z 380.2 and 381.2 in 31 of these 59 samples (53%). Initial tandem mass spectrometry experiments revealed structural similarities between these unknown compounds and carfentanil, suggesting they were potential structural analogs, possibly arising from incomplete purification during synthesis. High-resolution mass spectrometry determined the chemical formulas of these compounds as C23 H29 N3 O2 (m/z 380.2333) and C23 H29 N2 O3 (m/z 381.2137). Literature and tandem mass spectrometry results were used to determine the identity of these potential new psychoactive substances, C23 H29 N3 O2 as desmethylcarfentanil amide and C23 H29 N2 O3 as desmethylcarfentanil acid. μ-Opioid receptor binding modeling determined that the binding poses of these analogs were nearly identical to that of carfentanil with relative binding energy calculations of 0.544 kJ/mol (desmethylcarfentanil amide) and -0.171 kJ/mol (desmethylcarfentanil acid); these data suggest they may share the toxic effects of carfentanil and have similar potencies.

Preliminary investigation into isolation and extraction of DNA recovered from drug residues

It is a commonly held belief that drug residues may affect the integrity of DNA and/or interfere with DNA analysis, and therefore DNA on drug paraphernalia and the associated drugs may be overlooked as a source of evidence. This study investigated whether DNA could be isolated from a drug residue-bearing surface to ascertain whether a forensically useful DNA profile could be obtained. Human blood and pre-extracted “naked” DNA were deposited on samples of acetaminophen, codeine, morphine, oxycodone, ketamine, and synthetic cannabinoids and left for an hour before DNA extraction using DNA-IQ™. To investigate DNA integrity, the absolute amount of DNA recovered, degradation index, and number of PCR cycles required for the IPC to reach threshold (Ct), number of reportable alleles and average peak height (APH) in the DNA profile, were examined. The samples were also qualitatively analysed using LC:MS to determine if any residual drugs were present in the samples post-DNA extraction. Overall, the drugs had no to minimal degradation or inhibitory effects on the DNA with sufficient DNA recovered to generate a partial or full DNA profile in 80% of naked DNA samples and 100 % of blood samples. The amount of DNA collected was sufficient for further analysis in 86% of naked DNA samples, and 100% of blood samples, with all median APH values being over the 175 RFU standard. Chemical analysis showed that traces of the drug were still present in the samples after DNA extraction was performed. Therefore, this study demonstrates forensically useful DNA can be recovered from surfaces bearing drug residues, even when sampling directly from the samples of drugs.

ANALYSIS AND SEPARATION OF COMMON ADULTERANTS AND DILUENTS FROM THE ILLICIT DRUG (HEROIN)SAMPLES

The drug trafficking problem in Rajasthan is quite common as Rajasthan is the largest state in India, and many international and interstate borders surround it. Illicit traffickers can add unlimited diluents and adulterants to heroin. Only 5% or less than that alkaloid is present; the rest is of diluents and adulterants. Adulterants can associate with a significant risk of overdose, which may lead to death due to severe poisoning. Thus, the purity of drugs may vary, and the presence and percentage of diluents and adulterants depend on the region. The present article aims to identify and separate diluents and adulterants from diacetylmorphine drug samples. The illicit drug samples were deposited for investigations in the narcotics division of the state forensic science laboratory, Jaipur. During studies, sophisticated instruments like GCMS confirmed the preliminary results obtained from TLC and color tests. The variety and quantity of adulterants and diluents differ in all the samples, but the pattern is similar. The extensive and widespread cutting agent of illicit drugs used to analyze these drug samples.

A Simple Method for Determination of Chloroquine Based on Electrogenerated Chemiluminescence

Chloroquine is a drug belonging to the aminoquinoline family that is widely used for treating diseases such as lupus, cancer, and malaria. In this sense, the present work describes the development of a simple method based on electrogenerated chemiluminescence (ECL) and a screen-printed carbon electrode (SPE) modified with carbon black for chloroquine determination. The carbon black modified SPE was characterized by scanning electron microscopy, Raman spectroscopy, cyclic voltammetry and linear sweep voltammetry to obtain the ECL-potential curves. The ECL method is based on the chemiluminescence resulting from the interaction between chloroquine and the tris(2’2-bipyridyl) ruthenium(II) complex. Under optimized experimental conditions, the method showed a wide linear working range between 0.5 and 500 µmol L-1. The method presented good precision and accuracy in drug samples used in the treatment of malaria and artificial urine sample, showing recovery values from 100 to 103% and 99 to 103%, respectively.

Comprehensive profiling of controlled substances using gas chromatography coupled with time-of-flight mass spectrometry

Background: Drug profiling is performed to prove the presence of any controlled substances and to compare sample purity, to determine whether two samples are from the same origin, as well as to assess the expected monetary value of the drug samples. However, conventional analyses by gas chromatography – mass spectrometry (GC-MS) often lacks the sensitivity required to provide a full chemical fingerprint of the trace contaminants and cutting agents. Here, we apply gas chromatography coupled with time-of-flight mass spectrometry (GC-TOF MS) to identify trace differences between seized drug samples. Material and Methods: Six seized samples of suspected drugs of abuse, were prepared by dissolving of each drug powder in methanol, prior to analysis by GC–TOF MS. Resulting chromatograms were integrated, identified and compared using novel comparative analysis tools to determine trends and differences between the seized samples. Result: All six seized samples were found to contain diacetylmorphine (heroin), however the trace cutting agents and contaminants present varied significantly. For example, the presence of the common cutting agents, caffeine and acetaminophen (or paracetamol) was only noted for some of the samples, while others contained trace impurities, such as meconin and 6-acetylcodeine, which can be useful in linking samples to the same origin. Conclusion: Comprehensive profiling of seized drug samples was obtained using GC–TOF MS to identify not only the controlled substances, but also the various cutting agents and trace impurities present.

A novel potentiometric sensor based on ZnO decorated polyaniline/coal nanocomposite for diltiazem determination.

Diltiazem (DTZ) is one of the most effective medications for treating cardiovascular diseases. It has been widely used for the treatment of angina pectoris, hypertension and some types of arrhythmia. The development and application of a modified carbon paste sensor with improved detection limits for the potentiometric determination of diltiazem are the main goals of the current study. Sensitivity, long-term stability, reproducibility and improving the electrochemical performance are among the characteristics that have undergone careful examination. A modified carbon paste sensor based on β-cyclodextrin (β-CD) as ionophore, a lipophilic anionic additive (NaTPB) and a ZnO-decorated polyaniline/coal nanocomposite (ZnO@PANI/C) dissolved in dibutyl phthalate plasticizer, exhibited the best performance and Nernstian slope. The ZnO@PANI/C based sensor succeeded in lowering the detection limit to 5.0 × 10-7 through the linear range 1.0 × 10-6 to 1.0 × 10-2 mol L-1 with fast response time ≤ 10.0 s. The prepared nanomaterial was characterized using X-ray diffraction (XRD), Fourier transform infrared (FT-IR) spectroscopy and scanning electron microscopy (SEM). The surface properties of the proposed sensor were characterized by electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS). The selectivity behavior of the investigated sensor was tested against a drug with similar chemical structure and biologically important blood electrolytes (Na+, K+, Mg2+, and Ca2+). The proposed analytical method was applied for DTZ analysis in pure drug, pharmaceutical products and industrial water samples with excellent recovery data.