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      Quality of cocaine seized in 1997 in the street-drug market of São Paulo city, Brazil Translated title: Qualidade da cocaína traficada em 1997 na cidade de São Paulo, Brasil

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          Abstract

          Street drugs when in great demand in an illicit market become not only more expensive but are also subject to extensive adulteration and dilution. These fraudulent practices may also contribute to the amplification of toxic effects observed in the abuse of certain drugs including cocaine hydrochloride. The number of seizures reflects the increase of illicit use of cocaine powder in the city of S.Paulo, where the identity of the suspected drug is its hydrochloride form. Routine analytical procedures in enforcement laboratories in Brazil now comprise techniques involving thin layer chromatography for presumptive identification of the drug and eventually gas chromatography for its confirmation or quantification whenever required. The determination of cocaine content, adulterants and diluents in street samples is not only of clinical value but also important for enforcement activities, recognition of its geographical distribution and allocation. So, the aim of this study was to continue examining the quality of cocaine hydrochloride in the illicit market of the city of S.Paulo. Cocaine and adulterant contents were determined as well as the identification of several diluents in 389 out of 1958 samples of "white powder" seized in the city of São Paulo. Thin-layer and gas-liquid chromatography (FID) and GC-MS were used for the determination of cocaine and adulterant contents. Spot-tests and thin-layer chromatography were the techniques applied for the identification of diluents. The results were as follows: neither cocaine nor adulterants were detected in 17 samples (4.4%); of all positive samples (95.6 %) for cocaine, 14% consisted of no more than 200 mg/g; in 70% cocaine purity ranged from 201 to 550 mg/g and in 16% it was not greater than 700 mg/g. The local anesthetics lidocaine and procaine were detected in 19 samples (4,9%) in a range from 10 to 602 mg/g. Caffeine was present in only two samples (179 and 356 mg/g). The main diluents detected were carbonates and bicarbonates (19.2%); silicates (13.8%), sugars (9.59%); starch (5.6%), borate (3.8%) and sulphates(2.8%). Contaminants (secondary products) originated from coca paste refining or decomposition processes were not analysed.

          Translated abstract

          Teores de cocaína e adulterantes bem como vários diluentes foram determinados em 389 amostras de pó branco apreendidas na cidade de São Paulo, no ano de 1997. Cocaína e seus adulterantes foram analisados por cromatografia em camada delgada, cromatografia em fase gasosa (detetor de ionização de chama) e cromatografia em fase gasosa acoplado a espectrometria de massa (CG/MS). Diluentes foram analisados através de "spot tests" e da cromatografia em camada delgada. Foram obtidos os seguintes resultados: em 4,4% das amostras não foram detectados cocaína e adulterantes; de todas as amostras positivas para cocaína, 14% não continham mais que 200 mg/g de pó; em 70% a pureza da cocaína variou de 201 a 550 mg/g e em 16% não foi maior que 700 mg/g. Os anestésicos locais lidocaína e procaína foram detectados em 19 amostras em concentrações que variaram de 10 a 602 mg/g de pó. Cafeína foi encontrada em duas amostras. Os principais diluentes detectados foram: carbonatos e bicarbonatos, silicatos, açúcares, amido, borato e sulfatos. Contaminantes (produtos secundários) originários do refino da pasta de coca ou de processos de decomposição não foram analisados.

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          The contribution of impurities to the acute morbidity of illegal drug use.

          Although emergency physicians treat many patients who use illegal drugs, little is known about the relative toxicities of the abused drug versus those that result from drug impurities and additives. Although case reports suggest significant contribution of contaminants to the morbidity and mortality of street drugs, most physicians' clinical experience and a comprehensive review of the clinical and forensic science literature demonstrate that impurities and additives play only a minor role in the majority of drug-related emergency department presentations. The strengths and weaknesses of several of the currently available drug abuse information data bases are reviewed, and qualitative information concerning the scope of contaminants that have been reported in preparations of cocaine, heroin, and phencyclidine is presented. More research is needed in this area, and a closer liaison between law enforcement, forensic scientists, and emergency physicians should be developed.
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            Adulterants encountered in the illicit cocaine market

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              A chromatographic impurity signature profile analysis for cocaine using capillary gas chromatography

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                Author and article information

                Journal
                rbcf
                Revista Brasileira de Ciências Farmacêuticas
                Rev. Bras. Cienc. Farm.
                Divisão de Biblioteca e Documentação do Conjunto das Químicas da Universidade de São Paulo (São Paulo, SP, Brazil )
                1516-9332
                March 2003
                : 39
                : 1
                : 71-75
                Affiliations
                [02] orgnameUniversity of São Paulo orgdiv1College of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Toxicology
                [01] orgnameMedicolegal Institute, São Paulo orgdiv1Forense Toxicology Section
                Article
                S1516-93322003000100007 S1516-9332(03)03900107
                03910aad-2708-427c-afd9-8141ded26a54

                This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 International License.

                History
                : 08 August 2002
                Page count
                Figures: 0, Tables: 0, Equations: 0, References: 12, Pages: 5
                Product

                SciELO Brazil

                Categories
                Original Papers

                Adulterants,Street-drug,Cocaine hydrochloride content,Diluents,Cocaína,Droga de rua,Adulterantes,Diluentes

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