Analysis of amphetamines illegally produced in Serbia

Nevešćanin, Marina; Banovic-Stevic, Sonja; Petrović, Slobodan; Vajs, Vlatka

doi:10.2298/jsc0807691n

Cited by 8 publications

(6 citation statements)

References 10 publications

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“…1) and MDMA (Fig. 2 The obtained cyclic voltammograms were the same as those presented in Figs. Before the electrochemical analysis, all the samples were analyzed by GC-MS and their content was confirmed as previously published.…”

Section: Determination Of a And Mdma In Illegal Tablets By Cyclic Volmentioning

confidence: 72%

The use of a gold electrode for the determination of amphetamine derivatives and application to their analysis in human urine

Nevešćanin¹,

Avramov-Ivic²,

Petrovic³

et al. 2013

J Serb Chem Soc

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The catalytic abilities of gold electrode were tested for the quantitative determination of amphetamine (A) and 3,4-methylenedioxy-N-methylamphetamine (MDMA) standards by their oxidation using cyclic voltammetry (CV). The value of the oxidative currents of A and MDMA standards at 0.80 V vs. SCE in 0.05 M NaHCO3 at the scan rate of 50 mV/s is linear function of concentration in range of 110.9-258.9 mM and 38.7-229.2 mM, respectively. Square wave voltammetry (SWV) revealed linear increase of current with concentration of MDMA (range 30.9-91.6 mM) and thus quantitative determination of amphetamine derivates. SWV analysis is successfully performed in spiked urine samples as well. A and MDMA in the presence of sucrose and as a content in illegally produced tablets were also analyzed. The voltammetric determination of A and MDMA derivatives using CV and SWV at gold electrode is a rapid, selective and simple procedure and its accuracy was confirmed with reference method, high performance liquid chromatography (HPLC). The spiked urine samples analysis offers additional possibility for the rapid detection of A and MDMA in human urine

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Section: Determination Of a And Mdma In Illegal Tablets By Cyclic Volmentioning

confidence: 72%

The use of a gold electrode for the determination of amphetamine derivatives and application to their analysis in human urine

Nevešćanin¹,

Avramov-Ivic²,

Petrovic³

et al. 2013

J Serb Chem Soc

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“…Seizure of illegal captagon tablets is common in this region and a number of cases have already been surfaced from many countries including Saudi Arabia, Yemen, Turkey, Iraq, Jordan, Serbia, and so forth and the number keeps counting. When subjected to forensic analysis, amphetamine was found to be the major constituent of these tablets with several other additives [17][18][19][20][21][22][23].…”

Section: Gc-ms Analysismentioning

confidence: 99%

Chemo-Profiling of Illicit Amphetamine Tablets Seized from Jazan, Saudi Arabia, Using Gas Chromatography-Mass Spectrometry and Chemometric Techniques

Alhazmi

Ahsan

Bratty

et al. 2021

Journal of Chemistry

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A number of illegal drug tablets with unknown constituents are supplied to countries around the world, most of which are habit forming. Amphetamine constitutes the majority of illegal tablets supplied to Saudi Arabia. In this study, we investigated illicit amphetamine tablets seized from Jazan region located in the southwest of Saudi Arabia to identify the insidious additives present in them and their health-related risks. Tablets were analyzed for the presence of amphetamine and other additives using gas chromatography-mass spectroscopy (GC-MS) technique. Amphetamine was detected in good to high area % values in all analyzed tablets in the range of 16.29–41.23%. Interestingly, a number of other additives were also detected with amphetamine in most of the tested samples including caffeine, lidocaine, diphenhydramine, and 8-chlorotheophylline in considerable area %. Caffeine may have been added to enhance the psychotic effect of amphetamine, whereas lidocaine was added to prevent the cardiovascular side effects of amphetamine. Diphenhydramine was probably added to prevent other undesirable side effects of amphetamine such as insomnia and tremors. Chemometric hierarchical cluster analysis was carried out to make samples clusters which have similar characteristics. It resulted into a dendrogram tree showing eight clusters signifying different sources of tablet samples. Owing to the toxic effects of amphetamine and other psychoactive constituents in the tested tablets, the illegal trafficking of these tablets should be prevented by all means and public awareness should be increased.

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“…Fenethylline is illegally marketed under the street name ‘captagon’ or as ‘Abu Hilalain’ on the Arabic drug market and has been traditionally abused in Arab countries with a recorded increase during the last decade . Since its scheduling in 1981 , fenethylline has been clandestinely produced via a cheap and simple process in southern Europe (Bulgaria, Slovenia, Serbia‐Montenegro) and trafficked through Turkey to the consumer markets on the Arabian Peninsula . Nowadays, captagon is also clandestinely synthesized in Arab countries and sold for between $3 and $20 , while it is exported for weapons and cash .…”

Section: Prevalence and Usementioning

confidence: 99%

“…Thus, examples of seized counterfeit tablets marked with the captagon logo have been reported in Serbia‐Montenegro, Former Yugoslavia, Turkey and Arab countries . The analysis of those counterfeit captagon tablets has demonstrated the presence of amphetamine and/or amphetamine‐type derivatives, caffeine, theophylline, quinine, ephedrine, acetaminophen, diphenhydramine, lactose and other substances, while fenethylline was absent .…”

Section: Prevalence and Usementioning

confidence: 99%

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Fenethylline (Captagon) Abuse – Local Problems from an Old Drug Become Universal

Katselou

Papoutsis

Νικολάου

et al. 2016

Basic Clin Pharma Tox

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Fenethylline is a theophylline derivative of amphetamine having stimulant effects similar to those of other amphetamine-type derivatives. Fenethylline was used as medicament for hyperactivity disorders in children, narcolepsy and depression, but it has also been used as a drug of abuse under the common name of 'captagon'. Unlike other drugs of abuse, the clandestine synthesis of fenethylline is simple, using inexpensive laboratory instrumentation and raw materials legal to obtain. A review of all the existing knowledge of fenethylline is reported, concerning its chemistry, synthesis, pharmacology and toxicology, legislation, its prevalence and use as drug of abuse, as well as its analysis in biological or seized samples. Published or reported captagon-related cases and seizures are also presented. All the reviewed information was gathered through a detailed search of PubMed and the Internet. The primary drug market for fenethylline (as captagon) has traditionally been countries located on the Arabian Peninsula but also North Africa since 2013. In Arab countries, millions of captagon tablets are seized every year which represents one-third of global amphetamines seizures within a year. Furthermore, three of four patients treated for drug problems in Saudi Arabia are addicted to amphetamines, almost exclusively in the form of captagon. Significant information on fenethylline is provided for pharmacologists, toxicologists and forensic pathologists. Fenethylline, although old, has recently been introduced to the drug market, especially in Arab countries. Continuous community alertness is needed to tackle this current growing phenomenon.

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Analysis of amphetamines illegally produced in Serbia

Cited by 8 publications

References 10 publications

The use of a gold electrode for the determination of amphetamine derivatives and application to their analysis in human urine

The use of a gold electrode for the determination of amphetamine derivatives and application to their analysis in human urine

Chemo-Profiling of Illicit Amphetamine Tablets Seized from Jazan, Saudi Arabia, Using Gas Chromatography-Mass Spectrometry and Chemometric Techniques

Fenethylline (Captagon) Abuse – Local Problems from an Old Drug Become Universal

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