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Synthetic drug

Synthetic drug is a engineering topic covered in the lgStudy science library. This page brings together a partial reference excerpt, illustrations, worked examples, real-world applications and a short study plan, so you can understand Synthetic drug rather than just read about it. In short: Synthetic drugs refer to substances that are artificially modified from naturally occurring drugs and are capable of exhibiting both therapeutic and psychoactive effects. In the medical setting, synthetic drugs possess psychotropic effects which can cure insomnia.

Synthetic drug — main illustration
Synthetic drug — illustration

Key takeaways

  • Synthetic drug belongs to engineering; place it in that map before memorising details.
  • Learn the definition first, then one example that makes the definition concrete.
  • Connect Synthetic drug to a quantity you can measure, compute or draw — that is where exam questions come from.
  • Reproduce the core statement of Synthetic drug from memory before moving on to harder problems.

Reference excerpt

Synthetic drugs refer to substances that are artificially modified from naturally occurring drugs and are capable of exhibiting both therapeutic and psychoactive effects. In the medical setting, synthetic drugs possess psychotropic effects which can cure insomnia. Since there are limited clinical trials and human studies, the pharmacology and drug effects of most of the synthetic drugs are not well-known. Misuse of synthetic drugs can be fatal so take advice from the professionals before use. Substances that possess the latter effect are known as New Psychoactive Substances (NPS). Their purpose is to mimic the actions of illicit substances by altering the structure of the original drug. By doing so, the "synthesized drug" can appear in the market without being easily detected. However, the uncertainty in the toxic effects of these substances puts the public's health at risk. At present, these drugs are monitored by the Early Warning System (EWS).The major categories of NPS include synthetic stimulants, synthetic cannabinoids and synthetic depressants. Common examples from these categories are phenethylamines, cannabinoids and benzodiazepines. To exert the psychoactive effect, specific receptors such as cannabinoid, dopamine and serotonin receptors are either stimulated or inhibited

Common synthetic drugs

Synthetic cannabinoids

There are seven major structural groups, which are naphthoylindoles, naphthylmethylindoles, naphthoypyrroles, naphthylmethylindenes, phenylacetylindoles, cyclohexylphenols and classical cannabinoids respectively. Compared with classical cannabinoids, synthetic cannabinoids differ structurally. Some common synthetic cannabinoids are available in the market such as JWH-018, which is the most well-known naphthoylindole and JWH-250, a phenylacetylindole. They are sold under the brand name "Spice" as a recreational drug over the past decade.

Phenethylamines Phenethylamines can be classified into ring-substituted and non-ring-substituted form. Ring-substituted Phenethylamines include 'D-series' and '2C-series' while common non-ring-substituted Phenethylamines contain Benzodifurans, PMMA, etc.

Novel benzodiazepines(Xanax) Alprazolam is a generic medication derived from benzodiazepines with the brand name Xanax.

Medical uses Synthetic cannabinoids can provide psychotropic effects such as relieving nausea and dizziness. Phenethylamine can relieve depressive symptoms while Alprazolam can treat insomnia, panic attack and anxiety. The most common delivery routes of Alprazolam and Phenethylamine are by oral administration. Both of which are available in the dosage forms of pills and tablets. Synthetic cannabinoids are naturally in solid and oil form and are delivered by smoking.

Adverse effects The adverse effects of synthetic drugs are hard to determine as they usually contain other chemicals with variable concentrations and human studies are limited. Synthetic cannabinoids can cause cardiovascular problems such as tachyarrhythmia, seizures, psychological disorders and potential carcinogenic effects. Addiction and withdrawal symptoms which are linked to chronic use of synthetic cannabinoid include cognitive disturbances (e.g. difficulties in thinking), 'profuse sweating', central nervous system and gastrointestinal disturbances (e.g. nausea and vomiting). The adverse effect of Phenethylamines depends on the type of the drug. 'D series' cause more long-lasting effects than other phenylethylamines such as tachycardia. At high doses, '2C series' produce hallucinogenic and entactogenic effects. Alprazolam can cause central nervous system disturbances and thoughts of suicide.

Contraindications/Precautions Synthetic cannabinoids are best avoided in users who suffer from rapid heart rate, vomiting, agitation, confusion and hallucination. Pregnant women are also not recommended to take phenethylamines as the effects on fetus are not known. In addition, use of phenethylamine might cause people with bipolar disorder to convert from depression to mania and worsened schizophrenia symptoms. As the drug also affects the central nervous system, administration of such drug before surgery is not recommended. Benzodiazepines can cross the placenta and can be excreted in breast milk therefore Alprazolam is contraindicated in pregnancy and lactation. Alprazolam is a CYP3As substrate so we should avoid CYP3As inhibitors such as cimetidine which is a CYP3A4 inhibitor.

Pharmacology: Pharmacodynamics/Mechanism of Action(MOA) Synthetic cannabinoids act as Synthetic Cannabinoid Receptor Agonists (SCRA) by binding to cannabinoid receptors CB1 and CB2 . Its binding towards CB1 receptor will lead to receptor phosphorylation that recruits β-arrestin 1 and β-arrestin 2, resulting in a loss of responsiveness and internalization (endocytosis of molecules by the cell). Stimulation of CB1 receptor causes the dissociation of the βγ subunits of pertussis toxin-sensitive G proteins (Gi /Go) from the α subunit (Giα) which then contributes to acute inhibition of synaptic neurotransmitter release. β-arrestin can also stimulate the mitogen-activated protein kinase, thus inducing additional cellular effects. Synthetic cannabinoids can also bind to receptors other than CB1 and CB2 to activate inotropic transient receptor potential channels for cell membrane depolarization and Ca2+ influx.

Phenethylamines, which can act as either stimulants or hallucinogens, are indirectly acting sympathomimetic amines. Stimulants can modulate the levels and action of monoamine neurotransmitters such as dopamine, serotonin and noradrenaline for vasoconstriction and elevation in blood pressure. For example, 10-100 μM amphetamine can reach the vasoconstriction effect. Hallucinogen (psychedelics) can mediate specific serotonin-receptor activities and produce hallucinations. They may have residue stimulant activity as well. In some animal studies, Phenethylamines have negative inotropism in isolated cardiac tissues of rats due to stimulation of TAAR1, which is in contrast with human pharmacology. Alprazolam binds to GABA type-A benzodiazepine receptor sites which are the members of the pentameric ligand-gated ion channel (PLGIC) superfamily. It mediates phasic inhibition and extrasynaptically to mediate tonic inhibition. Once attached, conformational changes occur which stabilize the receptors and inhibitory signals are produced

… excerpt ends here. Continue reading the full article.

Illustrations

Synthetic drug: This diagram shows the interaction between the cannabinoid agonists and CB1 & CB2 receptors.
This diagram shows the interaction between the cannabinoid agonists and CB1 & CB2 receptors.
Synthetic drug: A diagram illustrating the basic logistics of immunoassay.
A diagram illustrating the basic logistics of immunoassay.
Synthetic drug: "JWH" is the notation given to the family of aminoalkylindoles. Shown above is the member of the JWH series, known as JWH-018
"JWH" is the notation given to the family of aminoalkylindoles. Shown above is the member of the JWH series, known as JWH-018
Synthetic drug: A Furan ring. This component increases the antibacterial effects of novel benzodiazepine analogue
A Furan ring. This component increases the antibacterial effects of novel benzodiazepine analogue
Synthetic drug: The alpha and beta carbon positions of Phenylethylamine are shown in this structure
The alpha and beta carbon positions of Phenylethylamine are shown in this structure

Worked examples

Example 1 — a first encounter with Synthetic drug

Start with the simplest possible case. Write down what Synthetic drug claims or describes in one sentence, then invent the smallest concrete situation in which that sentence is true. In engineering, the smallest case is usually a single object, a single equation or a single measurement. Check that every symbol or term in your sentence has a meaning in that case.

Example 2 — changing one variable

Take the situation from Example 1 and change exactly one quantity: double it, halve it, or set it to zero. Predict what should happen to Synthetic drug before you calculate. Comparing your prediction with the result is the fastest way to find out whether you understand the idea or only the words.

Example 3 — an exam-style question

Typical questions about Synthetic drug ask you to (a) state it precisely, (b) apply it to given data, and (c) explain a limitation. Practise writing all three answers in under five minutes; the third part is what separates a full-mark answer from an average one.

Applications of Synthetic drug

In research
Synthetic drug appears in engineering research whenever the underlying quantities have to be modelled precisely. Papers usually cite it as a starting assumption and then explore where it breaks down.
In technology and industry
Engineering practice reuses Synthetic drug in design rules, simulations and safety margins. Knowing the idea lets you read a specification sheet and understand why the numbers look the way they do.
In the classroom
Synthetic drug is common in secondary-school and first-year university syllabi. It links to neighbouring topics Drugs by structure, so understanding it makes those chapters shorter.
In everyday life
Look for Synthetic drug outside the textbook — in sport, cooking, traffic, electronics or the sky above you. An example you found yourself is remembered far longer than one you were given.
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How to study Synthetic drug in 20 minutes

  1. Read the reference excerpt below once, without taking notes.
  2. Close the page and write down what Synthetic drug means in your own words.
  3. Compare your version with the excerpt and mark what you missed.
  4. Work through the three examples above with pen and paper.
  5. Explain Synthetic drug out loud to somebody else — or to Teacher Smith in the lgStudy chat.

Frequently asked questions

What is Synthetic drug in simple terms?

Synthetic drugs refer to substances that are artificially modified from naturally occurring drugs and are capable of exhibiting both therapeutic and psychoactive effects. In the medical setting, synthetic drugs possess psychotropic effects which can cure insomnia.

Why does Synthetic drug matter?

Because it connects several engineering ideas at once: it gives you a definition you can apply, a quantity you can calculate, and a way to check whether a result is plausible.

How should I study Synthetic drug?

Read the excerpt, restate it from memory, then work through the examples and applications listed on this page. The five-step study plan above takes about twenty minutes.

What does this page cover?

It gives you a compact reference excerpt plus original lgStudy explanations, examples, applications and study material on Synthetic drug.

Tags

  • Drugs by structure

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