Medicines and Drugs1 MEDICINES and DRUGS Depressants

Medicines and Drugs2 What are depressants? Substances that calm and relax (depress) the central nervous system by interfering with nerve impulse transmission. They slow down brain activity They slow down heart activity They reduce breathing rate They dull emotional responses

How do depressants work? Depressants change the communication between brain cells by altering the concentration or the activity of chemicals called neurotransmitters Depressants causes a depression, or a decrease in brain activity. Depressants can be categorized by dosage effect – this categorization includes tranquilizers, sedatives and hypnotics. Medicines and Drugs3

4 What are anti-depressants? Antidepressants are drugs used to treat the clinical condition known as depression (mood changes, insomnia, fatigue, despair, inability to concentrate)

Medicines and Drugs5 It’s the dose…..not the drug… Low doses Little or no effect Moderate doses Sedation Soothing Reduction of anxiety High doses Sleep Slurred speech Extremely high doses Coma Death

Medicines and Drugs6 Tranquilizers Mild action Relieve anxiety and tension Ethanol & Valium

Medicines and Drugs7 Sedatives Soothing of distress Not producing sleep at normal doses Barbiturates

Medicines and Drugs8 Use and abuse of ethanol Doses 30-50mg /100ml of blood Euphoria 100mg / 100ml of blood Slurred speech, staggering, aggressive behavior 200mg / 100ml of blood Difficult movement and vision 400mg / 100ml of blood Coma, death

Medicines and Drugs9 Use and abuse of ethanol Social effects Sickness, death - Cost of treatment - Lost productivity Violent crimes Car accidents Alcoholism, family problems

Medicines and Drugs10 Use and abuse of ethanol Physiological effects Short-term effects euphoria sociability relaxation decreased inhibitions loss of judgement impairment of perception/memory increased reaction time violent behavior dizziness loss of balance nausea, vomitting death

Medicines and Drugs11 Use and abuse of ethanol Physiological effects Long-term effects: cirrhosis of liver liver cancer coronary heart disease high blood pressure strokes gastritis peptic ulcers anxiety/depression fetal abnormalities physical dependence/tolerance

Medicines and Drugs12 Use and abuse of ethanol Synergistic effects Alcohol + aspirin risk of stomach bleeding Alcohol + sedatives heavy sedation comma, death Alcohol + cocaine high blood pressure irregular heart beat

Medicines and Drugs13 Detection of ethanol Breathalyzer Road-side test Ethanol in breath Oxidation of ethanol to ethanoic acid Use of acidified K 2 Cr 2 O 7 Orange to green color Transfer of electrons > current > voltage measured

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Medicines and Drugs15 Detection of ethanol Chromatography (GLC) Ethanol in breath, blood and urine Inert gas through liquid or solid Compounds separated by b.p. Different retention times recorded Amount = area under peak Other drugs can be detected, too

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Medicines and Drugs18 Detection of ethanol Intoximeter (infra-red spectroscopy) Ethanol in breath Transmittance versus wavenumber =IR spectrum Characteristic peak of 3340cm -1 Comparison of sample and reference Amount = size of peak

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Medicines and Drugs20 Other depressants Diazepan (Valium) Sedative

Medicines and Drugs21 Other depressants Nitrazepan (Mogadon) Sleeping pill

Medicines and Drugs22 Other depressants Fluoxetin hydrochloride (Prozac) Anti-depressant Amine+HCl=hydrochloride: water soluble