Cocaine hydrochloride

Characteristics

Cocaine hydrochloride (benzoylmethylecgonine hydrochloride) occurs naturally as a white crystalline solid that is highly soluble in water:
1. Used exclusively via topical application. Injection of cocaine is contraindicated because of the ready availability of more effective and much less toxic local anesthetics. Cocaine is an ester local anesthetic.
2. Onset of topical anesthetic action is quite rapid, usually occurring within 1 minute.
3. Duration of anesthetic action may be as long as 2 hours. 4. Absorbed rapidly but eliminated slowly (elimination half-life 42 minutes).
5. Undergoes metabolism in the liver and plasma.
6. Unmetabolized cocaine may be found in the urine.
7. Cocaine is the only local anesthetic consistently demonstrated to produce vasoconstriction, which develops as a result of its ability to potentiate the actions of endogenous epinephrine and norepinephrine. Addition of vasoconstrictors to cocaine is therefore unnecessary and is potentially dangerous, increasing the likelihood of dysrhythmias, including ventricular fibrillation.
8. Classified as a Schedule II drug under the Controlled Substances Act. Repeated use results in psychological dependence and tolerance.
9. Overdose of cocaine is not uncommon following illicit use, primarily because the drug is readily absorbed from mucous membranes and its dosage is not carefully monitored.
10. Clinical manifestations of mild overdose include euphoria, excitement, restlessness, tremor, hypertension, tachycardia, and tachypnea.
11. Clinical manifestations of acute cocaine overdose include excitement, restlessness, confusion, tremor, hypertension, tachycardia, tachypnea, nausea and vomiting, abdominal pain, exophthalmos, and mydriasis; these are followed by depression (CNS, cardiovascular, respiratory) and death from respiratory arrest.
12. It is available in concentrations ranging from 1% to 10%.
13. It is recommended that the concentration of cocaine should not exceed 4% for topical application to oral mucous membranes.
14. Solutions of cocaine are unstable and deteriorate on standing.
15. Because of the extreme abuse potential of cocaine, its use as a topical anesthetic in dentistry is not recommended.
16. Cocaine is occasionally applied topically prior to surgical procedures by otolaryngologists and ophthalmologists.

Description

Cocaine (hydrochloride) (Item No. 22165) is an analytical reference standard categorized as a tropane. Cocaine has a high potential for abuse and has been found in samples seized by law enforcement. Cocaine is regulated as a Schedule II compound in the United States. This product is intended for research and forensic applications.

Chemical Properties

White Solid

Uses

Inhibits the dopamine, norepinephrine, and serotonin transporters. Unlike amphetamines, it has no effect on catecholamine release. Controlled substance. Anesthetic (local)

Definition

ChEBI: The hydrochloride salt of cocaine. It is a local anesthetic and vasoconstrictor and is clinically used for that purpose, particularly in the eye, ear, nose, and throat. It also has powerful central nervous system effects similar to the amphetamines and is drug of abuse.

Biological Activity

Competitive inhibitor of monoamine neurotransmitter transporters. Inhibits dopamine (DAT), serotonin (SERT) and noradrenalin (NET) transporters with K i values are 267, 392 and 872 nM respectively. Psychostimulant.

References

[1] HEMBY S E. Cocainomics: new insights into the molecular basis of cocaine addiction.[J]. Journal of neuroimmune pharmacology: the official journal of the Society on NeuroImmune Pharmacology, 2010, 5 1: 70-82. DOI: 10.1007/s11481-009-9189-8
[2] TATIANE S. GROBéRIO . Discrimination and quantification of cocaine and adulterants in seized drug samples by infrared spectroscopy and PLSR[J]. Forensic science international, 2015, 257: Pages 297-306. DOI: 10.1016/j.forsciint.2015.09.012