Drug Pharmacology & Identification Flashcards

Naloxone (Narcan) is effective at reversing opioid overdose because it:

Answer: Competes with opioids for mu-opioid receptor binding as a competitive antagonist

Naloxone is a competitive opioid antagonist with high affinity for mu receptors; it displaces opioids from receptors and blocks their effects, rapidly reversing overdose symptoms.

Which synthetic cathinone (bath salt) was most commonly associated with violent and erratic behavior reported in high-profile cases around 2011-2012?

Answer: MDPV (3,4-methylenedioxypyrovalerone)

MDPV was the primary synthetic cathinone linked to the 'bath salts' epidemic of 2011-2012, associated with extreme psychosis, superhuman strength reports, and violent incidents.

The 'boiling point' test concept is relevant to drug identification because:

Answer: Different chemical compounds have distinct physical properties including melting/boiling points used in laboratory identification

Pure chemical compounds have characteristic physical properties including specific melting and boiling points, used in forensic chemistry as one criterion for definitive identification.

LSD (lysergic acid diethylamide) produces hallucinations primarily through agonism at which receptor?

Answer: Serotonin 5-HT2A receptors in the cortex

LSD's hallucinogenic effects are primarily attributed to partial agonism at cortical 5-HT2A serotonin receptors, disrupting normal sensory processing and perception.

When a DEA agent encounters a clandestine methamphetamine lab using the 'one-pot' or 'shake and bake' method, what primary precursor chemical is most likely to be found?

Answer: Pseudoephedrine from cold medications

The one-pot method uses pseudoephedrine extracted from cold medications (OTC decongestants), which is why the Combat Methamphetamine Epidemic Act requires ID and purchase limits for these products.

The term 'polydrug use' is particularly important in forensic toxicology because:

Answer: Drug combinations can produce synergistic toxicity greater than either drug alone, complicating cause-of-death determinations

Combinations such as opioids with benzodiazepines produce synergistic CNS and respiratory depression far exceeding either drug alone, making polydrug toxicity a leading factor in overdose deaths.

Which physical characteristic is used to distinguish cocaine hydrochloride (the salt form) from cocaine base (freebase/crack)?

Answer: Cocaine HCl is water-soluble and has a higher melting point; cocaine base is not water-soluble and vaporizes at lower temperatures

The hydrochloride salt is water-soluble (suitable for injection/insufflation) and has a high melting point; converting to freebase creates a lower-melting, lipid-soluble form that can be smoked.