[New drugs at "rave parties": ketamine and prolintane]

"Rave parties", all-night dance parties based on "techno" music, represent an increasing phenomenon in France. "Rave drugs" refers to a wide variety of drugs used by the young participants owing to their hallucinogenic or stimulant effects. Uncertainties about the sources of these substances, the possible contaminants and the multiplicity of the associations make it difficult to evaluate the toxic consequences that might be expected in this particular context. This report presents toxicological cases documented by analytical findings in which two pharmacological agents abused in "rave parties" in South-West of France were found. The day following a party, a 17 year-old girl showed a confused state with drowsiness and hallucinations. She confessed having consumed a white powder sold as "ecstasy", that sample analysis identified as pure ketamine. Ketamine is an anaesthetic agent primarily used in veterinary medicine and paediatrics. This drug seems to be abused, mainly by the intranasal route, owing to its hallucinogen effects. Its used in "rave-party" appears to be marked by unsuspected consumption. All long another party, a large quantity of orange tablets were sold and abused by several participants. Analysis performed on some fragments of these tablets revealed the presence of prolintane and ascorbic acid. Prolintane, an amphetamine-related substance, is a central nervous system stimulant. This compound is "freely" available in Spain in combination with several vitamins, under the form of tablets with orange coating named "Katovit" and sold at low price: 1.93 [symbol: see text]/20 tablets (200 mg of prolintane).