Oral cocaine: plasma concentrations and central effects

Area of Science:

• Pharmacology
• Drug Administration Routes
• Clinical Pharmacology

Background:

• Cocaine is a potent stimulant with a history of varied administration routes.
• Understanding the pharmacokinetic and pharmacodynamic differences between oral and intranasal cocaine is crucial for clinical and forensic contexts.

Purpose of the Study:

• To compare the efficacy, pharmacokinetics, and subjective effects of oral versus intranasal cocaine administration.
• To determine if oral cocaine is a viable alternative to intranasal administration.

Main Methods:

• A controlled study administering a 2.0 mg/kg dose of cocaine orally and intranasally to human subjects.
• Plasma cocaine concentrations were monitored over time.
• Subjective "high" ratings were collected from participants.

Main Results:

• Oral cocaine administration demonstrated comparable efficacy to intranasal administration at the tested dose.
• Cocaine was detectable in plasma 30 minutes post-oral administration, with similar peak concentrations observed for both routes.
• Subjective reports indicated greater "highs" following oral administration compared to intranasal.

Conclusions:

• Oral cocaine administration is at least as effective as intranasal administration.
• The delayed plasma detection of oral cocaine does not diminish its overall efficacy or subjective impact.
• Oral administration may offer a different subjective experience profile compared to intranasal routes.