Plasma cocaine concentrations during cocaine paste smoking

Area of Science:

• Pharmacology and Toxicology
• Substance Abuse Research
• Medicinal Chemistry

Background:

• Cocaine paste is a raw form of cocaine, often smoked in South America.
• Understanding the pharmacokinetics of smoked cocaine paste is crucial for public health.
• Previous studies have examined cocaine's effects via oral and intranasal routes.

Purpose of the Study:

• To measure plasma cocaine concentrations in individuals smoking cocaine paste.
• To investigate the dose-titration behavior of smokers consuming cocaine paste.
• To compare the bioavailability of smoked cocaine paste with other administration routes.

Main Methods:

• Volunteer smokers in Peru administered cigarettes containing cocaine paste.
• Plasma cocaine concentrations were measured using validated analytical techniques.
• Area Under the Curve (AUC) was calculated and adjusted for dose.

Main Results:

• Peak plasma cocaine concentrations reached up to 462 ng/ml within three minutes.
• Smokers demonstrated effective self-titration, maintaining consistent plasma levels.
• Adjusted AUC for smoked cocaine paste was approximately 70% of that for oral/intranasal routes.

Conclusions:

• Smoking cocaine paste leads to rapid and high plasma cocaine concentrations.
• Smokers exhibit significant control over their intake to maintain desired levels.
• Smoked cocaine paste demonstrates efficient bioavailability compared to oral and intranasal administration.