Biomaterial Database

Parameters for determining the origin of illicit heroin samples. 1985

K Narayanaswami

A method has been evolved for assigning the source of supply or origin of illicit heroin samples. The content of morphine, codeine and acetyl products and the ratios of morphine to codeine and heroin to acetylcodeine obtained from opium samples of known origin as well as the content of heroin (diacetylmorphine) and acetylcodeine and their ratios in illicit heroin samples that have been found to belong to the same source of supply as the known opium samples are used as the basic criteria for a comparison to determine the origin of illicit heroin samples. Because the content of alkaloids in opium and heroin samples varies considerably, the number of opium and illicit heroin samples of known origin analysed should be sufficient to determine a representative composition of alkaloids in such samples for a given geographical area and period of production. It was observed that the theoretical ratio of heroin to acetylcodeine increases two-fold at each stage of the chemical conversion in the series opium-morphine-heroin. The ratios of heroin to acetylcodeine obtained from opium samples of known origin showed significant variation, which enabled the author to make distinct composition profiles of the alkaloids for each geographical area studied. Such profiles made it possible to compare heroin samples of known origin with illicit heroin samples of unknown origin and to determine the geographical area from which the latter originated. This method can also be applied in determining the origin of illicit morphine samples.

UI	MeSH Term	Description	Entries
D007194	India	A country in southern Asia, bordering the Arabian Sea and the Bay of Bengal, between Burma and Pakistan. The capitol is New Delhi.	Republic of India
D009294	Narcotics	Agents that induce NARCOSIS. Narcotics include agents that cause somnolence or induced sleep (STUPOR); natural or synthetic derivatives of OPIUM or MORPHINE or any substance that has such effects. They are potent inducers of ANALGESIA and OPIOID-RELATED DISORDERS.	Analgesics, Narcotic,Narcotic Analgesics,Narcotic,Narcotic Effect,Narcotic Effects,Effect, Narcotic,Effects, Narcotic
D009892	Opium	The air-dried exudate from the unripe seed capsule of the opium poppy, Papaver somniferum, or its variant, P. album. It contains a number of alkaloids, but only a few - MORPHINE; CODEINE; and PAPAVERINE - have clinical significance. Opium has been used as an analgesic, antitussive, antidiarrheal, and antispasmodic.	Omnopon,Papaveretum,Pantopon
D002621	Chemistry	A basic science concerned with the composition, structure, and properties of matter; and the reactions that occur between substances and the associated energy exchange.
D002849	Chromatography, Gas	Fractionation of a vaporized sample as a consequence of partition between a mobile gaseous phase and a stationary phase held in a column. Two types are gas-solid chromatography, where the fixed phase is a solid, and gas-liquid, in which the stationary phase is a nonvolatile liquid supported on an inert solid matrix.	Chromatography, Gas-Liquid,Gas Chromatography,Chromatographies, Gas,Chromatographies, Gas-Liquid,Chromatography, Gas Liquid,Gas Chromatographies,Gas-Liquid Chromatographies,Gas-Liquid Chromatography
D003932	Heroin	A narcotic analgesic that may be habit-forming. It is a controlled substance (opium derivative) listed in the U.S. Code of Federal Regulations, Title 21 Parts 329.1, 1308.11 (1987). Sale is forbidden in the United States by Federal statute. (Merck Index, 11th ed)	Diacetylmorphine,Diamorphine,Diacetylmorphine Hydrochloride,Diagesil,Diamorf,Heroin Hydrochloride,Min-I-Jet Morphine Sulphate,Hydrochloride, Diacetylmorphine,Hydrochloride, Heroin,Min I Jet Morphine Sulphate
D004364	Pharmaceutical Preparations	Drugs intended for human or veterinary use, presented in their finished dosage form. Included here are materials used in the preparation and/or formulation of the finished dosage form.	Drug,Drugs,Pharmaceutical,Pharmaceutical Preparation,Pharmaceutical Product,Pharmaceutic Preparations,Pharmaceutical Products,Pharmaceuticals,Preparations, Pharmaceutical,Preparation, Pharmaceutical,Preparations, Pharmaceutic,Product, Pharmaceutical,Products, Pharmaceutical
D013287	Illicit Drugs	Drugs that are manufactured, obtained, or sold illegally. They include prescription drugs obtained or sold without prescription and non-prescription drugs. Illicit drugs are widely distributed, tend to be grossly impure and may cause unexpected toxicity.	Club Drug,Drugs, Illegal,Illegal Drug,Illegal Drugs,Illicit Drug,Recreational Drug,Recreational Drugs,Street Drug,Street Drugs,Club Drugs,Drug, Club,Drug, Illegal,Drug, Illicit,Drug, Recreational,Drug, Street,Drugs, Club,Drugs, Illicit,Drugs, Recreational,Drugs, Street
D055598	Chemical Phenomena	The composition, structure, conformation, and properties of atoms and molecules, and their reaction and interaction processes.	Chemical Concepts,Chemical Processes,Physical Chemistry Concepts,Physical Chemistry Processes,Physicochemical Concepts,Physicochemical Phenomena,Physicochemical Processes,Chemical Phenomenon,Chemical Process,Physical Chemistry Phenomena,Physical Chemistry Process,Physicochemical Phenomenon,Physicochemical Process,Chemical Concept,Chemistry Process, Physical,Chemistry Processes, Physical,Concept, Chemical,Concept, Physical Chemistry,Concept, Physicochemical,Concepts, Chemical,Concepts, Physical Chemistry,Concepts, Physicochemical,Phenomena, Chemical,Phenomena, Physical Chemistry,Phenomena, Physicochemical,Phenomenon, Chemical,Phenomenon, Physicochemical,Physical Chemistry Concept,Physicochemical Concept,Process, Chemical,Process, Physical Chemistry,Process, Physicochemical,Processes, Chemical,Processes, Physical Chemistry,Processes, Physicochemical