A 32-year-old man passed out after consuming alcohol and synthetic drugs sold at a party rave. He received first aid, but died in the ambulance on the way to the hospital, in the city of Aracaju, SE. A 26-year-old woman was found unconscious in his apartment. The night before she went to a party rave and used pills Ecstasy and marijuana. A 35-year-old man consumed alcohol and other drugs in his own home for two consecutive days. He was found unconscious, with neurological depression. The patient was discharged 35 days later, in a vegetative state with neurological damage.
(12/11/2018) CIATox reinforces telephone number for poisoning cases
According to the Analytical Toxicology Laboratory of the Campinas Toxicological Information and Assistance Center (CIATox) where toxicological tests were carried out, these patients showed, in common, the presence of N-ethylpentylone, also known as N-ethylnorpentylone or efilone.
“A N-ethylpentylone is a popular synthetic drug with little information about its toxicology and pharmacology. The effects are similar to those of cocaine, with symptoms that can include palpitations, tachycardia, hypertension, agitation, aggressive behavior, convulsions, hallucinations, coma and death”, reveals toxicologist and professor at Unicamp José Luiz da Costa.
The reports of these and other cases of poisoning made by the CIATox team were accepted for publication in the magazine Drug Testing and Analysis. Read the article. All six individuals described in the article were suspected of exposure to drugs of abuse and had symptoms of acute drug intoxication. The patients' blood samples were subjected to standard toxicological screening using gas chromatography coupled to mass spectrometry. Blood alcohol concentration was determined by gas chromatography with flame ionization detection.
“We developed and validated an analytical method for quantifying N-ethylpentylone in blood and urine samples to diagnose poisoning and we describe the clinical symptoms of each case. We found that concentrations of N-ethylpentylone in human blood ranged from 7 to 170 ng/mL”, explains Costa.
Still according to the article, four of the six cases described participated in parties rave in which they ingested Ecstasy, other drugs of abuse and alcohol. According to Costa, recent evidence suggests that health pills Ecstasy may contain N-ethylpentylone, alone or in combination with MDMA, an active ingredient commonly present in Ecstasy.
“Recreational drug users should be aware that the effects of N-ethylpentylone may not mimic some effects of Ecstasy and present a substantial risk, since this compound has more potent effects and can induce cardiovascular and neurological complications and lead to fatal medical consequences”, warns Costa.
The contact telephone numbers for CIATox are: (19) 3521-7555, 3521-6700, 3521-7373.
