INSPEQT project unites universities and police in research into new synthetic drugs

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image shows the logo of the inspeqt project with the brands of unicamp, usp and the federal, scientific police of São Paulo and Sergipe
An unprecedented initiative will promote exchanges between universities and police, favoring the development of joint research (image: INSPEQT release)

An unprecedented initiative in Brazil will bring together researchers from universities and police agencies to study the so-called New Psychoactive Substances (NSP), synthetic drugs produced in laboratories with effects similar to those of other drugs, but without identifying what these substances are and control mechanisms. The project should contribute to the analysis and chemical classification of these new compounds, helping to develop protocols for toxicological care and treatments, in addition to facilitating the control and combat of these new narcotics. 

INSPEQT will receive resources from CAPES, through the Academic Cooperation Program in Public Security and Forensic Sciences, and will have the participation of researchers and postgraduate students from Unicamp and USP, criminal experts from the National Institute of Police Criminalistics Federal (INC-PF), the Superintendence of the Technical-Scientific Police of the State of São Paulo (SPTC-SP) and the General Coordination of Expertise of the State of Sergipe (CGP-SE). The project will be coordinated by Maurício Yonamine, professor at the Faculty of Pharmaceutical Sciences at USP. 

Through the partnership, new substances that are seized by the police will be analyzed and described in their chemical aspect, through the work of the scientific police, and sent to universities for tests to be carried out on their toxicological effects on the body. "It's a project that was born with the idea of ​​providing exchange between the University and the expertise centers, which for us is fantastic. We already do this on a daily basis, but now we've formalized it through a large project . The exchange of postgraduate students going to forensic laboratories, criminal experts coming to Unicamp and USP, are movements foreseen in the INSPEQT project", details José Luiz da Costa, professor at the Faculty of Pharmaceutical Sciences ( FCF) from Unicamp and coordinator of the Analytical Toxicology Laboratory (LTA). 

image shows researcher handling synthetic drugs with instruments
"We see that, in practice, we are failing in this identification", analyzes José Luiz da Costa, coordinator of the Analytical Toxicology Laboratory at FCF (photo: Edmilson Montalti)

At Unicamp, research will be directed towards defining protocols for identifying these substances in patients who arrive at hospitals with intoxication, in addition to studies on the mechanisms of action of these new drugs and the resources that the body uses to metabolize the substances. . "When a patient arrives intoxicated, he is often unconscious. Therefore, tests with samples of blood, hair, saliva or urine are necessary to identify that drug. To be sure that it will be possible to identify the drug in these places, first you need to know that it will end up there", details José Luiz. At the University, a doctoral researcher and a post-doctoral researcher will work directly on INSPEQT studies, in addition to other research that will indirectly contribute to the project.

The research that will be carried out by INSPEQT will bring benefits to both health and drug control bodies. Because they are still unknown substances, many escape classifications that classify them as illicit, making it difficult to combat trafficking. This also harms health agencies, limiting care. "At least once a month, the Hospital de Clínicas da Unicamp receives a patient who reports the use of a drug. But when we carry out routine toxicological tests, we do not detect any of the drugs that are frequently researched. And the range of these drugs researched is quite broad. So we see that, in practice, we are failing in this identification", explains the LTA coordinator.

Small doses, big effects

New Psychoactive Substances (NPS) are synthetic drugs that can be produced from substances found or not found in nature and that have effects similar to those of drugs considered traditional, such as marijuana, cocaine, ecstasy and LSD. What makes them new is the fact that many of their molecules have not yet been chemically described, which excludes them from legislation and makes it difficult to combat them. "The challenge for forensic chemistry is the identification of the substance, since the criminal expert needs to characterize it chemically to inform the police authority that there is something new that needs to be included in the law. This is not simple to do and not all scientific police have equipment with this capacity", analyzes José Luiz. 

The most common types of NSP identified in Brazil are synthetic cannabinoids, which produce effects in the body similar to those of tetrahydrocannabinol (THC), the psychoactive component of marijuana, but with more potent effects; synthetic cathinones, stimulant drugs with effects similar to those of cocaine and ecstasy, which can trigger conditions ranging from cardiac arrhythmia to heart attacks; and phenylethylamines, hallucinogenic substances similar to LSD, but with prolonged effects that can last up to 12 hours. 

image shows synthetic drugs seized by police
New Psychoactive Substances have effects similar to those of conventional drugs, but which can be enhanced. Difficulties in identifying substances limit control actions and medical care (photo: reproduction Link Escola)

Another characteristic of NSP that concerns health authorities is their toxicological effects, as in addition to being unknown, they are generally more potent than those of traditional drugs. According to the professor, in some cases NSP can be up to a hundred times more powerful, increasing the risks to the body, the safety of the person and others. 

In Brazil, the cataloging of these substances is carried out by the National Health Surveillance Agency (Anvisa), which follows the criteria established by the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC). According to data from Anvisa, 125 countries have already reported to UNODC the identification of more than a thousand new substances. José Luiz da Costa comments that most of these substances come from Southeast Asian countries. As they are not yet described in legislation, their entry into the country is facilitated. "Often these substances are not sold illicitly, because if it is not controlled in the country, it is not a crime to import it", he notes. 

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photo shows tablets of new synthetic drugs. They are colorful and feature embossed designs

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