Phencyclidine: The Dawn Of A New Age Essays -- essays research papers

Phencyclidine The Dawn of a New AgeApril, 1956 The pharmaceutical company Parke & Davis first compound whatthey believe to be the perfect anesthetic(a) (Souza, 1995). When administered topatients, it causes a completely dissociative state, with no significantrespiratory or cardiovascular depression. Patients appear to be awake, eyesopen, breathing normally. hardly are unaware of their surroundings or the procedures cosmosness performed upon them (Souza, 1995). Indeed, this is the perfect drug.Unfortunately, like all good things, this wiz has a darker side. 15% ofpatients awake from their slumber with what appeared to be an acute case ofparanoid schizophrenic disorder (Peterson Stillman, 1978). The drug is PCP, and to thisday it is the scourge of the underground drug community, and the focal block ofintense scientific research. Parke Davis and Company did not know how terrible,and wonderful, a uncovering they made that day but our world has been changedforever because of it .quite possibly for the better.The scatter of AngelsPhencyclidine, more commonly known as PCP, is a polycyclic compound belong tothe arylcyclohexylamine class of chemicals figure 1.0 (Souza 1993). In pureform, it is a white powder which pronto dissolves in water. The cyclohexaminesare known for their the potent neurological effects, with PCP being the mostpotent. Almost every variation has been administered to, or abused by, gentlemans gentleman atsome time (Nintey Fifth Congress, 1978). All these compounds have exchangeablepharmacological effects, which vary considerably according to the amountadministered. Small doses erect a drunken state, in which subjects report anumbness in the extremities, darn some species (like dogs and cats) becomequite excited (Halberstadt, 1995). Intermediate doses have anesthetic andanalgesic effects , with the psychic state resembling sensory isolation with oneimportant exception the sensory impulses (when tested electrophysiologically)reach the ne ocortex but "the neuronal signals are grossly distorted"(Halberstadt, 1995). Large doses, especially of PCP, may produce convulsions.Any dose produces cataleptoid muscle effects (Halberstadt, 1995). All thechemicals in this class produce a range a physiological effects, includingtachydardia and high blood pressure (Halberstadt, 1995). Unlike the othercyclohexamines, however, PCP causes severe "e... ...phy - dont forget thisCarroll, Marilyn. (1992). Encyclopedia of psychedelic drugs. New York, N.YChelsea House Publishers.Halberstadt, A.L. (1995). The phencyclidine-glutamate model of schizophrenia.Clinical Neuropharmacology. (Vol. 18) 237-249.Nintey Fifth Congress. (1978). Abuse of vulnerable and illicit drugs -psychotropics, phencyclidine (PCP), and talwin Hearings before the selectcommittee on narcotics abuse and control house of representatives. Washington,DC US Government mental picture Office.Okuyama, Shigeru. (1994). NE-100, a novel sigma receptor ligand Effec t onphencyclidine-induced behaviors in rats, dogs, and monkeys. sprightliness Sciences. (Vol.55) PL133-138Peterson, R.C, & Stillman, R.C. (1978). PCP-Phencylidine Abuse An appraisal.New York, NY National contribute on Drug Abuse.Restak, R.M. (1994). Receptors. New York, N.Y Bantam Books.Souza, Errol B., & Clouet, D., & London, E.D. (1993). Sigma, PCP, and NMDAReceptors. New York, NY National Institute on Drug Abuse.Svensson, T.H. (1995). Mode of action of atypical neuroleptics in sex act tothe phencyclidine model of schizophrenia. Journal of Clinical Psychopharmacology.(Vol. 15) 11S-18S