A presentation on one of the drugs

1. Amphetamine
Angel Yoanna

2. History
• It was first synthesized by Lazar
Edeleanu in 1887 in Germany.
• Phenylisopropylamine.
• The stimulant properties were
unknown until 1927
• It was not medically used until 1934
when it was marketed as a
decongestant.

3. …History!
• Trade name – Benzedrine
• It was used to treat: epilepsy,
Parkinson’s disease, fatigue,
depression, schizophrenia,
alcoholism, myasthenia gravis
(muscle weakness), migraine, sea
sickness, persistent hiccups.
• They were used for performance-
enhancing and stimulant effects
during world war II.

4. What are Involved?
• The Nervous System involved is the Central
Nervous System as it affects chemicals in the
brain and nerves.
• There are three neurotransmitters involved:
▫ Dopamine (mainly)
▫ Serotonin
▫ Nor-epinephrine

5. How It Works?
• They are stimulant drugs.
• They increase the amount of neurotransmitters
(mainly dopamine) traveling across synapses of
the brain in the body that cause specific physical
and psychological effects.
• Increase of serotonin causes depletion and
increase of nor-epinephrine leads to fight-or-
flight response.

6. …How it Works?
• https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ju_qha2O
BL4
• They increase dopamine level in three ways:
▫ They push out extra dopamine into the synapse
by invading the nerve cell preceding the synapse
▫ They prevent the re-uptake of dopamine by
plugging transporter molecules that holds
dopamine at high levels artificially.
▫ They can cause the transporters to work in
reverse that pumps more dopamine into synapse.
• Dopamine is not recycled and so what one feels
is more intense and it lasts about 4 to 24 hours.

7. Therapeutic Use
• ADHD (Attention Deficit Hyperactivity
Disorder)
• Narcolepsy
• Obesity
• Depression

8. The Basis of the Effects
• Size, weight and health
• Is the person used to it
• Presence of other drugs
• The amount taken
• The strength of the drug

9. Helpful Effects
• Happiness
• Confidence
• Energy
• Alertness

10. Other Effects
• Itching and scratching
• Unrealistic sense of power and euphoria
• Restlessness
• Large pupils
• Dry mouth
• Fast heart beat and breathing
• Teeth grinding
• Excessive sweating
• Increased sex drive

11. Harmful Effects
• Addiction
• Aggression
• Reduced appetite
• Headaches
• Exhaustion
• Dizziness
• Hallucinations
Overdose causes:
• Fits
• Passing out
• Stroke, heat attack, death even
Injecting it can increase the risk
of:
• Hepatitis B or C
• HIV/AIDS
• Tetanus
Withdrawal Symptoms:
• Sleeping
• Increase in appetite
• Anxiety
• Cravings
• Depression

12. Misuse
• Addictive
• Illegally sold
• Used like drugs: injection, snorting, drinking

13. Facts
• Its street names are: benz, speed, sparkles, lightening,
super jellies, dexy, hearts, eye openers
• They are synthetic.
• There are 20 countries that use amphetamines more
than heroin and cocaine.
• There are different types of amphetamines:
▫ Legal
▫ Natural
▫ Dextroamphetamine
▫ Levoamphetamine
▫ Lisdexamphetamine
▫ Methamphetamine
▫ Adderall
• Methamphetamine (ice) usage is increasing in many
countries including Australia.

14. Citation
• http://amphetamines.com/facts/
• http://www.bluebelly.org.au/howtheywork/articlebabb.
html?aid=156.
• http://www.amphetaminerisks.com/how-does-
amphetamine-work
• https://www.drugs.com/amphetamine.html
• http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/221211.php
• http://apt.rcpsych.org/content/aptrcpsych/2/5/211.full.
pdf
• http://www.castlecraig.co.uk/resources/drugs/types-
drugs/amphetamines
• http://amphetamines.com/street-names/

15. Thank you!