This document provides an extensive review of psychotropic drugs, their definitions, classifications, and historical context. It discusses the effects of various psychoactive substances on human behavior, as well as the societal implications of drug use, addiction, and related health issues. Critical insights are offered on the interplay between mental health and drug addiction, highlighting the evolving nature of substance use across different cultures and eras.

1. PSYCHOTROPIC DRUGS February 8, 2012
REVIEW
PSYCHOTROPIC DRUGS
DEPARTMENT OF BIOTECHNOLOGY; GOVERMENT
GOVERMEN
ERMENT
SCIENCE COLLEGE
Abstract
A drug is defined as any chemical agent which
affects protoplasm and is intended for use in
the treatment, prevention or diagnosis of
disease. The word ‘drug’ is derived from
French word ‘drogue’ which means ‘a dry
herb’The Science which include whole of the
knowledge
about
drugs
is
called
“Pharmacology”
the
Greek word
‘pharmacon’ meaning
‘drug’ and logos
meaning ‘study’ or discourse
And a drug is always related to addiction and
mind and drug is differentiated into
psychotropic, therapeutic and competitive
drugs
Keywords:
psychoactive
drug,
sedatives,
,tranculiseer,opiods,
tobacco, alcohol, cannabis, and cocaine
Whereas the consumption of alcohol is
decreasing in developed countries, it is
increasing in countries of the former Soviet
Union and in developing countries, especially
in the Western Pacific Region. Worldwide,
about 200 million people use some type of
illicit drug, most commonly
Cannabis, but also others such as
amphetamines, opioids, and cocaine. The use of
illicit drug is more frequent among males and
younger people. The number of people who
inject drugs is also increasing, which
contributes to spreading HIV. And drugs are
chemical substances that are
ingested, injected, inhaled, or put into the
body some other way, causing a change
in how the body functions.
Psychotropic drugs of different
types
Introduction
This drugs act on the brain and alter behavior,
consciousness and capacity of perceptions.
Hence these are called mood altering drugs.
These include sedatives,tranculiseer,opiods
and stimulant they are also known as
psychoactive drug tobacco, alcohol, cannabis,
amphetamines, ecstasy, cocaine, and
Heroin. Tobacco smoking is spreading rapidly
in developing countries And among women.
The average consumption of cigarettes is
particularly high in Asia and the Far East, with
the Americas and Eastern Europe following
closely behind.
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2. PSYCHOTROPIC DRUGS February 8, 2012
Psychoactive Drugs drawback
Affect mental processes and behavior
Affect thought processes and actions
Alter perceptions of reality
Change level of alertness, response time and
perception of the world
Achieve effects by interacting with the Central
Nervous System (CNS)
Psychoactive Drug Use
•
•
•
•
Is a common activity
Is part of a range of human behaviours
Can be classified in many ways,
including legal status, drug effects
Alters mood or consciousness, although
there are other ways to achieve this:
e.g. skydiving, meditation, extreme
(and non-extreme) sport, sex. Children,
for example, love to alter their
consciousness by ‘spinning around’
The
Drug Classifications
Drugs
status
legal
chemical
medical
social
• action and properties
depressants
stimulant
hallucinogenic etc
anxiety, reduce pain, treat some illnesses, give
pleasure, and let them talk to their gods in order
to control their environment
II.
The human brain chemistry can be
affected by psychoactive drugs to
induce an altered state of consciousness
or mood.
• Psychoactive drugs: Any substance that
directly alters normal functioning of the
central nervous system. These drugs are
described by their chemical, trade, and
street names.
• If psychoactive drugs did not affect the
human brain chemistry in a desirable
manner, then they would not be used.
III.
Governments and businesses have been
involved in cultivating, manufacturing,
taxing, and prohibiting drugs.
IV.
Technological advances in refining and
synthesizing drugs have increased the
potency of these substances
V.
The development of more efficient and
faster methods of putting drugs in the
body has intensified the effects.eg. Mix,
absorb, inhale, inject, snort, dissolve,
smoke, and crush
•
History of Psychoactive
Drugs
•
•
Five Historical Themes: Why do
people use drugs?
I.
•
Human beings have a basic need to find
ways to cope with their environment
and existence.
Early
man
by
chance
and
experimentation found that ingesting
certain plants could ease fear and
•
•
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prehistoric & the Neolithic Period
(8500 BC -4000 BC)
It has been estimated that 4,000 plants
yield psychoactive substances although
only about 150 have historically been
used for that purpose.
Alcohol has been the most popular
psychoactive substance over the
millennia
Ancient Civilizations (4000 BC – AD
400)
Heavy drinking was recognized as a
problem by the Egyptians when their
hieroglyphics
recommended
the
moderate consumption of beer.
Hippocrates, the Father of Medicine
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3. PSYCHOTROPIC DRUGS February 8, 2012
, recommended opium as a painkiller.
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
Middle Ages (400-1400)
A Greek philosopher emphasized that
opium and other drugs can be medicine
at low doses, a psychoactive drug at a
moderate dose, and a deadly poison at
high doses.
Renaissance and Age of Discovery
(1400-1700)
Through trade and colonization
European
explorers,
soldiers,
merchants, traders and missionaries
carried their own culture’s drug using
customs and drugs to the rest of the
world.
During this time came about the first
laws about alcohol use and taxation
Age of Enlightenment and Early
Industrial Revolution (1700-1900)
London Gin Epidemic from 1710 –
1750: 1 in 6 houses was a gin house.
Production of gin was 1.23 million
gallons in 1700 to 6.4 million gallons in
1735 to 7 million gallons by 1751.
The Tippling Act of 1751 prohibited
distillers from selling gin (prices rose
and consumption declined).
This
incident showed how unlimited
availability of a desirable substance
causes excess use. Only stiff taxes and
strict regulation of sales brought the
epidemic under control.
Age of Enlightenment and Early
Industrial
Revolution
(17001900)continued:
1804: a German pharmacist discovered
how to refine morphine from opium.
Morphine is 10 times more powerful
than opium causing it to be a more
effective pain reliever.
1855: the reusable hypodermic needle
was invented (drugs could easily be put
directly into the bloodstream causing
more intense effects).
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•
•
1874: Heroin was refined from
morphine, but it was not until 1898 that
is was marketed as a remedy for coughs,
chest pains, and tuberculosis.
1785: The first Temperance (limiting
drinking) Movement was started by Dr.
Benjamin Rush.
Twentieth Century (1900-2000)
•
•
•
The invention of the automatic cigarette
rolling machine (1884), a milder stain of
tobacco enabling smokers to inhale
deeply, advertising, and a more plentiful
supply of the leaf vastly expanded the
market for cigarettes.
1920: The Eighteenth Amendment
(Prohibition)
–
Prohibited
the
manufacture and sale of any beverage
with alcohol content greater than .5%.
1934: Alcoholics Anonymous (AA) was
founded by two alcoholics Bill Wilson
and Dr. Bob Smith.
Five common ways that drugs
enter the body:
Inhaling: Acts more quickly than any
other method of use (7-10 seconds
before the drug reaches the brain and
begins to cause changes).
Injecting: Intravenous, intramuscular,
and subcutaneous (15-30 seconds
intravenously, 3-5 minutes in a muscle
or under the skin).
Mucous Membrane Absorption: Snorted
in the nose, under the tongue, or
between the cheeks and the gums (3-5
minutes).
Oral Ingestion: Absorbed in stomach
(20-30 minutes).
Contact Absorption: Applied to the skin
through saturated adhesive patches (1 to
2 days).
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4. PSYCHOTROPIC DRUGS February 8, 2012
•
•
What is an addiction?
When a person becomes dependent on
a drug, so much so that he feels that he
cannot live without it, then it is called
addictions
Addictions
consist
of
psychic
dependence, tolerance and physical
e,
dependence
smoking
Flow chart for drugs
smoking kills
Highly carcinogenic
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drinking
inhaling drug
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5. PSYCHOTROPIC DRUGS February 8, 2012
Hallucinogens
Hallucinogens are a type of drug that causes
you to have hallucinations. They affect the way
you see and perceive things. The user may see
or hear things that aren't really there, or what
they see may be distorted in some way.
The effects of hallucinogens vary greatly and it
is impossible to predict how they may affect a
particular person at a particular time
Cannabis is a plant that grows mainly in
tropical and subtropical climates and has been
Used as a drug for centuries. The main forms
• Of cannabis are marijuana and hashish.
Marijuana is produced by drying the
tops and leaves of the cannabis plant.
Hashish is a concentrated form of
marijuana made from the resin
secretions of the Cannabis plant.
Tetrahydrocannabinl (THC) is the most
significant psychoactive chemical
Marijuana
ingredient found in Cannabis. The level
of THCdetermines the potency of The
determines
• THC (Tetrahydrocannabinl)
(Tetrahydrocannabinl
drug Dry mouth and rapid heartbeat
• Can amplify senses
• Some loss of coordination and poor
• Is it addictive
sense of balance
THC binds to cannabinoid receptors in various
• Reduced ability to concentrate, control
parts of the brain, blocking synaptic
muscle contractions and judge time and
transmission. These receptors commonly bind
distances (shouldn’t operate vehicles).
chemicals, such as anandamide, whose
Blood vessels in the eye expand (eyes look red)g.
functions are not well known
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6. PSYCHOTROPIC DRUGS February 8, 2012
Psychomotor stimulants
They are psychoactive drugs which induce
temporary improvements in either mental or
physical function or both. Heroin is a narcotic
that is highly addictive; It is processed from
morphine, a naturally occurring substance
extracted from the seedpod of the Asian poppy
plant
Stimulants are used primarily to relieve
Fatigue and increase alertness. The
most widely used stimulants are nicotine,
which is found in tobacco products, and
caffeine, which is found in soft drinks, coffee
And tea. Cocaine and amphetamines are
More potent stimulants. People who use
stimulants build up a tolerance, which
means they have to take larger and larger
quantities in order to maintain the desired
Effects. Greater levels of use increase the
likelihood of physical and psychological
Dependence
.
Consequences of Tobacco
Tobacco-
Healthy lungs
Use:
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7. PSYCHOTROPIC DRUGS February 8, 2012
• Cocaine
•
•
•
•
•
Blocks dopamine and noradrenalin
reabsorption at synapses in the brain.
Result:
Increased energy, alertness, talkativeness
Intense feeling of euphoria.
Length of “high” - ~ 40 minutes
• How is cocaine absorbed in the
body?
•
•
Nicotine
Nicotine binds to receptors in the
presynaptic neuron and causes it to
undergo more action potentials.
•
Absorbed through the skin inside the
nostrils, where it causes constriction of
blood vessels, delaying absorption.
Crack – A form of cocaine that forms a
vapor when heated. Thus, it can be
inhaled and absorbed very quickly and
lead to very intense effects.
This causes greater addiction and
overdose problems than other forms of
cocaine
Why do some nicotine users claim
that it has a calming effect (even
though it’s excitatory)?
Probably because, since it is
addictive, so a nicotine level
increase in the blood reduces craving
for nicotine.
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8. PSYCHOTROPIC DRUGS February 8, 2012
Opiates narcotics
o
The term opiate describes any of the
narcotic opioids alkaloids found as
natural products in the opium poppy
plantThe term "narcotics" refers to
The
substances used to induce sleep or
stupor, to dull the senses, and/or to
relieve pain. In the legal system, the
term, "narcotics" may refer to any
addictive drug subject to illegal use, or
refer to opium and its natural and
synthetic derivatives. Cocaine is
considered a "narcotic" under the
Controlled Substances Act, but it is not a
narcotic in terms of the classification
ms
system used for this class. Some of the
common physiological responses from
narcotics use include respiratory
depression
(slowed
breathing),
drowsiness, confusion, and euphoria.
Excessive use of narcotics can lead to
nausea, vomiting, convulsions, increased
ng,
risk for STD's when narcotics are
injected, convulsions, coma and death.
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Synthesis of heroin
•
What Are Opioids?
Opioids are natural or synthetic
atural
substances that act on the brain’s opiate
receptors.
Opioids dull pain and relieve anxiety
that comes from thinking about pain.
People abuse opioids because they
e
provide a feeling of euphoria (a” rush”).
(a
•
It is synthesized form of morphine,
derivative of opium poppy.
Does not occur naturally but it is
produced by acetylating of morphine
which leads to 3 folds increase in its
potency.
Heroin
Heroin dealers often add substances
such as sugar, starch, quinine, and
powdered milk to heroin to increase
profits, which increases the risk of
overdose or death.
Very often, users are not aware of
precisely what they are putting into their
bodies…
In medical use, the term narcotic
refers to opium; narcotic analgesics are
often
Referred to as opioids. The tern
analgesic refers to the pain
pain-relieving
effect of narcotics.
Opium, morphine, heroin and codeine
are the
Most commonly used narcotics. Opium
is extracted from the seed pod of the
opium poppy; morphine and codeine are
derived from the substance found in
opium. Heroin is a synthetic drug made
by modifying the chemicals
in opium.
o
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10. PSYCHOTROPIC DRUGS February 8, 2012
Intoxicant
The drugs that produce mirthful and
comfortable feelings due to depression of the
cortical inhibitory centers are called intoxicants
for example alcohol. Because it is used by vary
large section of population, it need a detailed
description
Acts as an inhibitor in at least two
ways:
1) Enhancing effects of the inhibitory NT
GABA by binding to its receptor.
2) Decreases glutamate activity. Glutamate
is an excitatory NT.
Result:
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
Small Quantities: reduces inhibitions
(therefore people become more talkative
and confident), impairs reaction times
and fine muscle coordination (unsafe to
drive vehicles)
Large Quantities: memory loss, slurred
speech, loss of balance, poor muscle
coordination,
sometimes
violent
behavior
Slows down sympathetic nervous
system.
Disrupts memory processing.
Reduces self-awareness.
awareness.
Involved in up to 60% of all crimes.
The worst drug from a macro
perspective out there.
Bleeding Pancreas of an Alcoholic, he’s
now dead!
Effects of Alcohol Use…
Accident
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11. PSYCHOTROPIC DRUGS February 8, 2012
Used to help a person with sleep
disturbances get restful sleep
Lack of sleep is one of the greatest
problems faced by persons with
chemical dependency and psychiatric
illnesses (lack of sleep can increase
mood changes, irritability, and
psychiatric symptoms
How do psychoactive drugs
affect health?
•
Psychoactive drugs impose a substantial
health burden on Society. Tobacco and
alcohol in particular are major causes of
death and disability in developed
countries, and the impact of tobacco is
expected to increase in other parts of the
o
world.
Using psychoactive drugs, be it to find
pleasure or to avoid pain,
Can harm health and cause social problems both
in the short and longer term. Health effects can
include diseases of the liver or the
Lungs, cancer, deaths and injuries caused by
accidents, overdoses, suicide, and assaults.
Examples of social effects include arrests, the
Breaking up of relationships, as well as neglect
of work and family duties.
How does drug addiction affect
the functioning of the
Brain?
Drug addiction, also referred to as drug
dependence, is disorder of the brain caused by
the use of psychoactive drugs. Drug-dependent
Drug
person may experience cravings for the drug
and difficulty in controlling its consumption,
suffer from withdrawal symptoms when use of
the drug is reduced or discontinued, and need
increasing doses of the drug to feel its effects
(tolerance).The person may come to neglect
other pleasures or interests, spend more and
r
more time getting or using the drug or
recovering from it, and persist in using the drug
nd
despite clear evidence that it is causing harm.
Psychoactive drugs affect communication
between brain cells in certain regions of the
brain. For instance, some drugs mimic and
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Psychoactive drugs affect
the brain
Based on the different ways in which they affect
the brain, psychoactive drugs can be
divided into four main groups: depressants (e.g.,
alcohol and sedatives), stimulants (e.g.,
nicotine and ecstasy), opioids (e.g., morphine
and heroin), and hallucinogens (e.g., PCP
and LSD). Despite their differences, all of them
affect regions of the brain involved in
Motivation, which plays a role in drug
dependence.
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12. PSYCHOTROPIC DRUGS February 8, 2012
others block the effects of naturally occurring
Molecules that carry specific messages from
ecules
one brain cell to another (neurotransmitters).
•
How does drug addiction develop?
•
•
The development of drug addiction can
be seen as a learning process. A person
takes a drug and experiences the
psychoactive effect, wh
which is highly
rewarding or reinforcing, and which
activates circuits in the brain that will
make it more likely that the person will
repeat this behavior. The brain responds
as if taking the drug was important for
survival.
Studies show that the dependence on
some drugs is significantly heritable and
develops due to the interaction of
several genes with other individual and
environmental factors. Exposure to
drugs could have a much greater effect
on somebody who carries a genetic
vulnerability to drug depen
dependence than on
someone who does not. Genetic
differences
may
influence
how
pleasurable a drug is for an individual,
to what extent it harms health, how
strong the withdrawal symptoms and
cravings are, and how the person
Develops tolerance.
The development of drug
addiction can be seen as a
learning process
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Why do drug addiction and mental
illness often coexist?
Drug addiction is more common among
people with mental disorders than among the
general population. For example, people
with
s
Mental disorders are more likely to be alcohol
dependent at some stage in their lives than
people without a mental illness.
• Conversely, drug-dependent people are more
dependent
likely to suffer from
• Mental disorders than non-dependent
non
people. For instance, people
who are dependent on alcohol, tobacco, or
cocaine are more likely to suffer from
depression than non-dependent people.
dependent
This indicates either a common basis for both
afflictions, or an interaction of effects at some
level. Drug use may either bring about mental
eit
illness, or it may be a way of easing some of the
symptoms of a mental disorder or the side
effects of medication. Also, since many drugs
edication.
produce effects typical of some mental illnesses,
drug dependence and mental illness may have
ependence
the same neurobiological causes.
Individuals often suffer from drug problems in
combination with depression
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13. PSYCHOTROPIC DRUGS February 8, 2012
How
can
addiction
to
psychoactive drugs be prevented
and treated?
•
•
•
The most effective way to treat drug
addiction seems to be a combination of
medication and behavioral therapies
which are a kind of psychotherapy. New
and better treatments are currently being
developed.
Some medications used for the treatment
of drug addiction either block the effects
of the drug or cause unpleasant
reactions. Other substances can be used
as substitutes for a drug, for instance
methadone can replace heroin. Such
substitutes act like the drug in some
ways without inducing some of the more
harmful effects.
Drug addiction can also be treated
through various behavioral therapies that
try to replace the motivation to use drugs
with the Motivation to engage in other
behaviors. Such therapies aim to help
people ‘unlearn’ their Drug-taking
Drug
behavior, learn new ways to respond to
cravings, and develop new skills to
remain drug-free.
Conclusions
Drug use and addiction i
impose a
substantial health burden on society.
Recent advances in brain research may
help to find ways to reduce that burden.
Aspects that should be taken
into account to ensure effective
actions include:
1. The health impact of drug use depends
on the type of drug and the way it issued
(amount, frequency, etc.).
2. The greater a people drug use, the higher
the risk of becoming dependent.
3. Effective public health programmed can
reduce the overall health burden of drug
use.
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Methadone is a medication
used as a substitute for
heroin
• The rapid advances in our understanding
of how the brain works brings with it a
host
of new ethical issues in both research and
treatment of drug dependence. Biomedical
research is guided by moral principles such as
ensuring that the benefits to society are
Greater than the risks to those who consent to
treatment or research participation. Ethical
issues that need to be addressed include, for
instance, equality of access to treatment, the
potential treatment of persons without their
consent, public funding for treatment of
Dependence, public credibility of clinical trials,
and moral questions arising from animal
experimentation and genetic screening.
4.Dependence is caused by many factors and it
is currently impossible to predict
Who will become drug dependent?
5. Drug dependence is a medical disorder that
could affect anyone and that can be treated.
6. Drug dependence and mental illness often
affect the same individuals.
individu
7.Beyond stopping drug use, effective treatment
requires changes in the behaviourof users and
often the use of substitute drugs.
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14. PSYCHOTROPIC DRUGS February 8, 2012
8. Treatment must be accessible to all in need.
9. Prejudice and discrimination against drug
dependent people is one of th main barriers to
the
their treatment.
10. Brain research should continue to help
devise effective ways to reduce the harm
Caused by drug use and dependence.
Recent advances in the treatment of drug
dependence raise difficult ethical issues that
ficult
must be addressed.
Reference ;
ICSE Biology-2/pg882
/pg882
URLs :
http://www.americanscience.com
http://www.bioschool.com
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