How are medicinal drugs produced
In the past, before pure chemicals could be manufactured in labs, medicinal drugs could be made using plants. Many plants have useful properties as they contain over a hundred active compounds and chemicals that can be used to synthesize medicine. A most common example is the extraction of caffeine from poppy plants. Caffeine is a central nervous system stimulant and can suppress a neurotransmitter called adenosine which can influence attention, alertness, and sleep. This is why many people drink coffee, which contains caffeine, to stay awake.
The manufacturing and selling of drugs can be broken up into two parts:
Pharmaceutical manufacturing: the making of the actual drug where scientists have to create the drug and evaluate the compound for stability and other factors. The drug effects are not tested here.
i) A compound that has medicinal properties is synthesized during formulation and pre formulation developmentii) Once the compound is purified, a wide range of excipients may be blended together to create the final blend used to manufacture the solid dosage form. Compound is blended to form particles.
iii) Small particles are bounded together to form granules and the average particle size in the powder is reduced.
- Testing: Preclinical research, drug testing on animals and microorganisms has to be carried out to deem the drug safe for consumption.
i) The drugs are tested using computer models and human cells grown in vitro. During this stage, many substances can fail this test as they may damage cells or are not effective.
ii) Drugs that pass the first stage are tested on animals. A typical test involves giving a known amount of the substance to the animals, then monitoring them carefully for any side-effects. However in some countries it is illegal to test cosmetics and tobacco products on animals.iii) Drugs that have passed animal tests are then used in clinical trials. They are tested on healthy volunteers to check they are safe. Low dosages of the drug are administered. If there are no problems, further clinical trials are done to find the optimum dose for the drug.
- Drug development: Where the drug is brought into the market. Companies can then file for regulatory status via FDA and obtain regulatory approval with a new drug application to market it.
How are recreational drugs produced
Many recreational drugs are illegal in many countries due to the adverse effects that it brings to the abuser and society.
Drugs come in three basic forms; raw plants (like cannabis or mushrooms); refined plants (like heroin or cocaine) or synthetic (like ecstasy, amphetamine and New Psychoactive Substances (previously called ‘legal highs’).
They can be manufactured or obtained via the following ways:
1. Grown or cultivated in domestic labs
2. Raw or refined plants or synthetic drugs such as opium plants (heroin or cocaine) or cannabis (marijuana) plant
3. Stolen or sold on from chemists or hospital pharmacies
4. Bought from drug dealers
References
- Helmenstine, Anne Marie. (2016, April 1). Drugs and medicine made from plants. Retrieved from
https://www.thoughtco.com/drugs-and-medicine-made-from-plants-608413 - Pharmaceutical Manufacturing. (n.d.). https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pharmaceutical_ manufacturing
- [Untitled illustration of drugs]. Retrieved April 1, 2017 from http://www.netdoctor.co.uk/medicines/a4461/is-it-dangerous-to-take-different-medicines-at-the-same-time/
- Benefits Of Coffee: What Your Brain Does On Caffeine. (n.d.). Retrieved from https://blog.bullet proof.com/the-benefits-of-coffee-your-brain-on-caffeine/
- [Untitled illustration of drugs ]. Retrieved April 1, 2017 from https://www.salem-news.com/stimg/march072011/marijuana-vs-pills.jpg
- The Use and Abuse of Drugs. (n.d.). Retreived from http://www.bbc.co.uk/schools/gcsebitesize/science/aqa/drugs_use/drugsrev1.shtml
-
Where Do Drugs Come From. (2017, January). Retrieved from https://www.drugwise.org.uk/where-do-drugs-come-from