• YAKHAK HOEJI
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• v.41 no.3
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• pp.277-282
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• 1997

Methamphetamine, which is the most commonly abused drug in Korea, exists in terms of d-, l- isomers and a racemate(dl). d-Methamphetamine is a potent central nervous system stimulant, whereas l-Methamphetamine is sold freely as a nasal decongestant. In addition, methamphetamine appears in different ratios of optical isomers by the clandestine synthesis applied. In this study, enetiomeric separation of methamphetamines was estabilished to distinguish the chirality of methamphetamines trafficked and abused in Korea. A gas chromatograph/mass spectrometer(GC/MS) system equipped with an achiral capillary column is used to isolate the isomers of methamphetamine after (S)-N-(trifluoroacetyl)-l-prolyl(TFP) deravatization.After analyzing 10 illicit methamphetamine powders and 10 positive urine samples, following findings were found: d-Methamphetamine was well resolved from l-Methamphetamine by chromatographic separation of TFP derivatibes on DB-5 with retention time of 11.80 and 11.35 min respectively. The detection of d-Methamphetamine in all 10 powders and 10 urine samples proves that all methamphetamines abused in Korea are illegally manyfactured and administred.

• YAKHAK HOEJI
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• v.34 no.5
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• pp.311-322
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• 1990

This study primarily attempted to investigate the effects of methamphetamine on stereotyped behavior. Furthermore, an extensive experiment was conducted to examine the cortex methamphetamine concentration and levels of dopamine, serotonin, and their metabolites in striatum, septum and hypothalamus. Following treatment with 10 mg/kg methamphetamine, stereotyped behavior was observed in 10 minutes. Consequently female rats displayed more intense and longer lasting activity than the male. The concentration of cortex methamphetamine was even higher in female than male. The administration of methamphetamine increased the rate of dopamine turnover-i.e. lower dopamine, higher homovanillic acid in the striatum, septum. The highest rate was found in the striatum. Methamphetamine decreased the levels of serotonin, and its metabolite of 5-indoleacetic acid in the striatum, septum. An intensity in behavioral response was accompanied by an increase in dopamine turnover, a decrease in serotonergic transmission. The reduction of 3,4-dihydroxyphenylacetic acid-i.e. the metabolite of dopamine was due not to the inhibition of monoamine oxidase but to the induction of monoamine oxidase but to the induction of catechol-O-methyltransferase. The phenomenon of biogenic amines by methamphetamine concurred upon the concentration of methamphetamine in the brain. This process preceded stereotyped behavior. After single injection of 10 mg/kg methamphetamine, the levels of biogenic amines recovered within 6 hours.

• YAKHAK HOEJI
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• v.41 no.6
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• pp.698-703
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• 1997

Recently, l-deprenyl (selegiline), a relative new antiparkinson`s drug, has been marketed in Korea. As its metabolites, l-methamphetamine and l-amphetamine, are the enantiomers of illicit drugs,d-methamphetamine and d-amphetamine, a method for analysis of enantiomers of methamphetamine and amphetamine in rat urine was investigated. The optical isomers of methamphetamine and amphetamine were analyzed with the chiral derivatizing reagent (S)-(-)-N-(trifluoroacetyl)-prolyl chloride (l-TFP), which was used to form the diastereomers of methamphetamine and amphetamine. And all diastereomers (l-TFP -l-AM, lTFP-d-AM, l-TFP-l-MA & l-TFP-d-MA) were well resolved by capillary gas chromatography. After administration of 10mg/kg l-deprenyl to rat, l-methamphetamine and l-amphetamine were detected without autoracemization to the d form in all urine samples collected during 24hrs, and the ratios of l-amphetamine/l-methamphetamine were 1.1~3.3. l-Amphetamine was detected in only 3 out of 8 urine samples collected during 24~48hrs where as no l-methamphetamine was detected in all cases.

• Biomolecules & Therapeutics
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• v.2 no.1
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• pp.54-58
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• 1994

BALB/C mice were intraperitoneally injected with methamphetamine (5 mg/kg) to observe the effect of methamphetamine on the immune system. Body weights were decreased in both acutely treated group (twice for 2 weeks with 7 days interval) and subchronically treated group (daily injection for 14 days). The relative spleen weights and the numbers of splenocytes were unexpectedly increased (p<0.05) in acutely treated group, but subchronically treated group showed the trend of decrease without significance. But there was no significant effect on antibody formation to hen egg Iysozyme which was immunized during the treatment of methamphetamine and on plaque forming cell number. The relative thymus weights of both groups were significantly decreased by the treatment of methamphetamine (acutely treated group, p<0.05; subchronically treated group, p<0.01). These results suggest that the effect of methamphetamine on the immune system may be caused by thymic dysfunction.

• Biomolecules & Therapeutics
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• v.27 no.4
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• pp.357-362
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• 2019

Limonene is a cyclic terpene found in citrus essential oils and inhibits methamphetamine- induced locomotor activity. Drug dependence is a severe neuropsychiatric condition that depends in part on changes in neurotransmission and neuroadaptation, induced by exposure to recreational drugs such as morphine and methamphetamine. In this study, we investigated the effects of limonene on the psychological dependence induced by drug abuse. The development of sensitization, dopamine receptor supersensitivity, and conditioned place preferences in rats was measured following administration of limonene (10 or 20 mg/kg) and methamphetamine (1 mg/kg) for 4 days. Limonene inhibits methamphetamine- induced sensitization to locomotor activity. Expression of dopamine receptor supersensitivity induced by apomorphine, a dopamine receptor agonist, was significantly reduced in limonenepretreated rats. However, there was no significant difference in methamphetamine-induced conditioned place preferences between the limonene and control groups. These results suggest that limonene may ameliorate drug addiction-related behaviors by regulating postsynaptic dopamine receptor supersensitivity.

• Archives of Pharmacal Research
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• v.20 no.5
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• pp.516-518
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• 1997

In conclusion, biochemical analysis revealed that GTS inhibited the methamphetamine-induced DA increase and the methamphetamine-induced DOPAC decrease in the mouse striatum. These results indicate that GTS could modulate the methamphetamine-induced striatal dopaminergic neuronal systems.

• Analytical Science and Technology
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• v.30 no.3
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• pp.122-129
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• 2017

Methamphetamine addiction is a critical issue due to the lack of effective pharmacotherapy and high potential for relapse. Nevertheless, there are no distinct biomarkers for diagnosis or prognosis for methamphetamine addiction. In the present study, a rat model for methamphetamine self-administration was established and alteration of urinary metabolites by methamphetamine addiction was investigated by the targeted metabolite analysis using mass spectrometry. Rat urine samples were collected at three time points (before and after addiction and after extinction) from the methamphetamine-addicted group as well as the age-matched control group. The collected samples were prepared using AbsoluteIDQ p180 kit and analyzed using flow injection analysis (FIA) - or high performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) - tandem mass spectrometry (MS/MS). The levels of lysine, acetylornithine and methioninesulfoxide were distinctively altered depending on the status of metheamphetamine addiction or extinction. In particular, the level of acetylornithine was reversely changed from addiction to extinction, for which further studies could be useful for biomarker discovery or mechanistic studies for methamphetamine addiction.

• Biomolecules & Therapeutics
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• v.3 no.4
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• pp.273-278
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• 1995

The effect of methamphetamine on the pulmonary metastasis was investigated in C57BL/6 mice injected with Bl6 melanoma cells. Bl6 melanoma cells (2$\times$10$^{5}$ cells) were injected intravenously into 5~7 weeks old C57BL/6 mice. Mice were then treated intraperitoneally with methamphetamine either acutely (two times with one week interval) or subchronically (daily for 14 days). Degree of pulmonary metastasis was investigated and specific immunologic parameters such as natural killer cell cytotoxicity(NKCC), antibody-dependent cellular cytotoxicity(ADCC) and blastogenic responses of splenocytes were examined. Mice which had been subchronically treated with methamphetamine showed significant decreases in the number of pulmonary metastasis of Bl6 melanoma cells, NKCC and ADCC without a significant change in blastogenic responses. In the acutely-treated group, slight trends of decrease in the numbers of pulmonary metastasis, NKCC and ADCC were observed without statistical significances whereas there was a significant increase in blastogenic responses. The mechanism underlying the decrease in the degree of metastasis despite diminished NKCC and ADCC after methamphetamine treatment and the relationship between the degree of pulmonary metastasis and duration of methamphetamine treatment remain to be investigated.

• Journal of The Korean Society of Clinical Toxicology
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• v.16 no.2
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• pp.176-180
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• 2018

Drug abuse and its related problems are increasing continuously in Korea. One of the most frequently abused drugs is methamphetamine, but there are few medical report in Korea. This is the first report of the identification of methamphetamine in the blood of a patient who had a return of spontaneous circulation after cardiac arrest and survived discharge. A 33-year-old male arrived at the emergency department presenting with chest pain and dyspnea. He had ingested methamphetamine and alcohol approximately 7 hours before arrival. One hour after arrival, he had seizure followed by cardiac arrest. Spontaneous circulation was recovered after 4 minutes of CPR. An analysis of the National Forensic Service identified plasma methamphetamine with an estimated average concentration of plasma methamphetamine at the time of arrival of 0.6 mg/L, a lethal dose. He had rhabdomyolysis and acute kidney injury but survived after continuous renal replacement therapy. Since then, he has suffered chronic kidney disease, and he is being followed up at the out-patient department. In Korea, although drug abuse is still uncommon, it is on the increase. Therefore, emergency physicians should be aware of the clinical characteristics of methamphetamine poisoning.

• YAKHAK HOEJI
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• v.37 no.4
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• pp.356-361
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• 1993

A sensitive method for the determination of methamphetamine(MA) and amphetamine(AM) in hair was developed by gas chromatography/mass spectrometry using stable isotope-labeled internal standards, amphetamine-d$_{5}$ and methamphetamine-d$_{5}$. Hair sample was washed with MeOH, incubated with MeOH(I% HCI) overnight at $37^{\circ}C$ while stirring and extracted using solid phase extraction column on a vacuum manifold. The extract obtained was pentafluoropropionated, and applied to GC/MS. The calibration curves of MA and AM were linear from 2.5 to 250 ng (r>0.99 for both). The limit of detection was 0.1 ng/mg in hair and cut-off level was set at 0.25 ng/mg for both. Hair samples of 27 MA abusers showed positive results in the range 0.7 to 106.8 ng/mg. AM, its metabolite, was detected in 20 out of 27 samples. The ratio of MA versus AM was 4.6~38.3 in specimens. Hair analysis for methamphetamine by GC/MS is an effective method for identifying long-term drug abusers.