Studies on Scientific Elucidation of Smuggling Routes for Methamphetamine

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Although the use and possession of methamphetamine are prohibited by the Japanese regulations for methamphetamine, methamphetamine has been smuggled from abroad at present. Methamphetamine is smuggled as the powder form. We have attempted to elucidate the route of smuggling and illicit sale of methamphetamine.1. The resolution of optical isomers(d- and l-form) of methamphetamine by high performance liquid chromatography(HPLC) was studied. The acetylated derivative of methamphetamine was subjected to a column of the cellulose derivative at 40゜C. The solvent system was hexane/isopropanol(19:1). The d- and l-isomers of methamphetamine were clearly separated by HPLC with good reproductivity.2. All methamphetamine smuggled from Korea is its hydrochloride form (mp. 170-175゜C). The optical purity of the methamphetamine from Korea is 100% for d-isomer, but it contained yellow crystal. This contamination of yellow crystal may be used as the criterion for the drug transportation. Since we obtain … More ed a permission for the synthesis of methamphetamine from a minister of the Ministry of Health, we tried to isolate the d-isomer of methamphetamine from the racemic methamphetamine and obtained almost pure d-isomer (mp. 133゜C). Our results suggest that the d/l ratio of methamphetamine can be used as a drug fingerprint like the fingerprint which has been used for personal identification at criminal investigations. The accumulated data concerning the drug fingerprint (the d/l ratio) of the methamphetamine seized at various places can be used for the scientific elucidation of the illict and smuggling routes of methamphetamine in the future.3. The metabolism and disposition of methamphetamine were investigated using laboratory animals. Our results showed clearly that the d-isomer of methamphetamine had stronger pharmacological activity than the l-isomer and both isomers were detected from solid tissues such as bones, teeth or hair. It was also found that the administration of methamphetamine induced the Waterhouse-Friderichsen-Syndrome. Less