Robert B. Forney

Comparative effects of smoking marihuana or placebo on human motor and mental performance

Motor and mental performance was tested after smoking a placebo cigarette and after smoking a marihuana cigarette calibrated to deliver 5 mg. of delta‐9‐tetrahydrocannabinol. A significant decrement in all motor performance tests and in five of nine mental performance tests was observed after the marihuana cigarette. We were not able to detect any cannabinols in the blood or urine of subjects who smoked the marihuana.

Effects of some tetrahydrocannabinols on hexobarbital sleeping time and amp amphetamine induced hyperactivity in mice

Abstract Further studies on the actions of marihuana (Cannabis sativa) have been reported. An extract of marihuana, natural tetrahydrocannabinol, and two synthetic tetrahydrocannabinols were investigated for depressant or stimulant actions. Sleeping times after sodium hexobarbital and measurement of motor activity after amphitamine administration in mice pretreated with the drugs were used to determine the stimulant or depressant properties, respectively. Natural tetrahydrocannabinol and both synthetic tetrahydrocannabinols significantly prolonged hexobarbital sleeping time, while natural tetrahydrocannabinol, 3-n-amyl tetrahydrocannabinol, and the marihuana extract significantly increased the activity induced by amphetamine. Natural THC and synthetic 3-n-amyl decreased normal activity, but later increased it over that of controls.

Dose‐response analysis of the efJects of tetrahydrocannabinol in man

Fifteen volunteers smoked marihuana cigarettes under controlled laboratory conditions on five occasions. The cigarettes were calibrated to deliver doses of 0, 6.25, 12.5, 25, and 50 εg per kilogram of Δ‐9‐tetrahydrocannabinol(THC). A randomized block, double‐blind design was used. It was found that motor and mental performance as well as stability of stance deteriorated in a linearly dose‐dependent fashion. Heart rate and corüunctioal redness increased with dose as did scores on sensation and mood questionnaires.

Iodine absorption in burn patients treated topically with povidone‐iodine

Povidone‐iodine is used as a topical antimicrobial in burn patients. Although absorption of iodine has been thought to be negligible, several patients have recently.been noted with substantial elevations of serum free iodide. Unexplained abnormalities occurred in several of these patients, renal failure, metabolic acidosis, and elevation of serum glutamic oxaloacetic transaminase. It is conceivable that the large iodide loads noted were at least in part responsible for these abnormalities.

Acute Toxicity of Δ9-Tetrahydrocannabinol in Rats and Mice

Summary Crude Thailand marihuana was extracted by the method of Turk. Initial purity of the Δ9-THC after extraction was 99+% as determined by nuclear magnetic resonance, mass spectroscopy, and gas-liquid chromatography. Purity of the compound prior to administration was unchanged as determined by gas-liquid chromatography. Using 10% Tween 80 as a suspension vehicle, LD50 values were determined in rats and mice. Values obtained were: rat, iv, 28.6 mg/kg: ip, 372.9 m.g/kg; ig, 666.1 mg/kg; mouse, iv, 42.47 mg/kg; ip, 454.5 mg/kg; ig, 481.9 mg/kg. Toxic signs preceding death in both animal species included ataxia, hyper-excitability, depression, loss of righting reflex and dyspnea progressing to apnea. Following intravenous administration in rats or mice, death occurred within 15 min whereas following intraperitoneal or intragastric administration, death resulted between 10 and 36 hr. Tremor, diarrhea, and lacrimation were observed as additional toxic signs following ig and ip administration of Δ9-THC in rats. Diarrhea was an additional toxic sign observed following ig and ip injections in mice and a Straub-tail was noted only after iv administration in mice.

Postmortem disposition of morphine in rats

The antemortem and postmortem distribution of morphine was studied in rats for the purpose of establishing whether drug distribution is altered after death. Samples were examined for free and total morphine concentration, pH and water content at 0-96 h after death. Morphine was administered antemortem at various intervals. All groups of rats studied showed a significant (P less than 0.05) increase in postmortem cardiac blood morphine concentrations. These changes, which are detectable within 5 min after death are likely to be related to an observed, rapid decrease in cardiac blood pH from 7.34 +/- 0.02 to 6.74 +/- 0.05. Significant increases in free morphine levels were, also, observed 24 and 96 h after death in liver, heart and forebrain while urine morphine levels decreased. The liver showed the greatest increase (20-fold) in free morphine levels 96 h after death, while hindbrain levels did not significantly change. Bacterial hydrolysis of morphine glucuronides accounted only in part for the observed increase in free morphine concentration. Postmortem fluid movement and pH-dependent drug partitioning was detected. It would appear that several mechanisms are responsible for postmortem drug distribution. Understanding the mechanisms and patterns responsible may eventually lead to better choices of postmortem tissue which may better represent antemortem drug levels.

COMPARATIVE EFFECT IN HUMAN SUBJECTS OF CHLORDIAZEPOXIDE, DIAZEPAM, AND PLACEBO ON MENTAL AND PHYSICAL PERFORMANCE.

Two tranquilizers, chlordiazepoxide and diazepam, and placebo medication were studied in 18 subjects for their effects on mental and motor performance with and without small amounts of ethanol. Attentive motor performance was measured with a pursuit meter developed by the authors. Ethanol was the only drug used alone that impaired motor performance. Over‐all drug‐alcohol interaction was not significant with diazepam or chlordiazepoxide. However, in one pattern, a synergistic effect of diazepam with alcohol occurred. Mental performance was measured with a delayed auditory feedback system. The subiects had nine verbal or arithmetical tests on six different occasions on a 6 x 6 random plan. By this procedure only alcohol effected a decrease in performance scores. No appreciable additive effect of chlordiazepoxide or diazepam with alcohol (in low blood concentration) was evident.

COMPARATIVE EFFECT OF THREE ANTIHISTAMINICS AND ETHANOL ON MENTAL AND MOTOR PERFORMANCE.

The effect of three antihistaminics, alone and with ethanol, on mental and motor performance has been measured. Alcohol consistently effected a significant impairment of both mental and motor performance. No significant mental impairment was observed when the antihistaminic drugs were given alone, nor was the effect of ethanol potentiated by them significantly. When motor performance was measured, none of the antihistaminics alone produced significant effects. In the presence of ethanol, the action of diphenhydramine was potentiated in two tests. The depressant property of the antihistaminics studied was much more apparent to the subjects than that of alcohol, and, yet, significant impairment was observed only with alcohol.

Quantitative relationship between blood alcohol concentration and psychomotor performance

Following aseries of doses of alcohol calculated to produce a BAC of 0, 25, 50, 75, and 100 mg%, 14 males were evaluated for psychomotor impairment, and sub;ective impressions. Actual BACs were estimated at selected intervals during each session by a Breathalyzer. Covariance analysis indicated that performance deteriorated linearly with increasing BAC for both PM and WB test. DAF also demonstrated increased impairment with an increase in BAC. Similar results were found for sub;ective evaluation measmcd by a modified CMI questionnaire. At a mean BAC of 61 mg%, 11 of 14 subjects indicated that their driving ability would be impaired and, at a mean BAC of 89 mg%, all 14 subjects judged that their driving ability would be impaired.

The comparative enhancement of the depressant action of alcohol by eight representative ataractic and analgesic drugs

Eine Methode zur Messung der Potenzierung von Tranquilizern und Analgetika auf Äthanoldepression wird beschrieben. Unbeweglichkeit von Mäusen wird als Kriterium der Depression genommen. Die fünf Tranquilizer, die gebraucht wurden, haben Äthanol in verschiedenen Graden potenziert. Von den drei analgetischen Drogen hat Morphin, nicht aberd-Propoxyphen und Codein, Äthanolnarkose potenziert.