Phencyclidine Test

Phencyclidine (PCP) was introduced in the year 1950s as an intravenous anaesthetic drug but, due to its side effects of confusion and delirium, its development for human medical use was stopped. In its pure form, it is a white crystalline powder that readily dissolves in water or alcohol and has a bitter chemical taste. On the illicit drug market, Phencyclidine contains a number of contaminants as a result of makeshift manufacturing, causing the colour to range from tan to brown, and the consistency to range from powder to a gummy mass. It is available in a variety of tablets, capsules, and coloured powders, which are either taken orally or snorted.

The most commonly used method for PCP production in clandestine labs is based on the Bruylants reaction, which is displacement of an alpha-amino nitrile by an organometallic reagent. There are two steps: preparation of a nitrile intermediate (PCC), and reaction of this intermediate with a Grignard reagent. The PCC intermediate can be synthesized through several routes. A typical clandestine batch operation might be run on a 3 to 5 molar scale, and is usually limited by the amount of piperidine to be employed (usually a maximum of 500 gm).

PCP can be snorted, smoked, injected or swallowed. It is most commonly sold as a powder or liquid and is applied to a leafy material such as mint, parsley, oregano, tobacco, or marijuana when used for smoking. It was used as a major recreational drug in United States during 1950s. Behavioural effects can vary by dosage. Low doses produces numbness in the extremities and intoxication, characterized by staggering, unsteady gait, slurred speech, bloodshot eyes, and loss of balance. Moderate doses will produce analgesia and anaesthesia. High doses may lead to convulsions. Recreational doses of the drug also occasionally appear to induce a psychotic state that resembles a schizophrenic episode, sometimes lasting for months at a time. Users generally report feeling detached from reality.

PCP can be ingested through smoking. Fry is a street term for marijuana or tobacco cigarettes that are dipped in PCP and then dried. PCP hydrochloride can be snorted, depending upon the purity. The free base is quite hydrophobic and may be absorbed through skin and mucous membranes.