Khoddami-Vishteh Hamid Reza, Narenjiha Hooman, Noori Roya, Olyaei Azadeh, Fard-Sanei Afsaneh, Fekri Monir, Farhoudian Ali
General Practitioner, Substance Abuse and Dependence Research Center, University of Social Welfare and Rehabilitation Sciences, Tehran, Iran.
General Practitioner, Substance Abuse and Dependence Research Center, University of Social Welfare and Rehabilitation Sciences AND Yalda Yaran Mehr Society, Tehran, Iran.
Addict Health. 2018 Jan;10(1):17-23. doi: 10.22122/ahj.v10i1.508.
To self-medicate substance dependence, many substance users consume herbal medicines delivered in herbal medicine shops which are prepared through non-standard methods using a variety of different materials. Hence, the present study was carried out aiming to investigate and analyze the content of such herbal medicines.
Four herbal medicine shops were selected from each of the 22 zones of Tehran City, Iran, and a total of 95 samples were purchased. A package containing 6 types of medication that was advertised by a satellite TV channel, was also purchased. Using high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) method, the samples were analyzed in the laboratory to detect different types of materials.
Among the samples, 23 and 72 samples were uncovered compressed pills (Dragon pills) and capsules filled with colored powders (handmade self-medicating substance dependence capsules), respectively. The package advertised in the satellite TV was prepared in 6 various forms. The most common substances present in all the samples were as follows: diphenoxylate, tramadol, opioids, acetaminophen, and codeine with values of 90%, 86%, 78%, 69%, and 68%, respectively. On average, 5 of the above mentioned substances were present in each sample; moreover, 63% of the samples contained 5 or more substances. In addition, 42 (41%) of the samples contained all the 5 main substances including opioids, codeine, tramadol, diphenoxylate, and acetaminophen.
The findings of this study showed that handmade capsules and pills used for self-medicating substance dependence and also medicines advertised in the satellite TV channels contain different amounts of opioids, amphetamine, benzodiazepines, tramadol, codeine, and other substances that cause problems for substance users who are going to abandon substance abuse.
为了自我治疗药物依赖，许多药物使用者会服用在草药铺售卖的草药，这些草药是通过非标准方法使用各种不同材料制备的。因此，开展本研究旨在调查和分析此类草药的成分。
从伊朗德黑兰市22个区中的每个区选取4家草药铺，共购买了95个样本。还购买了一个包含6种药物的包装，该包装在一个卫星电视频道上做过广告。使用高效液相色谱（HPLC）法在实验室对样本进行分析，以检测不同类型的材料。
在样本中，分别发现23个压缩药丸（龙丸）和72个装有彩色粉末的胶囊（自制药物依赖胶囊）。卫星电视上做广告的包装有6种不同形式。所有样本中最常见的物质如下：地芬诺酯、曲马多、阿片类药物、对乙酰氨基酚和可待因，其出现率分别为90%、86%、78%、69%和68%。平均每个样本中存在上述5种物质中的5种；此外，63%的样本含有5种或更多物质。另外，42个（41%）样本含有所有5种主要物质，包括阿片类药物、可待因、曲马多、地芬诺酯和对乙酰氨基酚。
本研究结果表明，用于自我治疗药物依赖的自制胶囊和药丸以及卫星电视频道上做广告的药物含有不同量的阿片类药物、苯丙胺、苯二氮䓬、曲马多、可待因和其他物质，这给打算戒除药物滥用的药物使用者带来了问题。
