MICROBIAL AND CHEMICAL ANALYSIS OF ILLICIT DRUG SAMPLES FROM DIFFERENT AREAS OF PAKISTAN

Abstract

A cross-sectional study was conducted at Drugs Control and Traditional Medicines Division (DCTMD), National Institute of Health Islamabad to inspect the microbial and chemical analysis of illicit drug samples from different areas of Pakistan i.e. Quetta, Karachi, Lahore and Islamabad. The drug samples were confiscated by antinarcotics force of Pakistan and brought to DCTMD. Firstly, these drugs were microbially analysed and then chemical analysis was done. The microbial analysis was done by checking the bio burden and conduction of separated microbial tests in order to identify particular microorganisms present in the drug sample. Microbial analysis revealed the presence of various microbes i.e. gram –negative bacteria, fungus species, Streptococcus, Staphylococcus species. The medium used for this purpose was Trypton soya agar for total aerobic count, MacConkey agar for gramnegative bacteria, Sabouraud dextrose agar for fungus species and Vogel-Johnson agar for Streptococcus and Staphylococcus species. In certain drug samples S. aureus and Salmonella species were detected which was further confirmed by applying different biochemical test specific for these microbes. For S. aureus catalase and coagulase test were conducted and for Salmonella species TSI, indole and urease test were performed. The chemical analysis was conducted in order to know the different types of adulterants present in these samples. For this purpose different chromatographic techniques were employed e.g. Thin-layer chromatography (TLC) and High-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC). Colour tests were also conducted to identify the particular drug. Heroin, morphine, cocaine and acetic anhydride samples were used for this purpose. In our samples, heroin samples contained paracetamol, diazepam and dextromethorphan as adulterants while acetic anhydride samples were adulterated with HCl. The drug samples were also quantified by the High-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) technique. Efforts should be made in the future to conduct large prospective studies in drug abusers of different age groups and different geographical areas of our country in order to achieve the better understanding of their effects on the health.