Chemical Composition of Heroin Samples Seized in Ecuador

Authors

  • Jose Alejandro Valdevila Figueira Facultad de Marketing y Comunicación. Universidad Ecotec, Guayas, Ecuador https://orcid.org/0000-0002-1696-6892
  • Rocío Valdevila Santiesteban
  • Indira Dayana Carvajal Parra
  • Andrés Alexis Ramírez-Coronel
  • Luis Benenaula Vargas
  • Bryan Jauregui Ruiz

Keywords:

heroin, cutting substances, illegal drugs, varying concentrations

Abstract

Introduction: Heroin gains followers every year in at-risk populations among Ecuadorian consumers. Objectives: Identify the cutting substances of illegal Ecuadorian heroin (H/DH Drug).

Methods: Colorimetric tests, infrared tests, gas mass spectrometry and high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) were carried out in the samples studied for the quantification of heroin. A descriptive analysis was carried out using absolute (n) and relative frequencies (%) for the qualitative variables, and for the quantitative variables summary measures of central tendency and dispersion were used. The Shapiro Wilk (W) normality test with the threshold of .05 was applied. A bivariate analysis of correlations using the Pearson coefficient was carried out, and the Anova (F) test for differences in means was applied.

Results: 233 samples seized in the province of Guayas were analyzed. Alkaloidal residues like monoacetylmorphine were found in all samples, and diacetylmorphine in 167 samples. Other substances, such as acetyl codeine, papaverine, caffeine, diltiazen, phenacetin, aminopyrine, cocaine, levamisole and acetaminophen were found in some samples, and in variable concentrations. Pure heroin concentrations ranged from 3.34% to 93.81%. Several samples showed the presence of other substances with quantifiable indicators that were not identified.

Conclusions: The samples analyzed were highly contaminated, and their heroin concentration varies by year and seizure area. Some cutting substances have not been identified, which poses a risk to consumers.

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Author Biography

Jose Alejandro Valdevila Figueira, Facultad de Marketing y Comunicación. Universidad Ecotec, Guayas, Ecuador

Dr. en medicina y especialista de Primer y Segundo Grados por la Universidad de Ciencias Medicas de Santiago de Cuba. Profesor de psicopatología y psicología de las adicciones Facultad de Marketing Universidad Ecotec, Ecuador. Jefe hospital Instituto de Neurociencias de Guayaquil.

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Published

2023-11-13

How to Cite

1.
Figueira JAV, Valdevila Santiesteban R, Carvajal Parra ID, Ramírez-Coronel AA, Benenaula Vargas L, Jauregui Ruiz B. Chemical Composition of Heroin Samples Seized in Ecuador. Rev. Hosp. Psiq. Habana. [Internet]. 2023 Nov. 13 [cited 2025 Aug. 1];20(3). Available from: https://revhph.sld.cu/index.php/hph/article/view/406

Issue

Vol. 20 No. 3 (2023): Septiembre-Diciembre

Section

Artículo original