Role played by narcotics laboratories in the campaign against drug abuse and drug trafficking: a view from a developing country.

The narcotics laboratory at the national level identifies drugs for abuse and their accompanying substances in suspected samples, determines the purity and the possible origin of illicit drugs, carries out drug-related research, particularly on new sources of drugs liable to abuse, and, when required by the police or courts of law, provides supportive expertise in drug trafficking cases. Precaution must be taken to ensure that samples to be examined are representative. The university is a particularly appropriate setting for the location of a narcotics laboratory, especially if such a laboratory carries out complex work requiring assistance from other professional disciplines. Before new laboratory equipment is purchased, a careful study of requirements and financial resources should be made to ensure economical and optimum utilization of such equipment. In some situations the use of simple techniques, such as thin-layer chromatography, can be sufficient, while in others more sophisticated techniques may be required. Appropriate training of personnel is of particular importance for the effective functioning of a narcotics laboratory. The laboratory of the Department of Toxicology and Forensic Chemistry, University of Buenos Aires, provides for the training of personnel at three levels: The first level consists of basic training, which includes the use of kits for rapid identification of drugs in field conditions, for personnel from the police, gendarmerie, prefecture, customs and other agencies which deal with drug problems, but which have no previous skills in laboratory techniques; The second level is provided for professional laboratory personnel and usually lasts six months; The third level consists of two years' postgraduate university training for students who are expected to carry out complex laboratory work; an additional year is provided for trainees who are expected to assume responsibility in a laboratory unit.

Variability in the content and composition of alkaloid found in Canadian ergot. III. Triticale and barley.

The total alkaloid content and individual alkaloid composition were determined by colorimetry and high performance liquid chromatography, respectively, for Canadian triticale and barley ergot (Claviceps purpurea). The total alkaloid content was highly variable between individual sclerotia from the same or different sources and ranged from 0.042 to 0.752% for triticale and from 0.082 to 1.04% for barley; average values were 0.239% for Ottawa triticale, 0.289% for Prairie triticale, and 0.264% for barley. Ergocristine and its isomer ergocristinine were the major constituents in both grains. On average, Canadian ergot pooled from rye, wheat, triticale, and barley consists of ergocristine (31%), ergocristinine (13%), ergocristinine (13%), ergotamine (17%), ergotaminine (8%), ergocryptine (5%), ergocryptinine (3%), ergometrine (5%), ergometrinine (2%), ergosine (4%), ergostinine (2%), ergocornine (4%), ergocorninine (2%), and unidentified alkaloids (3%), and an average total alkaloid content of 0.236%. With the exception of rye and barley ergot from the maritime regions, Canadian rye, wheat, triticale, and barley ergot is fairly uniform in individual alkaloid composition.

Variability in the content and composition of alkaloids found in Canadian ergot. II. Wheat.

The total alkaloid content and individual alkaloid composition were determined by colorimetry and high performance liquid chromatography, respectively, for Canadian wheat ergot sclerotia. The total alkaloid content was highly variable between individual sclerotia from the same or different sources and ranged from 0.013 to 0.307%; the overall average for bulked samples from 75 sites was 0.163%. Ergocristine and its isomer ergocristinine were the major constituents (approximately 46%). Other alkaloid pairs observed were ergotamine (approximately 17%), ergocryptine (approximately 12%), ergocornine (approximately 11%), ergometrine (approximately 7%), and ergosine (approximately 5%), plus about 2% unidentified alkaloids.

Variability in the content and composition of alkaloids found in Canadian ergot. I. Rye.

The total alkaloid content and individual alkaloid composition were determined by colorimetry and high performance liquid chromatography, respectively, for Canadian rye ergot sclerotia. The total alkaloid content was highly variable between sclerotia from the same head, field, or region and ranged from 0.011 to 0.452% (av. 0.249%). Levels were lowest in ergot from Prince Edward Island. The individual alkaloid composition was uniform throughout a single sclerotium or in different sclerotia from the same head, somewhat uniform for averages in different fields throughout a region, but highly variable from head to head in a given field. On a regional basis, ergotamine followed by ergocristine were the major alkaloids observed in the east whereas the order was reversed in the west. Ergometrine, ergosine, ergocornine, and ergocryptine were also observed to a lesser degree; ergostine was not observed. Isomerization of ergometrine increased from near 0% in the east to about 40% in the west, but was relatively constant (about 30%) for the peptide alkaloids in all regions.

Ergot on cereal grains.

Ergot is caused by a fungus (Claviceps species) which has been found on hundreds of plants in almost every country of the world. The fungus can adapt itself to form many different varieties. New species of the fungus and new hosts are still discovered today. The alkaloids in ergot have caused hundreds of thousands of deaths in the Middle Ages after consumption of contaminated cereal grains, but during the last two decades there has not been a recorded outbreak of ergotism. Grain standards in most countries are very strict and do not permit grain which contains ergot to reach commercial food channels. All involved in cereal grain production and ulilization should be cognizant of the potential danger, however, since ergot contamination at levels above those permitted by grain standards cannot necessarily be detected by the normal evaluation of a flour sample in the cereal chemistry laboratory. There always have been and always will be ergot infections and a possible danger to human health, but man has learned to minimize the potential problem by using proper agricultural practices. Futhermore, techniques for the removal of ergot from contaminated grains have been developed. While human ergotism is a disease of the past, ergotism in animals still occurs frequently. The problem is not a simple one because of many unanswered questions. What is the tolerance of different breeds or species of livestock to ergot? What are the effects of low-level long-term ingestion of ergot on livestock? What is the difference in toxicity to animals of ergot from different cereal ingestion of ergot on livestock? What is the difference in toxicity to animals of ergot from different cereal grain varieties? What is the effect of storage and processing of cereal grain products on the potential ergot toxicity? The last and most important chapter in the history of ergot concerns ergot as a source of pharmacologically useful alkaloids which have found applications in internal medicine and obstetrics. The future promises to bring some new ergot alkaloids and some new uses. Recent research data indicate the possibility of using ergot alkaloids in contraceptives, which would be truly remarkable.

Cytochemical detection of polysaccharides on the surface of the cell membrane complex in fungi.

Cytochemical staining in toto (periodic acid, thiosemicarbazide, OSO4) revealed the presence of polysaccharide lamellae on the surface of the cell membrane complex of fungi. The membraneous clusters in the vacuolar bodies of Claviceps purpurea were covered with these lamellae at both surfaces, as it was also the case with the endoplasmic reticulum membranes, the tonoplast and the cytoplasmic membrane. In Saccharomyces cerevisiae, the polysaccharide lamellae were visible on the surface of the endoplasmic reticulum membranes and the plasmalemma; the strain revealed polysaccharide deposits also on the tonoplasts of small vacuoles and in glucanase vesicles. We assume that these observations give precision to the localization of the enzymes synthetizing the glycoprotein components of the fungal cell wall.

Cytochemical localization of polysaccharides in Claviceps paspali ultrastructure during submerged fermentation of alkaloids.

Morphological characteristics of two types of elements in the submerged mycelium of Claviceps paspali are described. Distribution of polysaccharides in the cell wall and cytoplasm was cytochemically determined at the ultrastructural level. Polysaccharide deposition into the cell walls was proportional to the increase in the alkaloid yield. In the cytoplasm, on the other hand, the presence of polysaccharide grains indicated an absence of alkaloid synthesis.