taken orally or by snorting, smoking or injecting. Among other risks, the stimulant
drugs give risks of abuse and dependence that cause harm to the central nervous
system.
9.3.3 Opiate Metabolism
Opium poppy (Papaver somniferum) is an ingredient in morphine, thebaine and
codeine. Most popular illegal drugs from opium poppy are morphine and heroin,
while morphine and 6-monoacetylmorphine are related metabolites. The positions
3 and 6 of phenolic hydroxyl and alcoholic hydroxyl with the nitrogen atom typifies
morphine metabolism. The degradation of heroin (diacetylmorphine) pathways produces main metabolites with different morphine conjugates; different enzyme
actions emphasize the morphine metabolism complexity. Approximately 90% of
an administered dose of morphine is excreted in the urine; only about 10% is
excreted as unchanged parent morphine. The major metabolite is morphine-3-glucuronide, while minor metabolite is morphine-6-glucuronide. Others are codeine
(3-O-methylmorphine), normorphine-6-glucuronide and morphine-N-oxide found
in human urine and in wastewaters.
9.3.4 Lysergic Acid Diethylamide Metabolism
The drug is quickly dispersed in the body after metabolism, with smaller dose of the
original eliminated in the human urine. The lysergic acid diethylamide metabolites in
human biological fluids include 2-oxo-lysergic acid diethylamide, 2-oxo-3-hydroxylysergic acid diethylamide, N-demethyl-lysergic acid diethylamide, 14-hydroxylysergic acid diethylamide and 13-hydroxy-lysergic acid diethylamide. The 13and 14- hydroxyl-lysergic acid diethylamide and 2-oxo-3-hydroxy-lysergic acid
diethylamide are found in urine as glucuronide conjugates.
9.3.5 Cannabinoid Metabolism
One of the important cannabinoids is tetrahydrocannabinol, and Cannabis sativa L is
the active chemical, and cannabinol and cannabidiol are other constituents. On
ingestion, the cannabinoids are metabolized by cytochrome P45 oxidase in the
liver. The Δ
9 -tetrahydrocannabinol metabolism leads to 11-hydro-Δ
9 -tetrahydrocannabinol, which turned to 9-carboxy-tetrahydrocannabinol. The tetrahydrocannabinol
metabolism is yet to be properly understood.
9 Fate of Pharmaceutical Drugs and Metabolites in the Environment
289
drugs give risks of abuse and dependence that cause harm to the central nervous
system.
9.3.3 Opiate Metabolism
Opium poppy (Papaver somniferum) is an ingredient in morphine, thebaine and
codeine. Most popular illegal drugs from opium poppy are morphine and heroin,
while morphine and 6-monoacetylmorphine are related metabolites. The positions
3 and 6 of phenolic hydroxyl and alcoholic hydroxyl with the nitrogen atom typifies
morphine metabolism. The degradation of heroin (diacetylmorphine) pathways produces main metabolites with different morphine conjugates; different enzyme
actions emphasize the morphine metabolism complexity. Approximately 90% of
an administered dose of morphine is excreted in the urine; only about 10% is
excreted as unchanged parent morphine. The major metabolite is morphine-3-glucuronide, while minor metabolite is morphine-6-glucuronide. Others are codeine
(3-O-methylmorphine), normorphine-6-glucuronide and morphine-N-oxide found
in human urine and in wastewaters.
9.3.4 Lysergic Acid Diethylamide Metabolism
The drug is quickly dispersed in the body after metabolism, with smaller dose of the
original eliminated in the human urine. The lysergic acid diethylamide metabolites in
human biological fluids include 2-oxo-lysergic acid diethylamide, 2-oxo-3-hydroxylysergic acid diethylamide, N-demethyl-lysergic acid diethylamide, 14-hydroxylysergic acid diethylamide and 13-hydroxy-lysergic acid diethylamide. The 13and 14- hydroxyl-lysergic acid diethylamide and 2-oxo-3-hydroxy-lysergic acid
diethylamide are found in urine as glucuronide conjugates.
9.3.5 Cannabinoid Metabolism
One of the important cannabinoids is tetrahydrocannabinol, and Cannabis sativa L is
the active chemical, and cannabinol and cannabidiol are other constituents. On
ingestion, the cannabinoids are metabolized by cytochrome P45 oxidase in the
liver. The Δ
9 -tetrahydrocannabinol metabolism leads to 11-hydro-Δ
9 -tetrahydrocannabinol, which turned to 9-carboxy-tetrahydrocannabinol. The tetrahydrocannabinol
metabolism is yet to be properly understood.
9 Fate of Pharmaceutical Drugs and Metabolites in the Environment
289
