Cipryana Mack Mallory Meek Morgan Anderson Grayson Godwin (3 rd Pd B-day)

The technical definition of a stimulant is a substance that that raises levels of physiological or nervous activity in the body.
They encompass a broad category of substances, including those prescribed for medical conditions; those manufactured for illicit substance abuse; and those found in over-the-counter (OTC) decongestants, herbal extracts, caffeinated beverages, and cigarettes.
Stimulants are drugs that alter the levels of neurotransmitters and act as opposites to depressants.

All stimulants increase blood pressure, heart rate and body temperature. The body temperature is elevated by the effect caused by increasing muscle activity and constricting the blood vessels. This results in decreased heat loss, increased heart rate and elevated blood pressure. Stimulants often provide constriction of arteries and a relaxation of air passages therefore an increase breathing rate, along with dilation of pupils, sweating, reduced appetite, and increase concentration.
Also, as the dopamine levels and pleasurable feeling subside, there is an intense desire to replicate the feelings of pleasure by administering another dose of the substance.
This tendency toward repeated administration is characteristic of stimulant abuse and underlies most of the other effects of stimulants, as well as most other addictive substances.

Definition: Drugs stimulating the central nervous system
Purpose: Commonly used for the treatment of depression, attentiondeficit disorder, obesity , and narcolepsy
Consumption: The routes of amphetamine administration may be oral (ingestion), inhalation (smoke), or injection (intravenous). Oral use is associated with an approximate 1-hour lag time before onset of symptoms, whereas inhaled and intravenous methods yield effects within a few minutes. Peak plasma concentrations occur in 5 minutes with intravenous use,
30 minutes with nasal or intramuscular use, and 2-3 hours post-ingestion.
The phenylethylamine structure of amphetamines is similar to catecholaminergic, dopaminergic, and serotonergic agonists (biogenic amines), which may explain their actions.

Definition: Epinephrine, more commonly known as adrenaline, is a hormone secreted by the medulla of the adrenal glands.
Causes: Strong emotions such as fear or anger cause epinephrine to be released into the bloodstream, which causes an increase in heart rate, muscle strength, blood pressure, and sugar metabolism.
Purposes: In medicine epinephrine is used chiefly as a stimulant in cardiac arrest, as a vasoconstrictor in shock, and as a bronchodilator and antispasmodic in bronchial asthma.
Epinephrine is found in small amounts in the body and is essential for maintaining cardiovascular homeostasis because of its ability to divert blood to tissues under stress.
Often a result of intense anger or fear.
Epinephrine is synthesized in several steps from either phenylalanine or tyrosine (both amino acids). Two adjacent hydroxyl groups are placed on the aromatic ring, leading to the ring structure called catechol. These hydroxylations form the intermediate L-dopa, which in turn is converted to dopamine (a neurotransmitter), norepinephrine (also a neurotransmitter), and finally epinephrine

Amphetamines and epinephrine are chemically similar in that they both drive from the phyenylethylamine structure. Amphetamines mimic the effects of epinephrine and are known as sympathomimetic drugs.
Physiological Similarities
Increase physical energy by: 1) Increasing heart rate and blood pressure.
2) Increasing blood flow to the brain and muscles.
3) Increasing air flow to the lungs
• Increase mental awareness; trigger the "fight or flight" syndrome
• Dilation of the pupils
• Reduce appetite
• induce a sense of euphoria
• Both can lead to the rapid development of both tolerance and dependence (addiction),
• Both can have serious long-term effects if abuse/over used - depression and reduced resistance to infection. Abuse of amphetamines through overuse is a serious problem.
Structural Comparison
Both based on the phenylethylamine structure
Both have a benzene (aromatic) ring with a hydrocarbon chain containing an amine.
Primary amine (1 C atom attached to N atom) in amphetamine and secondary amine (2 C atoms attached to N atom),
NH in epinephrine.
Epinephrine has three hydroxy (-OH) groups while amphetamine has none.Ethyl Amine Structure

Definition : a nitrogen-containing chemical - an alkaloid, which i s made by several types of plants, including the tobacco plant.. Nicotiana tabacum, the type of nicotine found in tobacco plants, comes from the nightshade family. Nicoti ne is also produced synthetically
Effects:
Short Term : Increased heart rate and blood pressure and reduction in urine output as well as stimulating effects
Long Term : Increased risk of heart disease, coronary thrombosis, and peptic ulcers
Consumption: can be naturally obtained from tobacco plants, tomatoes, potatoes, eggplants, green peppers
Usually it is taken in by inhalation of smoke from cigarettes, cigars, and pipe tobacco, and chewing.
Its a fat soluble molecule and is easily able to go through blood-brain barrier and thus affects brain activity. It then Increases the release of adrenaline and effects change with time, bringing about dependence and
increased toleration.
Further risks of tobacco use include
• Decreased ability to taste and smell
• Harm to sperm, which contributes to infertility
• Loss of sight due to an increased risk of macular degeneration
• Tooth and gum diseases
• Wrinkling of the skin
Smokers who switch to smokeless tobacco instead of quitting tobacco completely still have a number of health risks:
• Increased risk of mouth or nasal cancer
• Gum problems, tooth wear, and cavities
• Worsening high blood pressure and angina

Definition: a bitter, white crystalline xanthine alkaloid that is a psychoactive stimulant drug. It is a respiratory stimulant and when consumed in large amounts can cause anxiety and sleeplessness. It is also a weak diuretic.
Both contain a tertiary amine group.
Short Term: Restlessness, Nervousness,
Excitement, Insomnia, Flushed Face, and
Diuresis
Both contain and five member rings made of carbon and nitrogen atoms.
Long Term: Consuming 400 mg of caffeine a day or more can cause dependence and physical side effects
Sources: Present in coffee, tea, cola drinks, some pain killers, other medicines
Both contain a six member ring made of carbon and nitrogen
Both contain an alkene (C=C) group.
Caffeine has one and nicotine has two In caffeine the six and five member rings are fused while in nicotine they separated.
Caffeine contains two carbonyl (C=O) groups and two amide (-N- C=O) groups
Nicotine Caffeine

http://emedicine.medscape.com/a http://www.fredonia.edu/athletics/health/davis/drug_book/chapter6.ht
mrticle/289007-overview http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK64328/ http://www.slideshare.net/SamRichard/d5-presentation http://www.encyclopedia.com/topic/Amphetamines.aspx
http://emedicine.medscape.com/article/812518-overview http://www.udel.edu/chem/C465/senior/fall00/Performance1/epinephrin e.htm.html
http://www.chemistryexplained.com/Di-Fa/Epinephrine.html#b http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/ency/article/002032.htm