RE: [Leica] Adrenaline, was clove cigarettes

[Jem Kime <jem.kime@cwcom.net>]

Thanks Paul,
Glad to know that Thompson's creativity was in good order, though his body 
obviously wasn't!
Jem

- -----Original Message-----
From:	Paul Chefurka [SMTP:Paul_Chefurka@pmc-sierra.com]
Sent:	01 February 2001 14:59
To:	'leica-users@mejac.palo-alto.ca.us'
Subject:	RE: [Leica] Adrenaline, was clove cigarettes

I'm no expert, but I am an asthmatic :-)  When I was young (in the 50's) 
the only fast-acting brochodilator available was adrenaline, also known as 
epiniphrine.  My father, a biochemist used to mix up a 1:1000 solution that 
I used in an atomizer inhaler.

Epinephrine is a beta-1 and beta-2 agonist, so it acts on both the heart 
and the lungs.  It can be either inhaled or injected, but it can't be taken 
orally, as the digestive process breaks down the molecule before it can 
make it into the blood stream.  It was originally detected in the human 
adrenal glands that sit just above the kidneys.  I believe the early 
supplies were recovered from animal sources, but now it's synthesized. 
 It's not used for asthma treatment any more, as there are drugs that are 
more specific to the beta-2 receptors, and have less impact on heart 
function (less beta-1 activity).

It's not a drug that would have any particular attraction for recreational 
use - I've had injections of it during very acute asthma attacks, and the 
sense of alertness you get is spoiled by the terrible jittery feeling of 
tachycardia.  For recreational use amphetamines (that act indirectly on the 
adrenal glands) are much more attractive.

I wouldn't consider Hunter S. Thompson a reliable source when it comes to 
the science of recreational drugs - he's used a few too many himself :-)

Paul

- -----Original Message-----
From: Jem Kime [mailto:jem.kime@cwcom.net]
Sent: Thursday, February 01, 2001 4:13 AM
To: 'leica-users@mejac.palo-alto.ca.us'
Subject: [Leica] Adrenaline, was clove cigarettes

Similarly, years ago, when reading 'Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas' I was
fascinated by the chapter where the attorney returned with some adrenaline, 
purportedly only extractable from living humans!

Any experts able to share their knowledge on whether this was wonderfully
bizarre imagination or a slice of reality?
I could imagine that animal adrenaline might be produced/used for medical
purposes and I've seen that given intravenously, but does it have the same
effect taken orally?
Not that I'm wanting to try, but it's something I've wondered about for
years!