NEUROLOGICAL DISORDERS IN CONSUMERS OF THE HOME-MADE, ARTISANAL EPHEDRONE PSYCHOSTIMULANTS
Authors: Asatiani *Nato , Gongliashvili Nino , Todadze Khatuna 
Published: February 2025

Background

Narcotization with the home-made, artisanal psychostimulant - "Jeff" can be considered especially dangerous for the population of Georgia due to the availability, cheapness, simple technology, as well as the strongest narcogenic and toxic effects of the medications required for its manufacturing. Toxic (ephedronic) encephalopathy is characterized by development of severe, almost irreversible neurological disorders, affective disorders, and cognitive impairment (3-4). Consequently, the above-mentioned will be resulted in a disability of home-made psychostimulant consumers and significant reduction in their quality of life. The social drama of the disease arises from the fact that "ephedronic parkinsonism" appeared to be the cause of severe disability in young people, even at a strong remission from drug addiction. The situation is especially complicated by the fact that modern narcology has no known specific treatment for addiction caused by the use of drugs containing ephedrone and potassium permanganate.

Aim and objectives

Based on the above, the aim of the study conducted was describing the neurological disorders in the users of the home-made psychostimulants of ephedrone group and evaluating the effectiveness of Thiogamma in their treatment.

Methods

60 in-patients of the Narcological Clinic - "Neogene" were involved in the study; prerequisite for study involvement was - a diagnosis: mental and behavioral disorders associated with ephedrone use; withdrawal state. Toxic encephalopathy; age - 20-65 years; gender - male. Patients were selected and diagnosed for the study according to ICD-10 criteria. The study was conducted applying bioethical principles, based on informed consent. The main study group (group I) consisted of 45 patients and the control group (group II) of 15 patients, respectively. The study was anonymous and confidential. In the patients (at both inpatient and outpatient treatment) of the main study group (Group I), Thiogamma drug (alpha-lipoic acid, meglumine salt) (1,2,5,6,7) with a daily dose of 600 mg was added to the standard treatment for one month.The patients (at both inpatient and outpatient treatment) in the control group (Group II) were treated with placebo drug along with standard treatment for the same period. Clinico-neurological disorders of the patients were evaluated before and after administering a one-month therapy course. Neurological examination and Unified Parkinson Disease Rating Scale - UPDSR - were used.

Discussion and Conclusion

Based on the study materials it can be reported that the users of home-made ephedron group psychostimulants ("Jeff"), had neurological disorders, mainly manifested with the symptoms of Parkinson’ s disease; dystonia, postural instability, pseudobulbar and vegetative syndromes have been expressed.As a result of treatment, a decrease in the scores on the Unified Parkinson Disease Rating Scale - UPDSR (improved condition) was observed in patients of both study groups, however, the latter was more expressed in the patients of group I where Thiogamma (alpha-lipoic acid meglumine salt) drug was added to the standard treatment protocol. The above results indicate to the effectiveness of Thiogamma drug in the treatment of neurological disorders caused by consuming the home-made psychostimulants ("Jeff").