Acute Systemic Effects of Cocaine in Man: A Controlled Study by Intranasal and Intravenous Routes

Abstract

Nineteen healthy volunteer subjects who regularly administered cocaine to themselves were given placebo and 10 and 25 milligrams of cocaine hydrochloride intravenously and intranasally. A dose of 100 milligrams of cocaine was administered only by the intranasal route. By this route 10 milligrams of cocaine produced no changes different from placebo, and 25 milligrams of cocaine produced physiologic changes only in systolic blood pressure. The 100-milligram dose given intranasally and all of the doses given intravenously produced significant dose-related physiologic and subjective responses.