Alkyl Nitrites
Amyl nitrite and other alkyl nitrites (butyl nitrite, isobutyl nitrite), sold under the variety of brand names, including probably one of the most popular – Poppers, are especially popular among gay community as a relatively cheap and available inhalants enhancing pleasure during sex. It's a colorless liquid sold in small bottles crushed to open liquid to atmosphere; then inhaled. Name 'Poppers' refers to the popping sound during crushing glass bottles. Action is very quick, effects of use are visible after few seconds after inhalation and lasts a few minutes. However, most probably there are no withdrawal symptoms after alkyl nitrites abuse. Alkyl nitrites market is controlled in UK (possession is legal), in U.S. possession is legal but distribution as sex-enhancing psychoactive inhalants is illegal. All alkyl nitrites are flammable, very toxic when swallowed and dangerous when on contact with skin.
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Trade
Trade & street names | alkyl nitrites: amyl nitrite, butyl nitrite, isobutyl nitrite |
Products | Poppers, Snappers, RUSH, Bolt, Bullet, Locker Room, Climax, Rave, Amyl, Kix, TNT, Room Odouriser, Reds, Ram, Liquid Gold, Thrust, Rock Hard and others |
Medical info
Class | inhalants |
Medical use | treatment of angina (angina pectoris), treatment of cyanide poisoning (antidote) |
Routes | inhaled |
Effects of use | euphoria, excitement, heat feeling, flushing of the face, increased heart rate (symptoms due to decrease in blood pressure (hypotension)), headache; enhancing of sexual sensations, pleasure and desire, prolonging orgasms; relaxation of involuntary muscles especially in anus and vagina, facilitate penetration. Problems with erection reported by some men, rare but reported rashes on face after sniffing, very dangerous for people regularly taking drugs decreasing blood pressure because of risk of lowering it to a extremely, life-threatening low values |
Effects of overdose | nausea and vomiting, short breath (SOB, dyspnea), fainting and abrupt lost of consciousness, higher concentration of methemoglobin in blood (methemoglobinemia), higher concentration of carbon dioxide in blood due to inadequate ventilation (hypoventilation) |
Withdrawal effects | — |
Onset | seconds |
Duration of action | 1 hour |
Chemistry
Chemical name | 3-methyl-1-nitrosooxybutane |
Chemical formula | C5H11NO2 |
Molecular mass | 117.15 g/mol |
