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Extraction of methylphenidate HCl from CONCERTA?

FloridaHighs

Bluelighter
Joined
Oct 23, 2009
Messages
238
Wondering if it was possible some how....
Lets review the facts:

1. People who developed this are geniuses

2. CONCERTA uses osmotic pressure to deliver methylphenidate HCl at a controlled rate.

3. CONCERTA comprises an osmotically active trilayer core surrounded by a semipermeable membrane with an immediate-release drug overcoat. The trilayer core is composed of two drug layers containing the drug and excipients, and a push layer containing osmotically active components. There is a precision-laser drilled orifice on the drug-layer end of the tablet.

4. Chemically, methylphenidate HCl is d,l (racemic) methyl α-phenyl 2-piperidineacetate hydrochloride.

5. CONCERTA also contains the following inert ingredients: butylated hydroxytoluene, carnauba wax, cellulose acetate, hypromellose, lactose, phosphoric acid, poloxamer, polyethylene glycol, polyethylene oxides, povidone, propylene glycol, sodium chloride, stearic acid, succinic acid, synthetic iron oxides, titanium dioxide, and triacetin.
-Rxlist

So in conclusion, is there any way to get the methylphenidate HCl out of CONCERTA without a lab? Any comments on how this would work or how big of a dumbass i am are appreciated. ;)

P.S, i know this is a waste of time... but im very bored.
 
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I have a friend extracting methylphenidate from Ritalin tablets with grain alcohol to get the pure chemical with out any of the binders. I've tried methylphenidate every possible way; snorted, eaten whole etc. and all it does is puts me to sleep. As if I have snorted a sleeping pill.
 
^Why so much sophistication if you can just dissect the pill?

Bilayer%20and%20trilayer%20OROS%20Push%20pull%20technology.jpg


^Concerta's structure is the one on the right. Just cut away the layer furthest from the orifice and proceed with the IPA method, no?

Edit: Never mind.
 
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We all know the osmotic pressure mechanism marketed for the "slow release". But I think the real culprit is "butylated hydroxytoluene", the second most plentiful ingredient in Concerta besides methylphenidate hydrochloride, which clogs in the nose should anyone try to snort the powder.

Butylated hydroxytoluene (BHT, MP ~76C) is a very lipophilic (fat soluble) and non-water soluble compound. It seems that even if you were to extract the powder from Concerta it would be unsnortable- the methylphenidate hydrochloride is probably just a tiny bit more soluble in the BHT than in water, thus preferring to stay clogged up in your nose with the BHT rather than dissolving into the water in your blood vessels.

An idea that comes to mind if you have extracted the powder is to try to heat it to about 100C, like putting a test tube of it in boiling water or something. BHT melts at 76C, after which it is probably volatile, methylphenidate hydrochloride does not melt until about 225C.


You do realize the inactive ingredients list is simply in alphabetical order on rxlist and not in order of abundance. I have a feeling there is in fact a very tiny amount of BHT in each concerta tablet, and that the binders make up the bulk of the tablet.

As for extraction, pretty much what everyone else has said, crush or break tablet, extract with isopropyl, filter, evaporate. It will by no means be pure, but you'll most likely eliminate a fair amount of inert material.
 
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