Multiorgan failure from 1-benzylpiperazine ingestion – legal high or lethal high?

Abstract

Introduction. 1-Benzylpiperazine (BZP) is synthetic stimulant. It was legal and openly sold in New Zealand before October 1, 2008. Two cases of life-threatening toxicity associated with BZP use are reported in detail in this article. Cases. Case one describes an adult female who developed status epilepticus, hyperthermia, disseminated intravascular coagulation, rhabdomyolysis, and renal failure associated with a BZP ingestion. Case two developed a similar pattern of toxicity from the combined use of BZP and 3,4-methylenedioxy-N-methylamphetamine. Both cases required prolonged hospital care but survived. Discussion. There have been reports of deaths associated with the combined ingestion of BZP and 3,4-methylenedioxy-N-methylamphetamine. The effects may possibly be synergistic when co-ingested. Case one suggests that BZP alone has the potential to cause serious sympathomimetic toxicity.

Keywords:

• Benzylpiperazine
• BZP
• Party pills

Acknowledgment

The authors acknowledge the support of this research by the National Drug Policy Unit, Ministry of Health, New Zealand.

Declaration of interest

The authors report no conflicts of interest. The authors alone are responsible for the content and writing of this paper.