Therapeutic advances in drug safety
2025
Carlos Roncero, Milton Merizalde-Torres, Néstor Szerman et al.
11 citations
In 2019, intranasal esketamine gained approval as a promising therapy for those individuals grappling with treatment-resistant depression. Both clinical trials and real-world studies have underscored its efficacy in alleviating and remitting depressive symptoms, with sustained benefits observed for nearly 4.5 years. As the S-enantiomer of ketamine, esketamine's dosing guidelines and strict...
Frontiers in Pharmacology
February 17, 2023
Lourdes Poyatos, Clara Pérez‐mañá, Olga Hladun et al.
26 citations
Methylone is one of the most common synthetic cathinones popularized as a substitute for 3,4-methylenedioxymethamphetamine (MDMA, midomafetamine) owing to its similar effects among users. Both psychostimulants exhibit similar chemistry (i.e., methylone is a β-keto analog of MDMA) and mechanisms of action. Currently, the pharmacology of methylone remains scarcely explored in humans. Herein, we...
Journal of Clinical Medicine
February 15, 2022
Lourdes Poyatos, A Acuna Torres, Esther Papaseit et al.
26 citations
Introduction and objective: Assessing the abuse potential of new substances with central nervous system activity is essential for preventing possible risks of misuse and addiction. The same methodology is recommended for the evaluation of the abuse potential of recreational drugs. This systematic review aims to assess the pharmacological effects related to the abuse potential and...
Biology
August 17, 2021
Lourdes Poyatos, Esther Papaseit, Eulàlia Olesti et al.
26 citations
Considered the β-keto analogue of 3,4-methylenedioxymethamphetamine (MDMA, ecstasy), 3,4-Methylenedioxymethcathinone (methylone) is a synthetic cathinone. Over the years, methylone has been used as a substitute for conventional psychostimulants, such as MDMA. To date, little is known about the human pharmacology of methylone; the only available information has been provided by surveys or...
Pharmaceuticals
January 28, 2021
Esther Papaseit, Eulàlia Olesti, Clara Pérez‐mañá et al.
30 citations
Mephedrone (4-methylmethcathinone) is a synthetic cathinone with psychostimulant properties which remains one of the most popular new psychoactive substances (NPS). It is frequently used orally and/or intranasally. To date, no studies have evaluated the acute effects and pharmacokinetics after self-administration of mephedrone orally (ingestion) and intranasally (insufflation) in naturalistic...
Expert Opinion on Drug Metabolism & Toxicology
March 31, 2020
Esther Papaseit, Clara Pérez‐mañá, Marta Torrens et al.
34 citations
Introduction: MDMA (3,4-methylenedioxymethamphetamine), a synthetic ring-substituted amphetamine, has become one of the most widely used recreational psychostimulant drugs in the world. Among recreational ecstasy/MDMA users, polydrug use is a phenomenon whose common purpose is to experience the synergistic effect of the combined drugs, moderate MDMA effects, prevent potential toxicity, enhance...
Frontiers in Pharmacology
March 18, 2020
Esther Papaseit, Marta Torrens, Mireia Ventura et al.
20 citations
2,5-Dimethoxy-4-ethylphenethylamine (2C-E) is psychedelic phenylethylamine, with a chemical structure similar to mescaline, used as new psychoactive substance (NPS). It inhibits norepinephrine and serotonin uptake and, more relevant, acts as a partial agonist of the serotonin 2A (5-HT2 A), 2B (5-HT2 B), and (5-HT2 C) receptors. Consumers have reported that 2C-E induces mild-moderate psychedelic...
Frontiers in Pharmacology
January 28, 2020
Esther Papaseit, Clara Pérez‐mañá, Elizabeth B. de Sousa Fernandes Perna et al.
27 citations
Mephedrone (4-MMC, mephedrone) is a synthetic cathinone derivative included in the class of new psychoactive substances. It is commonly used simultaneously with alcohol (ethanol). The aim of the present study was to evaluate the interactions on subjective, cardiovascular and hormone effects and pharmacokinetics between mephedrone and alcohol in humans. Eleven male volunteers participated as...
Frontiers in Psychiatry
January 21, 2020
Juan José Fuentes, Francina Fonseca, Matilde Elices et al.
176 citations
Lysergic acid diethylamide (LSD) was studied from the 1950s to the 1970s to evaluate behavioral and personality changes, as well as remission of psychiatric symptoms in various disorders. LSD was used in the treatment of anxiety, depression, psychosomatic diseases and addiction. However, most of the studies were not performed under contemporary standards, and it has taken several decades for a...
Frontiers in Pharmacology
March 13, 2018
Esther Papaseit, Marta Torrens, Mireia Ventura et al.
61 citations
2,5-dimethoxy-4-bromophenethylamine (2C-B) is a psychedelic phenylethylamine derivative, structurally similar to mescaline. It is a serotonin 5-hydroxytryptamine-2A (5-HT2A), 5-hydroxytryptamine-2B (5-HT2B), and 5-hydroxytryptamine-2C (5-HT2C) receptor partial agonist used recreationally as a new psychoactive substance. It has been reported that 2C-B induces mild psychedelic effects, although...
Expert Opinion on Drug Metabolism & Toxicology
January 5, 2018
Esther Papaseit, Marta Torrens, Clara Pérez‐mañá et al.
20 citations
MDMA, 3,4-methylenedioxymethamphetamine, is a synthetic phenethylamine derivative with structural and pharmacological similarities to both amphetamines and mescaline. MDMA produces characteristic amphetamine-like actions (euphoria, well-being), increases empathy, and induces pro-social effects that seem to motivate its recreational consumption and provide a basis for its potential therapeutic...
Journal of Psychoactive Drugs
June 1, 2017
Álvaro José Palma-Conesa, Mireia Ventura, Liliana Galindo et al.
65 citations
New psychoactive tryptamines may be a public health risk since they intend to mimic the hallucinogenic effects of regulated psychoactive drugs. Few studies describe uses and clinical effects of unregulated new psychoactive tryptamines. This study aims (1) to explore the presence of tryptamines classified as NPS among the substances delivered for analysis to a harm-reduction organization; (2) to...
European Psychiatry
April 1, 2017
Amira Trabsa, E. Monteagudo, D.d. Mariona et al.
2 citations
Introduction Although psychoactive substances has a long history in recreational settings, research on its composition has focused only on tablets, crystal and powder, even though new formulation for new psychoactive substances are readily available for users. Objectives To describe the presence of psychoactive substances and its characteristics in new formulations which had not previously been...
Addiction Biology
March 3, 2016
Laura Blanco‐Hinojo, Jesus Pujol, Ben J. Harrison et al.
52 citations
Heavy cannabis use is associated with reduced motivation. The basal ganglia, central in the motivation system, have the brain's highest cannabinoid receptor density. The frontal lobe is functionally coupled to the basal ganglia via segregated frontal-subcortical circuits conveying information from internal, self-generated activity. The basal ganglia, however, receive additional influence from...
European Psychiatry
March 1, 2016
Á. Palma Conesa, L. Galindo Guarín, M. Grifell Guàrdia et al.
Introduction New psychoactive substances (NPS) are substances that have recently appeared on the market and are not under international control. NPS use is experiencing an unprecedented increase. DiPT, 4-HO-DiPT and 4-AcO-DiPT are new psychoactive tryptamines and their effects may differ from those of other psychoactive tryptamines. Objective To explore the presence of DiPT, 4-HO-DiPT and...
European Psychiatry
March 1, 2016
I. Ezquiaga, M. Grifell, Liliana Galindo et al.
IntroductionNovel psychoactive substances (NPS) use is progressively increasing year on year. A new group of phenethylamines sold as legal stimulants and hallucinogens is being reported increasingly since 2012. Within this group, 25I-NBOMe is an outstanding substance with powerful effects and high affinity with the serotonin 2a (5HT2a) receptor. Several toxicity cases have been reported so...
BioMed Research International
2015
Débora González, Marta Torrens, Magı́ Farré
44 citations
Background . 2C-B (Nexus) is one of the most widespread novel psychoactive substances. There is limited information about its pharmacological properties, and few studies in humans concern its acute and chronic effects. 2C-B has been classified as a stimulant, hallucinogen, entactogen, and/or empathogen. Objectives . To evaluate the emotional, subjective, and cardiovascular effects of 2C-B....
Human Psychopharmacology
July 1, 2013
Débora González, Mireia Ventura, Fernando Caudevilla et al.
39 citations
To know the pattern of use of new psychoactive substances (NPSs) in a Spanish sample of research chemical (RC) users and to deepen the RC user profile and risk reduction strategies employed. This study is a cross-sectional survey by means of a specific questionnaire. Recruitment was carried out at music festivals, at non-governmental organizations (NGOs), and through announcements on an online...
PLoS One
October 24, 2012
Ricardo Pardo‐lozano, M. Farré, Samanta Yubero‐lahoz et al.
67 citations
The synthetic psychostimulant MDMA (±3,4-methylenedioxymethamphetamine, ecstasy) acts as an indirect serotonin, dopamine, and norepinephrine agonist and as a mechanism-based inhibitor of the cytochrome P-450 2D6 (CYP2D6). It has been suggested that women are more sensitive to MDMA effects than men but no clinical experimental studies have satisfactorily evaluated the factors contributing to...
Human Psychopharmacology Clinical and Experimental
March 1, 2012
Ornella Corazza, Fabrizio Schifano, Pierluigi Simonato et al.
157 citations
On the basis of the material available both in the scientific literature and on the web, this paper aims to provide a pharmacological, chemical and behavioural overview of the novel compound methoxetamine. This is a dissociative drug related to ketamine, with a much longer duration of action and intensity of effects. A critical discussion of the availability of information on the web of...
Current Clinical Pharmacology
May 1, 2011
Ornella Corazza, Fabrizio Schifano, Magı́ Farré et al.
98 citations
Based on the material available in both the scientific literature and on the web, the present paper provides an updated pharmacological, chemical, toxicological and behavioural overview of Bromo-Dragonfly (1-(8-bromobenzo[1,2-b;4,5-b']difuran-4-yl)-2-aminopropane; 'B-fly'). B-Fly is a powerful, long lasting, LSD-like, hallucinogenic drug, which has been associated with a number of acute...
Psychopharmacology
April 2011
Fabrizio Schifano, Antonio Albanese, Suzanne Fergus et al.
Recently, those substances deriving from the active ingredient of the Khat plant, cathinone, have been rising in popularity. Indeed, 4-methylmethcathinone (mephedrone; 'meow meow' and others) has been seen by some as a cheaper alternative to other classified recreational drugs. We aimed here at providing a state-of-the-art review on mephedrone history and prevalence of misuse, chemistry,...
International Journal of Culture and Mental Health
December 1, 2009
Fabrizio Schifano, Ornella Corazza, Paolo Deluca et al.
79 citations
The aim of the study was to foster the collection and analysis of data from web pages related to information on the consumption, manufacture and sale of Spice products, a brand name for an herbal smoking blend, sold as legal substitute for cannabis. The Google search engine was used to carry out an 8-language qualitative assessment of information available on Spice products in a sample of about...
Adicciones
September 1, 2009
Cristina Mustata, Marta Torrens, Ricardo Pardo et al.
33 citations
Desde 2004 se venden en Internet y tiendas especializadas (smart shops) algunos preparados conteniendo mezclas de hierbas para fumar con la marca de Spice drugs. Estos productos se publicitan como una mezcla exótica de incienso aromático y se especifica que no son aptos para uso humano. Muchos usuarios, tras consumir estos productos fumados, refieren que sus efectos son similares a los del...
Journal of Clinical Psychopharmacology
September 12, 2008
Brian O’Mathúna, Magı́ Farré, Amin Rostami‐hodjegan et al.
68 citations
3,4-Methylenedioxymethamphetamine (MDMA, ecstasy) is a widely abused substituted amphetamine. MDMA is predominantly O-demethylenated in humans by cytochrome P450 isoforms 2D6 and 1A2 (CYP2D6 and CYP CYP1A2, respectively). MDMA is also a mechanism-based inhibitor of CYP2D6. A controlled clinical trial was conducted in 15 healthy male subjects whereby a probe drug, dextromethorphan (DEX), was...