2-(2,5-Dimethoxy-4-methylphenyl)-N-(2-methoxybenzyl)ethanamine (25D-NBOMe) and N-(2-methoxybenzyl)-2,5-dimethoxy-4-chlorophenethylamine (25C-NBOMe) induce adverse cardiac effects in vitro and in vivo.
Toxicology Letters April 1, 2019 K. S. Yoon, Jaesuk Yun, Young-Hoon Kim et al.
Two emerging psychoactive substances, 25D-NBOMe and 25C-NBOMe, show potential for disrupting heart rhythm, based on laboratory and animal tests. At 100 μM, both compounds reduced cell viability in a cell-based assay. In rats, doses of 2.0 mg/kg and 0.75 mg/kg prolonged QT intervals on electrocardiography, a marker of altered cardiac repolarization. The compounds also decreased levels of PAK1, a protein linked to cardiotoxicity, and 25D-NBOMe inhibited potassium channels in a hERG assay. The findings suggest these substances may pose a risk for cardiac arrhythmias, but further research is needed to clarify the role of PAK1 down-regulation.