Journal of Pharmaceutical and Biomedical Analysis
August 1, 2026
Magdaléna Vágnerová, Petr Palivec, Monika Mrňavá et al.
N-benzylphenethylamines are a class of new psychoactive substances (NPS) that are increasingly being used as recreational drugs with a wide range of adverse effects, possibly even death. Currently, the appearance of new N-benzylphenethylamines far outweighs the studies of their metabolism. One of such compounds, 25E-NBOH, has been on the market for the last seven years but its pharmacological...
Pharmacology, biochemistry, and behavior
June 30, 2026
Lucie Ladislavová, Viera Kútna, Kristýna Mazochová et al.
Psilocin (4-hydroxy-N, N-dimethyltryptamine) is a substituted tryptamine alkaloid and a nonselective serotonergic agonist acting predominantly at 5-HT2A/C receptors, with substantial binding to 5-HT1A and 5-HT2B receptors. Microdosing is the practice of taking a very small, sub-perceptual dose, typically 5% to 10% of a full recreational dose, to improve mood, creativity, and focus without...
Physiological research
May 12, 2026
Marcel Bochin, Čestmír Vejmola, Vlastimil Koudelka et al.
Cannabinoids modulate brain network activity, yet the spatial organization and temporal evolution of their electrophysiological effects remain insufficiently characterized in animal models. Here, we investigated how acute oral administration of ?9-tetrahydrocannabinol (THC; 10 mg/kg), cannabidiol (CBD; 10 mg/kg), and their combination influences resting-state EEG dynamics in freely moving rats....
Addiction Biology
March 1, 2026
Isis Koutrouli, Vojtěch Brejtr, Marek Schwendt et al.
Psychedelics have emerged as potential therapeutics for substance use disorders, yet preclinical data validating their efficacy remain limited. Here, we investigated the effects of a clinically inspired dose-escalation protocol of psilocybin and ibogaine on extinction and cue-induced reinstatement in Wistar male rats following intravenous cocaine self-administration (IVSA). Rats were trained on...
Biological Psychiatry Global Open Science
September 1, 2025
Čestmír Vejmola, Klára Šíchová, Kateřina Syrová et al.
4 citations
Psychedelics, particularly psilocin, are increasingly being studied for their mind-altering effects and potential therapeutic applications in psychiatry. Visual hallucinations, especially the illusion of motion in static images, are a hallmark of their action. Despite growing interest, the underlying mechanisms remain poorly understood, as their systematic evaluation in both humans and animals...
The International Journal of Neuropsychopharmacology
August 1, 2025
Klára Šíchová, Barbara Mallarino, Lucie Janeckova et al.
1 citation
Hexahydrocannabinol (HHC) is a new psychoactive substance known for its mind-altering effects and temporary legal status. It is widely used in parts of the Europe and United Kingdom as a legal alternative to ∆9-tetrahydrocannabinol, yet little research has explored its effects and safety. This study examined how HHC is processed in the body, its toxicity, and its impact on behavior in male...
Progress in neuro-psychopharmacology & biological psychiatry
July 5, 2025
Hynek Danda, Kristýna Mazochová, Klára Šíchová et al.
1 citation
Baeocystin is a naturally occurring tryptamine-based compound found in various psychoactive mushrooms, including in several species of Psilocybe genus. Due to its structural similarity to psilocybin, which has shown a therapeutic potential in treatment of psychiatric disorders, there is a growing interest in investigating whether baeocystin exhibits comparable effects. This study investigated...
Journal of psychopharmacology (Oxford, England)
May 28, 2025
Yana Vella, Kateřina Syrová, Aneta Petrušková et al.
1 citation
Recent evidence suggests that psychedelics can induce rapid and long-lasting antidepressant effects. The generally acknowledged explanation for these traits is the phenomenon of neuroplasticity, although the exact underlying molecular mechanisms remain unclear. This study investigates the effects of psilocin, lysergic acid diethylamide (LSD) and N,N-dimethyltryptamine (DMT) on synaptogenesis...
Progress in neuro-psychopharmacology & biological psychiatry
March 20, 2025
Kristýna Štefková-mazochová, Hynek Danda, Vladimír Mazoch et al.
3 citations
Methoxphenidine (MXP) is classified as a new psychoactive substance that has recently emerged on the illicit drug market. Understanding the pharmacological and behavioural profiles of newly emerging drugs is essential for a better understanding of their psychotropic effects and potential toxicity. Therefore, in this study, we investigated a broad range of effects of acute MXP administration:...
Pharmacology, biochemistry, and behavior
December 1, 2024
Lucie Olejníková-Ladislavová, Michaela Fujáková-Lipski, Klára Šíchová et al.
5 citations
Mescaline is a classical psychedelic compound with a phenylethylamine structure that primarily acts on serotonin 5-HT2A/C receptors, but also binds to 5-HT1A and 5-HT2B receptors. Despite being the first psychedelic ever isolated and synthesized, the precise role of different serotonin receptor subtypes in its behavioral pharmacology is not fully understood. In this study, we aimed to...
October 2, 2024
Klára Šíchová, Barbara Mallarino, Lucie Janeckova et al.
Background and purpose: Hexahydrocannabinol (HHC) is a novel psychoactive substance that has gained attention due to its psychotropic effects and temporary legal status. It is widely abused in several EU and US countries, where it serves as a legal and easily accessible alternative to ∆ 9 -tetrahydrocannabinol (∆ 9 -THC). Despite its widespread use, few studies have examined its in vivo effects...
bioRxiv Preprint Server
August 28, 2024
Lucie Olejníková-Ladislavová, Michaela Fujáková-Lipski, Klára Šíchová et al.
preprint
Rationale Mescaline is a classical psychedelic compound with a phenylethylamine structure that primarily acts on serotonin 5-HT2A/C receptors, but also binds to 5-HT1A and 5-HT2B receptors. Despite being the first psychedelic ever isolated and synthesized, the precise role of different serotonin receptor subtypes in its behavioral pharmacology is not fully understood.
IBRO Neuroscience Reports
October 1, 2023
Čestmír Vejmola, Kateřina Syrová, Klára Šíchová et al.
GABAB receptors are the metabotropic GABA neurotransmitter receptors in the central nervous system constituting a fundamental part of the inhibitory modulation mechanism.These receptors are heterodimers composed of GABAB1 and GABAB2 which function is modulated by the potassium channel tetramerization domain proteins (KCTD) from clade F (KCTD16; KCTD12 and KCTD8).In our experiments we explored...
Frontiers in Pharmacology
2023
Kateřina Syrová, Klára Šíchová, Hynek Danda et al.
4 citations
Introduction: N-2-methoxy-benzylated ("NBOMe") analogues of phenethylamine are a group of new psychoactive substances (NPS) with reported strong psychedelic effects in sub-milligram doses linked to a number of severe intoxications, including fatal ones. In our present work, we provide a detailed investigation of pharmacokinetics and acute behavioural effects of 2C-B-Fly-NBOMe...
Addiction Biology
August 4, 2022
Klára Šíchová, Kateřina Syrová, Edita Kofroňová et al.
8 citations
agonists containing substances emerging on the illicit drug market as a replacement for N,N-diethyllysergamide (LSD). Despite the increasing use of NBOMes for diagnostic, research and recreational purposes, only a limited number of studies have focussed on their in vivo effect. Here, we investigated pharmacokinetics, systemic toxicity, thermoregulation in individually and group-housed animals,...
British Journal of Pharmacology
2022
Kristýna Štefková-mazochová, Hynek Danda, Wim Dehaen et al.
13 citations
Deschloroketamine (DCK), a structural analogue of ketamine, has recently emerged on the illicit drug market as a recreational drug with a modestly long duration of action. Despite it being widely used by recreational users, no systematic research on its effects has been performed to date. Pharmacokinetics, acute effects, and addictive potential in a series of behavioural tests in Wistar rats...
Metabolites
November 12, 2021
Jitka Nykodemová, Anna Šuláková, Petr Palivec et al.
14 citations
Compounds from the N-benzylphenethylamine (NBPEA) class of novel psychoactive substances are being increasingly utilized in neurobiological and clinical research, as diagnostic tools, or for recreational purposes. To understand the pharmacology, safety, or potential toxicity of these substances, elucidating their metabolic fate is therefore of the utmost interest. Several studies on NBPEA...
Metabolites
March 31, 2021
Anna Šuláková, Jitka Nykodemová, Petr Palivec et al.
11 citations
N-Benzylphenethylamines are novel psychedelic substances increasingly used for research, diagnostic, or recreational purposes. To date, only a few metabolism studies have been conducted for N-2-methoxybenzylated compounds (NBOMes). Thus, the available 2,5-dimethoxy-4-(2-((2-methoxybenzyl)amino)ethyl)benzonitrile (25CN-NBOMe) metabolism data are limited. Herein, we investigated the metabolic...
Addiction Biology
May 7, 2020
Nikola Pinterová, Rachel R. Horsley, Hynek Danda et al.
13 citations
Naphthylpyrovalerone (naphyrone) is a pyrovalerone cathinone that potently inhibits monoamine transporters and provides stimulatory-entactogenic effects. Little is known about the safety of naphyrone or its effects in vivo, and more research is needed to acquire knowledge about its fundamental effects on physiology and behaviour. Our objective was to investigate naphyrone's pharmacokinetics,...
Frontiers in Psychiatry
January 10, 2018
Klára Šíchová, Nikola Pinterová, Monika Židková et al.
28 citations
Mephedrone (MEPH) is a synthetic cathinone derivative with effects that mimic MDMA and/or cocaine. Our study in male Wistar rats provides detailed investigations of MEPH's and its primary metabolite nor-mephedrone's (nor-MEPH) pharmacokinetics and bio-distribution to four different substrates (serum, brain, lungs, and liver), as well as comparative analysis of their effects on locomotion [open...
Frontiers in Psychiatry
November 17, 2017
Kristýna Štefková, Monika Židková, Rachel R. Horsley et al.
82 citations
-methylcathinone) is a synthetic cathinone analog of the recreational drug ecstasy. Although it is marketed to recreational users as relatively safe, fatalities due to hyperthermia, serotonin syndrome, and multi-organ system failure have been reported. Since psychopharmacological data remain scarce, we have focused our research on pharmacokinetics, and on a detailed evaluation of temporal...