Frontiers in Pharmacology
2025
Georgina de la Rosa, Esther Papaseit, Olga Hladun et al.
7 citations
Alpha-pyrrolidinopentiophenone (α-PVP) is a commonly consumed analogue of pyrovalerone, a synthetic cathinone with psychostimulant properties similar to those of 3,4-Methylenedioxypyrovalerone (MDPV) and cocaine. Since the pharmacology of α-PVP remains scarcely studied, we aimed to evaluate the acute pharmacological effects and its abuse potential in humans after intranasal administration. We...
Journal of Pharmaceutical and Biomedical Analysis
January 20, 2024
Alfredo Fabrizio Lo Faro, Giorgia Sprega, Diletta Beradinelli et al.
14 citations
In the present study enantioselective high-performance liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS) methods were developed for the quantitative determination of 3,4-methylenedioxy-methamphetamine (MDMA) and its major phase-1 metabolites 4-hydroxy-3-methoxyamphetamine (HMA), 4-hydroxy-3-methoxymethamphetamine (HMMA) and 3,4-methylenedioxyamphetamine (MDA) in human plasma, sweat,...
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...
International Journal of Molecular Sciences
November 23, 2022
Lourdes Poyatos, Alfredo Fabrizio Lo Faro, Diletta Berardinelli et al.
22 citations
The aim of this study is to define, for the first time, human methylone and HMMC plasma pharmacokinetics following controlled administration of 50–200 mg methylone to 12 male volunteers. A new LC-MS/MS method was validated to quantify methylone, MDMA, and their metabolites in plasma. The study was a randomized, cross-over, double-blinded and placebo-controlled study, with a total of 468 plasma...
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...
Handbook of Substance Misuse and Addictions
2022
Esther Papaseit, Magí Farré, Clara Pérez‐mañá
Public health focused on drug use is considered a balancing act between preventing illicit use of drugs of abuse and ensuring access to drugs/medicines with abuse potential for a medical condition. Whereas clinically relevant drug interactions for medicines are widely recognized and are included in most pharmacovigilance systems, drug interactions with drugs of abuse are mainly underexplored,...
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...
Biology
March 24, 2021
Nunzia La Maida, Esther Papaseit, Lucía Martínez de Soto et al.
14 citations
Synthetic cannabinoids (SCs) are one of the most frequent classes of new psychoactive substances monitored by the EU Early Warning System and World Health Organization. UR-144 is a SC with a relative low affinity for the CB1 receptor with respect to that for the CB2 receptor. As with other cannabinoid receptor agonists, it has been monitored by the EU Early Warning System since 2012 for severe...
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 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 Analytical Toxicology
October 3, 2016
Eulàlia Olesti, Mitona Pujadas, Esther Papaseit et al.
41 citations
Increasing consumption has been observed among young people of new psychoactive substances, including synthetic cathinone derivatives. The most well known of these is mephedrone whose use has been related to acute intoxication and fatality. Several methods able to detect mephedrone have been reported, although to date, none have been applied to human pharmacokinetic studies in a controlled...
Journal of Psychopharmacology
August 25, 2016
EB de Sousa Fernandes Perna, Esther Papaseit, Clara Pérez‐mañá et al.
26 citations
Recreational use of mephedrone, alone and in combination with alcohol, has increased over the past years. Pharmacological properties of mephedrone share similarities with methylenedioxymethamphetamine (MDMA), but its effect on neurocognitive function has not been well established in humans. The present study assessed the effect of mephedrone alone and after co-administration with alcohol on...