Addiction (Abingdon, England)
July 7, 2026
Johanna J Nugteren-Van Lonkhuyzen, Irma S Van den Hengel-Koot, Claudine C Hunault et al.
Data on the presence of new psychoactive substances (NPS) mainly originate from drug-checking, law enforcement and wastewater analysis sources, while data on NPS poisonings are scarce. In Europe, the documented incidence rate of NPS poisonings is highest in the Netherlands. We investigated temporal trends in NPS poisonings reported to the Dutch Poisons Information Center (DPIC) between 2012 and...
Clinical Toxicology
March 4, 2026
Laura Hondebrink, Katrin Faber, Aza Kader et al.
1 citation
INTRODUCTION: Recreational drug poisonings pose a growing public health concern. European-level data remain limited, although poison centres are well placed to monitor related health incidents. This study analysed temporal trends in recreational drug poisonings reported to six European poison centres. METHODS: Aggregated retrospective data were collected over four years (2021-2024) from poison...
Clinical toxicology (Philadelphia, Pa.)
March 1, 2025
Joep J. J. Ouwerkerk, David M Wood, Alison M. Dines et al.
1 citation
This study hypothesized that 3,4-methylenedioxymetamfetamine intoxication presents with distinct clinical features and outcomes when combined with other substances of misuse, compared to mono-3,4-methylenedioxymetamfetamine intoxication. This study investigated the clinical presentation of acute mono-3,4-methylenedioxymetamfetamine intoxication, 3,4-methylenedioxymetamfetamine intoxication with...
Annals of emergency medicine
September 1, 2020
Johanna J Nugteren-Van Lonkhuyzen, Dylan W de Lange, Antoinette J H P van Riel et al.
12 citations
We studied the severity of poisoning after exposure to low to moderate and high doses of 4-bromo-2,5-dimethoxyphenethylamine (2C-B). Patients for whom the Dutch Poisons Information Centre was consulted for 2C-B exposure from 2016 to 2018 were included in a prospective cohort study. Data were collected through telephone interviews with the physician or patient. Patients were categorized...
Therapeutic Drug Monitoring
April 1, 2020
Funda Inan, Tibor M Brunt, Ramon R Contrucci et al.
9 citations
The novel phenethylamines 4-fluoroamphetamine (4-FA) and 2,5-dimethoxy-4-bromophenethylamine (2C-B) fall in the top 10 most used new psychoactive substances (NPSs) among high-risk substance users. Various phenethylamines and NPS are also highly used in populations with mental disorders, depression, or attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD). Moreover, NPS use is highly prevalent among...
Neurotoxicology
September 1, 2019
Anne Zwartsen, Laura Hondebrink, Remco Hs Westerink
22 citations
The use of new psychoactive substances (NPS) is increasing despite associated health risks and limited pharmacological and toxicological knowledge. Information is available mainly for acute effects on specific targets like monoamine transporters and receptors. Recently, we have shown the ability of several NPS and illicit drugs to modulate neuronal activity during acute exposure. While these...
Neurotoxicology
May 1, 2018
Anne Zwartsen, Laura Hondebrink, Remco Hs Westerink
42 citations
While the prevalence and the use of new psychoactive substances (NPS) is steadily increasing, data on pharmacological, toxicological and clinical effects is limited. Considering the large number of NPS available, there is a clear need for efficient in vitro screening techniques that capture multiple mechanisms of action. Neuronal cultures grown on multi-well microelectrode arrays (mwMEAs) have...
Pharmacology & Therapeutics
February 1, 2018
Laura Hondebrink, Anne Zwartsen, Remco H S Westerink
78 citations
The use of new psychoactive substances (NPS) is increasing and currently >600 NPS have been reported. However, limited information on neuropharmacological and toxicological effects of NPS is available, hampering risk characterization. We reviewed the literature on the in vitro neuronal modes of action to obtain effect fingerprints of different classes of illicit drugs and NPS. The most...
Toxicology in vitro : an international journal published in association with BIBRA
December 1, 2017
Anne Zwartsen, Anouk H A Verboven, Regina G D M Van Kleef et al.
59 citations
The prevalence and use of new psychoactive substances (NPS) is increasing and currently over 600 NPS exist. Many illicit drugs and NPS increase brain monoamine levels by inhibition and/or reversal of monoamine reuptake transporters (DAT, NET and SERT). This is often investigated using labor-intensive, radiometric endpoint measurements. We investigated the applicability of a novel and innovative...
Neuropharmacology
September 1, 2017
Laura Hondebrink, E. Kasteel, A. Tukker et al.
&NA; The use of new psychoactive substances (NPS) is steadily increasing. One commonly used NPS is methoxetamine (MXE), a ketamine analogue. Several adverse effects have been reported following MXE exposure, while only limited data are available on its neuropharmacological modes of action. We investigated the effects of MXE and ketamine on several endpoints using multiple in vitro models. These...
Drug and Alcohol Dependence
December 1, 2015
Johanna J Nugteren-Van Lonkhuyzen, Antoinette J H P van Riel, Tibor M Brunt et al.
48 citations
Recently, the number of new psychoactive substances (NPS) appearing on the illicit drug market has shown a marked increase. Although many users perceive the risk of using NPS as medium or low, these substances can pose a serious health risk and several NPS have been implicated in drug-related deaths. In Europe, frequently detected NPS are 4-bromo-2,5-dimethoxyphenethylamine (2C-B),...
Drug and Alcohol Dependence
February 1, 2015
Laura Hondebrink, Johanna J Nugteren-Van Lonkhuyzen, Daan van der Gouwe et al.
119 citations
In recent years, the number of new psychoactive substances (NPS) appearing on the illicit drug market strongly increased. However, little is known about their toxic effects and risks. Therefore, we determined the most frequently occurring NPS in The Netherlands and combined this with data regarding drug-related intoxications. Data from the Drugs Information and Monitoring System (DIMS) and the...
Critical Reviews in Toxicology
October 3, 2012
Saskia J. Rietjens, Laura Hondebrink, Remco H S Westerink et al.
51 citations
Clinical outcome following 3,4-methylenedioxymethamphetamine (MDMA) intake ranges from mild entactogenic effects to a life-threatening intoxication. Despite ongoing research, the clinically most relevant mechanisms causing acute MDMA-induced adverse effects remain largely unclear. This complicates the triage and treatment of MDMA users needing medical care. The user's genetic profile and...
Neurotoxicology
December 2011
L Hondebrink, J Meulenbelt, R G D M Van Kleef et al.
Drugs of abuse are known to mainly affect the dopaminergic and serotonergic system, although behavioral studies indicated that the GABA-ergic system also plays a role. We therefore investigated the acute effects of several commonly used drugs of abuse (methamphetamine, amphetamine, 3,4-methylenedioxymethamphetamine (MDMA), 3,4-methylenedioxyamphetamine (MDA) and meta-chlorophenylpiperazine...
Neuropharmacology
2011
Laura Hondebrink, Jan Meulenbelt, Marieke Meijer et al.
The popular synthetic drug of abuse 3,4-methylenedioxymethampetamine (MDMA) and its metabolite 3,4-methylenedioxyamphetamine (MDA) act mainly on the serotonergic system, though they also increase the amount of extracellular dopamine (DA) in the brain, presumably via reversal of the membrane dopamine transporter (DAT). As the involvement of exocytotic DA release is debated, we investigated if...