Pharmaceuticals
July 6, 2025
Pauline Braekow, Joachim Neumann, Uwe Kirchhefer et al.
Background/Objectives: Hallucinogenic substances such as psilocybin, psilocin, ergometrine, ergotamine, and lysergic acid diethylamide (LSD) have been demonstrated to enhance the force of contraction (FOC), in part due to the phosphorylation of phospholamban in human atrial preparations via 5-HT4 serotonin receptors and/or H2 histamine receptors. However, whether psilocybin or psilocin acts at...
Scientific Reports
February 25, 2025
Joachim Neumann, Tobias Dietrich, Karyna Azatsian et al.
2 citations
It is unclear whether hallucinogenic tryptamine derivatives namely N,N-dimethyl-tryptamine (DMT) and 5-methoxy-N,N-dimethyl-tryptamine (5-MeO-DMT) exert positive inotropic effects in the human heart. Therefore, we measured the inotropic effects of these drugs in isolated left and right atrial preparations of mice that overexpress human 5-HT4 receptors (5-HT4-TG) and preparations from wild type...
Toxicology Letters
June 12, 2024
Joachim Neumann, Kiril Dimov, Karyna Azatsian et al.
5 citations
Several fungi belonging to the genus Psilocybe, also called "magic mushrooms", contain the hallucinogenic drugs psilocybin and psilocin. They are chemically related to serotonin (5-HT). In addition to being abused as drugs, they are now also being discussed or used as a treatment option for depression. Here, we hypothesized that psilocybin and psilocin may act also on cardiac serotonin...
Naunyn-Schmiedeberg s Archives of Pharmacology
February 10, 2024
Joachim Neumann, Stefan Dhein, Uwe Kirchhefer et al.
2 citations
Central stimulatory and hallucinogenic drugs of abuse like amphetamine and most congeners of amphetamine can have cardiac harmful effects. These cardiac side effects can lead to morbidities and death. In this paper, we review current knowledge on the direct and indirect effects of these amphetamine congeners on the mammalian heart-more specifically, the isolated human heart muscle preparation....
Frontiers in Pharmacology
February 2, 2024
Joachim Neumann, Stefan Dhein, Uwe Kirchhefer et al.
12 citations
Hallucinogenic drugs are used because they have effects on the central nervous system. Their hallucinogenic effects probably occur via stimulation of serotonin receptors, namely, 5-HT 2A -serotonin receptors in the brain. However, a close study reveals that they also act on the heart, possibly increasing the force of contraction and beating rate and may lead to arrhythmias. Here, we will review...
Naunyn-Schmiedeberg's archives of pharmacology
2024
Ulrich Gergs, Hannes Jacob, Pauline Braekow et al.
16 citations
Lysergic acid diethylamide (LSD) is an artificial hallucinogenic drug. Thus, we hypothesized that LSD might act 5-HT4 serotonin receptors and/or H2 histamine receptors. We studied isolated electrically stimulated left atrial preparations, spontaneously beating right atrial preparations, and spontaneously beating Langendorff-perfused hearts from transgenic mice with cardiomyocyte-specific...
Naunyn-Schmiedeberg's archives of pharmacology
July 1, 2023
Joachim Neumann, Nils Schulz, Charlotte Fehse et al.
13 citations
It is unclear whether bufotenin (= N,N-dimethyl-serotonin = 5-hydroxy-N,N-dimethyl-tryptamine), a hallucinogenic drug, can act on human cardiac serotonin 5-HT4 receptors. Therefore, the aim of the study was to examine the cardiac effects of bufotenin and for comparison tryptamine in transgenic mice that only express the human 5-HT4 receptor in cardiomyocytes (5-HT4-TG), in their wild-type...
Naunyn-Schmiedeberg s Archives of Pharmacology
November 1, 2022
Joachim Neumann, Karyna Azatsian, Christian Höhm et al.
7 citations
Abstract The use of recreational drugs like ephedrine, norephedrine, 3,4-methylenedioxymethamphetamine (MDMA), and mescaline can lead to intoxication and, at worst, to death. One reason for a fatal course of intoxication with these drugs might lie in cardiac arrhythmias. To the best of our knowledge, their inotropic effects have not yet been studied in isolated human cardiac preparations....
Research Square
Ulrich Gergs, Hannes Jacob, Pauline Braekow et al.
1 citation
Abstract Introduction: Lysergic acid diethylamide (LSD) is an artificial hallucinogenic drug. Thus, we hypothesized that LSD might act 5-HT4 serotonin receptors and/or H2 histamine receptors. Methods: We studied isolated electrically stimulated left atrial preparations, spontaneously beating right atrial preparations, and spontaneously beating Langendorff-perfused hearts from transgenic mice...