Exp Clin Psychopharmacol
August 1, 2016
Albert Garcia‐romeu, Brennan Kersgaard, Peter H. Addy
198 citations
Hallucinogens are grouped into classes—psychedelics, entactogens, dissociatives, and others—based on how they work in the brain and their chemical structure. While these classes have different primary mechanisms, they all can temporarily and profoundly change consciousness, affecting body sensations, perception, thinking, and emotions. These effects likely explain their recreational use, but a growing body of evidence suggests therapeutic applications beyond abuse potential. This review covers data on several hallucinogen classes, focusing on psychedelics, entactogens, and dissociatives, where clinical utility is best documented. It traces historical insights, compares classes from molecular to behavioral levels, and presents up-to-date clinical research with implications for therapeutic value.
The International Journal of Neuropsychopharmacology
June 5, 2015
Marta Valle, Montserrat Puntes, Jimena Coimbra et al.
75 citations
Salvinorin-A, a compound from the plant Salvia divinorum that activates kappa-opioid receptors, produces dose-dependent changes in perception and body awareness. In eight healthy volunteers with prior psychedelic experience, vaporized salvinorin-A at 0.25, 0.50, and 1 mg caused detachment from external reality, elaborate visions, and auditory phenomena. Lower doses increased bodily sensations, while the highest dose produced a complete loss of contact with the body. The effects on body awareness followed an inverted-U pattern, suggesting the kappa-opioid receptor plays a key role in regulating sensory perception, interoception, and the sense of body ownership.
Psychopharmacology
March 1, 2012
Peter H. Addy
71 citations
In a double-blind, placebo-controlled, randomized study, thirty middle-aged, well-educated adults with prior hallucinogen experience smoked either an active dose (1,017 μg) or a very low dose (100 μg) of salvinorin A, the active compound in Salvia divinorum, two weeks apart. On the active dose, participants talked, laughed, and moved more, and all six clusters of the Hallucinogen Rating Scale were significantly elevated, indicating hallucinogenic experiences. No significant adverse events occurred during sessions or were reported after eight weeks. The results show both similarities and differences between salvinorin A and other hallucinogens, and as a selective kappa opioid receptor agonist, it may offer a novel way to study hallucinogenic states beyond serotonin mechanisms.
Journal of psychopharmacology (Oxford, England)
April 1, 2015
Peter H. Addy, Albert Garcia‐romeu, Matthew Metzger et al.
38 citations
In a double-blind, randomized, placebo-controlled trial, 30 healthy individuals who inhaled Salvia divinorum reported rapid, intense, and unique experiences. The experience included marked changes in auditory, visual, and internal bodily sensations, loss of normal self and environmental awareness, and various delusional phenomena. Three main themes and 10 subthemes of acute intoxication emerged from qualitative analysis of interviews and follow-ups, supported by quantitative Hallucinogen Rating Scale data. The findings provide an initial framework for understanding the subjective effects of this emerging drug of abuse and also examine its abuse potential post hoc.
The International Journal of Neuropsychopharmacology
February 12, 2016
Marta Valle, Montserrat Puntes, Jimena Coimbra et al.
31 citations
Salvinorin-A, a terpene from the plant Salvia divinorum, induces an intense but short-lasting altered state of awareness similar to classical psychedelics, but it acts on kappa-opioid receptors rather than serotonin-2A receptors. In a double-blind, placebo-controlled study with 24 healthy volunteers experienced with psychedelics, inhalation of 1 mg of vaporized salvinorin-A severely reduced external sensory perception, caused intense visual and auditory modifications, and increased systolic blood pressure, cortisol, and prolactin. These effects were effectively blocked by the opioid antagonist naltrexone (50 mg orally) but not by the serotonin-2A antagonist ketanserin (40 mg orally), confirming that salvinorin-A's mechanism involves kappa-opioid receptor agonism and not serotonin-2A agonism.