Psilocybin, psilocin, 5-MeO-DMT, LSD and mescaline are classical hallucinogens whose recreational use has increased over recent decades (Brito-da-Costa et al., 2021; Dinis-Oliveira et al., 2019; Holze et al., 2021; Jiang et al., 2013). However, data on their interactions with cytochrome P450 (CYP450) enzymes remain scarce, despite the potential for clinically relevant drug–drug interactions....
Introduction: Psilocybin, the main psychoactive compound in Psilocybe mushrooms, has attracted interest for its potential therapeutic effects in neuropsychiatric disorders (Erkizia-Santamaría et al., 2025). However, preclinical data comparing its behavioral properties to whole mushroom extracts remain limited (Ali et al., 2023; Johnson-Groh, 2025). Objective: To investigate the reinforcing and...
Psilocybin is a hallucinogen produced by “magic mushrooms”, being rapidly metabolized in the organism into psilocin (Brito-da-Costa et al., 2022; Dinis-Oliveira, 2017). A scientific gap exists regarding the possible interactions between psilocybin/psilocin and CYP450 enzymes. Given their biological importance and since the binding of drugs to CYP450 enzymes can interfere with the metabolism of...
Background: Psilocybin, the main psychoactive compound found in Psilocybe mushrooms, has gained increasing attention due to its potential therapeutic effects in neuropsychiatric disorders [1]. Beyond its central effects, increasing evidence highlights the relevance of the gut–brain axis, suggesting that psychedelics may also influence intestinal microbiota composition. Whole mushroom extracts...
Background: Psilocybin, a key psychoactive compound found in Psilocybe mushrooms, has gained increasing attention due to its therapeutic potential in neuropsychiatric disorders [1]. However, comparative preclinical data between isolated psilocybin and whole mushroom extracts remain scarce, particularly regarding behavioural reinforcement and peripheral toxicity [2,3]. Objective: To compare the...
Background: Holding a relevant ritualistic and ethnomedicinal value among the Mesoamerican tribes, Tagetes lucida Cav. has recently seen its uses being translated into Western communities, primarily for recreational ends, given its psychoactivity. Despite the new popularity resurgence of entheogens, the available data concerning this plant’s pharmacological and safety profile remain scarce...
Background: Major depressive disorder (MDD) is a highly prevalent and disabling psychiatric condition associated with substantial clinical, social, and economic burden [1,2]. Despite the availability of conventional antidepressants, their limited effectiveness, delayed onset of action, and high relapse rates have renewed interest in innovative therapeutic approaches [3,4,5]. Psilocybin-assisted...
Conventionally used for its stimulant, empathogenic and entactogenic effects, 3,4-methylenedioxymethamphetamine (MDMA, ecstasy) is one of the most commonly used psychoactive drugs, specifically among young adults and in nightlife and recreational party contexts. Often perceived as a safe drug, MDMA can display an array of toxic effects on multiple organs, with hyponatraemia (a low blood sodium...
Journal of EthnopharmacologyJanuary 30, 2025Maria Rita Garcia, Federico Ferreres, Tiago Mineiro et al.3 citations
The use of "Mexican calea" (Calea zacatechichi Schltdl.) in ritualistic ceremonies, due to its dream-inducing effects, was until recently limited to indigenous communities in Mexico. However, the plant has recently gained popularity in Western societies being commonly used in recreational settings. Despite the traditional and recreational uses, mechanisms underlying its reported oneirogenic...
Psychedelic compounds, including psilocybin, psilocin, lysergic acid diethylamide (LSD), 5-methoxy-N,N-dimethyltryptamine (5-MeO-DMT), and mescaline, have long been recognized for their recreational effects and involvement in forensic cases. They have recently gained attention also for their potential therapeutic applications in treating neurological and psychiatric disorders [1]. Despite this...
Synthetic cannabinoids (SCs) are a chemically diverse group of new psychoactive substances (NPSs) that target the endocannabinoid system, triggering a plethora of actions (e.g., elevated mood sensation, relaxation, appetite stimulation) that resemble, but are more intense than, those induced by cannabis. Although some of these effects have been explored for therapeutic applications, anticipated...
Salvia divinorum Epling and Játiva is a perennial mint from the Lamiaceae family, endemic to Mexico, predominantly from the state of Oaxaca. Due to its psychoactive properties, S. divinorum had been used for centuries by Mazatecans for divinatory, religious, and medicinal purposes. In recent years, its use for recreational purposes, especially among adolescents and young adults, has...
Synthetic phenethylamines are widely abused drugs, comprising new psychoactive substances such as synthetic cathinones, but also well-known amphetamines such as methamphetamine and 3,4-methylenedioxymethamphetamine (MDMA, ecstasy). Cathinones and amphetamines share many toxicodynamic mechanisms. One of their potentially life-threatening consequences, particularly of MDMA, is serotonin-mediated...
Background:Mescaline (3,4,5-trimethoxyphenethylamine), mainly found in the Peyote cactus (Lophophora williamsii), is one of the oldest known hallucinogenic agents that influence human and animal behavior, but its psychoactive mechanisms remain poorly understood.Objective:This article aims to fully review pharmacokinetics and pharmacodynamics of mescaline, focusing on the in vivo and in vitro...
ABSTRACT: Hepatic injury after 3,4‐methylenedioxymethamphetamine (MDMA; ecstasy) intoxications is highly unpredictable and does not seem to correlate with either dosage or frequency of use. The mechanisms involved include the drug metabolic bioactivation and the hyperthermic state of the liver triggered by its thermogenic action and exacerbated by the environmental circumstances of abuse at hot...