Psychoactive natural products: overview of recent developments.
Annali dell'Istituto superiore di sanita 2014 DOI: 10.4415/ann_14_01_04 (opens in new tab)
Study at a glance
AI-extracted from the abstract| Characteristics | Review Peer reviewed |
|---|---|
| Topics | Cannabis |
| Keywords | Psychoactive natural products Mind-altering compounds Natural psychotropics Plant-based psychoactives Herbal psychoactives Ethnopharmacology Kava Kratom Kanna Substances Neuropharmacology Psychopharmacology Brain effects Behavioral effects Neurological mechanisms Mind influence Affect Molecular mechanisms Mechanisms of action Biochemical pathways Receptor interactions Cellular targets Pharmacodynamics Molecular secrets Detailing |
| Citations | 47 |
| Key findings | The paper reviews recent psychopharmacological findings on prominent and lesser-known psychoactive natural products, noting that the molecular mechanisms of major drugs like opium, cannabis, coca, and magic mushrooms have been elucidated. |
Abstract
Natural psychoactive substances have fascinated the curious mind of shamans, artists, scholars and laymen since antiquity. During the twentieth century, the chemical composition of the most important psychoactive drugs, that is opium, cannabis, coca and "magic mushrooms", has been fully elucidated. The mode of action of the principal ingredients has also been deciphered at the molecular level. In the past two decades, the use of herbal drugs, such as kava, kratom and Salvia divinorum, began to spread beyond their traditional geographical and cultural boundaries. The aim of the present paper is to briefly summarize recent findings on the psychopharmacology of the most prominent psychoactive natural products. Current knowledge on a few lesser-known drugs, including bufotenine, glaucine, kava, betel, pituri, lettuce opium and kanna is also reviewed. In addition, selected cases of alleged natural (or semi-natural) products are also mentioned.
Comparable studies
Other narrative reviews on cannabis, most cited first.
| Study | Year | Design | Participants |
|---|---|---|---|
| Causal association between cannabis and psychosis: examination of the evidence | 2004 | Review | |
| Cannabis sativa: A comprehensive ethnopharmacological review of a medicinal plant with a long history. General (historical and pharmacological review) | 2018 | Review | |
| Psychiatric effects of cannabis | 2001 | Review | |
| Beyond THC: The New Generation of Cannabinoid Designer Drugs | 2011 | Review | |
| Cannabidiol, a Cannabis sativa constituent, as an antipsychotic drug | 2006 | Review |
Citations in the library
Cited by 16
- Novel psychoactive substances of interest for psychiatry World Psychiatry February 1, 2016
- The hallucinogenic world of tryptamines: an updated review. Archives of Toxicology August 1, 2015
- Recreational Use, Analysis and Toxicity of Tryptamines Current Neuropharmacology December 10, 2014
- Novel psychoactive substances: the pharmacology of stimulants and hallucinogens Expert Review of Clinical Pharmacology March 17, 2016
- Exploring DMT: Endogenous role and therapeutic potential. Neuropharmacology May 1, 2025
and 11 more in the library
Cites 46
- Salvinorin A: a potent naturally occurring nonnitrogenous kappa opioid selective agonist. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences September 3, 2002
- Human Pharmacology of Ayahuasca: Subjective and Cardiovascular Effects, Monoamine Metabolite Excretion, and Pharmacokinetics Journal of Pharmacology and Experimental Therapeutics June 18, 2003
- Personality, Psychopathology, Life Attitudes and Neuropsychological Performance among Ritual Users of Ayahuasca: A Longitudinal Study PLoS One August 8, 2012
- Seeing with the eyes shut: Neural basis of enhanced imagery following ayahuasca ingestion Human Brain Mapping September 16, 2011
- The ibogaine medical subculture. Journal of Ethnopharmacology January 4, 2008
and 41 more in the library