New psychoactive substances of natural origin: A brief review
Ling‐yi Feng, Altansuvd Battulga, Eunyoung Han, Heesun Chung, Jih-Heng Li
Journal of Food and Drug Analysis April 18, 2017 DOI: 10.1016/j.jfda.2017.04.001 (opens in new tab)
Study at a glance
AI-extracted from the abstract| Characteristics | Review Peer reviewed |
|---|---|
| Topics | Addiction Cannabis |
| Keywords | Khat Opium Traditional medicine Criminal liability Pharmacology Toxicology Criminology Criminal law Alkaloids |
| Citations | 86 |
| Key findings | Five common natural NPS—khat, kratom, salvia, magic mushroom, and mandrake—are reviewed for their chemistry, pharmacology, and toxicology to highlight their potential for abuse and the need for control measures. |
Abstract
Plant-based drugs of abuse are as old as recorded human history. Although traditional addictive substances, such as opium, cannabis and coca, have been controlled by the United Nations anti-drug conventions, many, if not most, natural plants with addictive or abuse liability remain elusive. Therefore, the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) has warned the emerging threat from new psychoactive substances (NPS), which are mostly derived or modified from the constituents of natural origin. For example, synthetic cannabinoids and synthetic cathinones are derived from the cannabis and khat plant, respectively. In this review, we briefly discussed the chemistry, pharmacology and toxicology of five common NPS of natural origin, i.e., khat, kratom, salvia, magic mushroom and mandrake. Through the review, we hope that professionals and general public alike can pay more attention to the potential problems caused by natural NPS, and suitable control measures will be taken.
In the evidence
This study is part of the evidence base for a synthesis in the library. Here is how each one recorded it.
-
Reviews natural new psychoactive substances including synthetic cannabinoids derived from cannabis, highlighting their potential for abuse and the need for control measures.
Synthesized
Comparable studies
Other narrative reviews on cannabis for addiction, most cited first.
| Study | Year | Design | Participants |
|---|---|---|---|
| The neuropsychopharmacology of cannabis: A review of human imaging studies | 2018 | Review | |
| Substance-Induced Psychoses: An Updated Literature Review General (substance-induced psychosis) | 2021 | Narrative review | |
| New Psychoactive Substances (NPS) – a Challenge for the Addiction Treatment Services | 2017 | Review | |
| Classic Psychedelics in Addiction Treatment: The Case for Psilocybin in Tobacco Smoking Cessation | 2022 | Review | |
| Policy in focus: Is psilocybin the next cannabis? | 2021 | Review |