Acute Pharmacological Effects and Oral Fluid Biomarkers of the Synthetic Cannabinoid UR-144 and THC in Recreational Users
Nunzia La Maida, Esther Papaseit, Lucía Martínez de Soto, Clara Pérez‐mañá, Lourdes Poyatos, Manuela Pellegrini, Simona Pichini, Roberta Pacifici, Mireia Ventura, Liliana Galindo, Francesco Paolo Busardò, Magı́ Farré
Biology March 24, 2021 DOI: 10.3390/biology10040257 (opens in new tab)
Study at a glance
AI-extracted from the abstract| Characteristics | Observational study Peer reviewed |
|---|---|
| Sample size | 16 |
| Population | Human volunteers |
| Intervention | UR-144 |
| Dose | 1 or 1.5 mg UR-144; 10 or 20 mg THC |
| Duration | 4 hours after smoking |
| Measures | Visual Analog Scales (VAS), Addiction Research Centre Inventory (ARCI)-49-item short form, Evaluation of the Subjective Effects of Substances with Abuse Potential (VESSPA-SSE) |
| Topics | Cannabis |
| Keywords | Heart rate Cannabinoid receptor Blood pressure Synthetic cannabinoids Delta-9-tetrahydrocannabinol Adverse effect Pharmacology |
| Citations | 14 |
| Key findings | UR-144 produces similar cardiovascular effects to THC but with lower intensity of subjective effects. |
Abstract
Synthetic cannabinoids (SCs) are one of the most frequent classes of new psychoactive substances monitored by the EU Early Warning System and World Health Organization. UR-144 is a SC with a relative low affinity for the CB1 receptor with respect to that for the CB2 receptor. As with other cannabinoid receptor agonists, it has been monitored by the EU Early Warning System since 2012 for severe adverse effects on consumers. Since data for UR-144 human pharmacology are very limited, an observational study was carried out to evaluate its acute pharmacological effects following its administration using a cannabis joint as term of comparison. Disposition of UR-144 and delta-9-tetrahydrocannibinol (THC) was investigated in oral fluid. Sixteen volunteers smoked a joint prepared with tobacco and 1 or 1.5 mg dose of UR-144 (n = 8) or cannabis flowering tops containing 10 or 20 mg THC (n = 8). Physiological variables including systolic and diastolic blood pressure, heart rate and cutaneous temperature were measured. A set of Visual Analog Scales (VAS), the Addiction Research Centre Inventory (ARCI)-49-item short form version and the Evaluation of the Subjective Effects of Substances with Abuse Potential (VESSPA-SSE) were administered to evaluate subjective effects. Oral fluid was collected at baseline, 10, 20, 40 min and 1, 2, 3 and 4 h after smoking, for UR-144 or THC concentration monitoring. Results showed significant statistical increases in both systolic and diastolic blood pressure and heart rate after both UR-144 and cannabis smoking. Both substances produced an increase in VAS related to stimulant-like and high effects, but scores were significantly higher after cannabis administration. No hallucinogenic effects were observed. Maximal oral fluid UR-144 and THC concentrations appeared at 20 and 10 min after smoking, respectively. The presence of UR-144 in oral fluid constitutes a non-invasive biomarker of SC consumption. The results of this observational study provide valuable preliminary data of the pharmacological effects of UR-144, showing a similar profile of cardiovascular effects in comparison with THC but lower intensity of subjective effects. Our results have to be confirmed by research in a larger sample to extensively clarify pharmacological effects and the health risk profile of UR-144.
Comparable studies
Other observational and cohort studies on cannabis, most cited first.
| Study | Year | Design | Participants |
|---|---|---|---|
| High-potency cannabis and the risk of psychosis People with first episode of psychosis and healthy controls from the local population | 2009 | Case-control study | n = 454 |
| Ayahuasca-Assisted Therapy for Addiction: Results from a Preliminary Observational Study in Canada Rural aboriginal population | 2013 | Observational study | |
| Impaired cognitive performance in drug free users of recreational ecstasy (MDMA) Otherwise healthy young people | 2000 | Observational | |
| Continued cannabis use and risk of incidence and persistence of psychotic symptoms: 10 year follow-up cohort study Individuals from the general population in Germany aged 14-24 at baseline | 2011 | Observational cohort | n = 1,923 |
| Cannabis-induced psychosis and subsequent schizophrenia-spectrum disorders: follow-up study of 535 incident cases Patients treated for cannabis-induced psychotic symptoms in Denmark between 1994 and... | 2005 | Observational cohort | n = 535 |
Citations in the library
Cited by 2
- A Comparison of Acute Pharmacological Effects of Methylone and MDMA Administration in Humans and Oral Fluid Concentrations as Biomarkers of Exposure Biology August 17, 2021
- A Comparison of Acute Neurocognitive and Psychotomimetic Effects of a Synthetic Cannabinoid and Natural Cannabis at Psychotropic Dose Equivalence Frontiers in Psychiatry May 19, 2022
Cites 7
- Baths Salts, Spice, and Related Designer Drugs: The Science Behind the Headlines Journal of Neuroscience November 12, 2014
- Acute Pharmacological Effects of 2C-B in Humans: An Observational Study Frontiers in Pharmacology March 13, 2018
- Acute Effects of the Novel Psychoactive Drug 2C-B on Emotions BioMed Research International 2015
- Acute Effects of 2C-E in Humans: An Observational Study Frontiers in Pharmacology March 18, 2020
- Cannabinoids: from pot to lab International Journal of Medical Sciences August 6, 2018
and 2 more in the library