Despite recent clinical and research interest, medical use of psychedelics has not been legalised in most jurisdictions. The Australian Therapeutic Goods Administration rescheduled methylenedioxymethamphetamine (MDMA) in July 2023 to permit authorised prescribing of MDMA for Post-traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) outside of the clinical trial setting. This manuscript describes the development of...
3,4-methylenedioxymethamphetamine (MDMA)-assisted therapy (MDMA-AT) has shown promising safety and efficacy in phase 3 studies of post-traumatic stress disorder, but has not been investigated for a primary diagnosis of major depressive disorder (MDD). We aimed to explore the proof of principle and safety as a first study with MDMA-AT for MDD, and to provide preliminary efficacy data. Twelve...
Research into psychedelics has gained renewed interest due to their potential to address psychiatric, neurological, and other peripheral conditions. These substances offer long-term therapeutic benefits, contrasting with the side effects and limitations of current psychiatric medicines. This study examines the legislations and regulatory frameworks for psychedelics in Australia, Canada, The...
Psychedelic compounds such as ketamine and MDMA have shown therapeutic promise for mood and trauma-related disorders, yet their molecular mechanisms remain unclear. This study applied a Brain-Epigenome-Wide Association Study (BEWAS) to assess DNA methylation changes in brain-enriched genes following treatment. Pre- and post-treatment blood (ketamine, N = 20) and saliva (MDMA, N = 16) samples...
Previous research has reported that pre-exposure to a variety of drugs of abuse can impact (reduce) the aversive effects of themselves and other abused compounds, often as a function of their shared pharmacological activity. In this context, the present series of studies investigated the effects of history with the synthetic cathinone eutylone on the aversive effects of cocaine, MDMA, and...
BackgroundDespite a limited evidence base to inform clinicians, Australia has adopted a national approach in rescheduling psilocybin and MDMA as clinical therapies for treatment-resistant depression (TRD) and post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), respectively.PurposeThis paper explores clinical research domains warranting further investigation through outlining the reflections of a...
The purpose of this research is to investigate developing misuse of certain psychotropic substances, depressants, hypnotics & stimulant drugs. The research is intended to generate a uniform understanding over cruel usage of certain drugs; in diminishing attentiveness, reducing senses & disturbing logical / cognitive skills. This guide is essential to understand how predatory drugs initiate...
MDMA induced the activation of microglia in the brain which would lead to neurotoxicity. The activation of microglia is associated with morphological changes and the production of inflammatory phenotypes. While there is research suggesting that thymoquinone (TQ) may have anti-inflammatory effects and modulate microglial activation, studies specifically focusing on its impact on activated...
Currently, the most actively investigated rapidly acting antidepressants, anxiolytics and/or anti PTSD agents, include psychedelics e.g. psilocybin, LSD, N , N ‐dimethyltryptamine, ayahuasca; non‐hallucinogenic entactogens, e.g. MDMA; psychoplastogens which rapidly promote neuroplasticity, e.g. ibogaine, ketamine and esketamine; and other atypicals e.g. dextromorphan/bupropion, esmethadone....
Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) is a debilitating psychiatric condition triggered by exposure to traumatic events, with complex neurobiological anomalies that remain incompletely understood. This review aims to comprehensively explore the neurocircuitry, neurochemical dysregulation, and emerging pharmacological targets associated with PTSD, offering a consolidated framework for developing...
The incidence of psychiatric disorders, such as post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), anxiety, and depression, has been steadily increasing, while current treatment approaches remain limited in efficacy. As a result, there is an urgent need to explore more effective therapeutic interventions. In recent years, MDMA (3,4- methylenedioxymethamphetamine)-assisted therapy (MDMA-AT) has emerged as a...
3,4-Methylenedioxymethamphetamine (MDMA, Ecstasy) is a recreational drug under clinical investigation for the treatment of central nervous system disorders, including post-traumatic stress disorder. Chemical synthesis of MDMA mainly relies on the use of safrole and piperonal as starting materials. We report a novel strategy integrating bioconversion and biocatalysis in the bioproduction of MDMA...
Zusammenfassung Die Psychotherapie mit Unterstützung durch 3,4-Methylendioxymethamphetamin MDMA, in der Öffentlichkeit bekannt als „Ecstasy“, befindet sich aktuell im Zulassungsprozess. Bisherige Studienergebnisse deuten auf eine gute Wirksamkeit MDMA-assistierter Psychotherapien hin. Auf Basis einer Literaturübersicht und vertieft durch Experteninterviews skizziert die vorliegende Arbeit, wie...
CureusJune 1, 2025Rabih Nasrallah, Amin Ossaily, Mazen Al Hammoud et al.2 citations
Ecstasy, also known as 3,4-methylenedioxymethamphetamine (MDMA), is widely used as a recreational drug known for its stimulating effects. While acute coronary syndrome and coronary vasospasm are frequently observed following cocaine and methamphetamine use, there have been few reported cases linking them to ecstasy use. We present a case of a 27-year-old, previously healthy, male presenting...
Rationale α-ET (α-ethyltryptamine), a homolog of the classical hallucinogen α-methyltryptamine, was once prescribed clinically as an antidepressant. Classical psychedelic drugs are currently of interest as potential pharmacotherapy for psychiatric disorders. Objectives Drug discrimination was used to (a) determine if α-ET-like stimulus effects could be engendered by the prototypical...
3,4-Methylenedioxymethamphetamine (MDMA), a psychoactive substance, has been proposed as a novel provocation test for oxytocin deficiency. Limited evidence suggests that MDMA may also stimulate the anterior pituitary. Therefore, this analysis aimed to investigate the acute effect of MDMA on the anterior pituitary in healthy adults. This secondary analysis utilized data from a double-blind,...
medRxivMay 29, 2025Paul B. Fitzgerald, Sara Webb, Nigel Christopher Denning et al.2 citations
preprint
Abstract Objective Despite many decades of experimental studies and clinical trials involving a variety of psychedelic agents, we still lack a comprehensive understanding of the effects of these substances on psychological experiences. As such, we designed and conducted a study to comprehensively characterise the effects of both psilocybin and 3,4-Methylenedioxymethamphetamine (MDMA) on a range...
Safety and tolerability data from the first open-label feasibility study of 3,4-methylenedioxymethamphetamine (MDMA)-assisted psychotherapy for alcohol use disorder was recently published. This paper presents a Bayesian analysis of the impact of MDMA-assisted psychotherapy on treatment success, defined as 2-level reduction in the World Health Organization (WHO) drinking risk at the 3 months...
Despite high-dose 3,4-methylenedioxymethamphetamine (MDMA) drug alerts being distributed, no research has been conducted as to changes in use in response. This study aimed to determine if: (i) high-dose MDMA drug alerts, and (ii) varied descriptions of dose, effects and actions to reduce harm were associated with intentions to reduce the initial MDMA dose in a hypothetical scenario. Australians...
Journal of Forensic SciencesMay 1, 2025Diane M Moore, Alexander D Giachetti, M Elizabeth Zaney et al.3 citations
Eight fatalities between September 2020 and July 2024 in Miami-Dade County involving the ingestion of colored powders, referred to as "tusi," "tucibi," or "pink cocaine," are reported. For each case, a description of the terminal event, the postmortem toxicology findings, the cause and manner of death, and the chemical composition of the "tusi" powder(s) found on or near the decedent are...