Designer Drugs and Novel Psychoactive Substances: Chemistry, Toxicological Effects, Abuse Trends, and Forensic Challenges

Summary

Designer drugs, also known as novel psychoactive substances (NPSs), are synthetic compounds that mimic the effects of controlled drugs while evading legal restrictions. Their rapid emergence poses serious public health and forensic challenges due to abuse potential, unpredictable toxicity, and constant structural changes. This review covers their classification, chemistry, street names, mechanisms of action, and effects on the cardiovascular, neurological, renal, hepatic, and psychiatric systems, including psychosis, hallucinations, aggression, addiction, and fatal overdose. It also examines global abuse patterns, online drug markets, and social media distribution. Forensic toxicology challenges are discussed, highlighting advanced analytical techniques such as GC–MS, LC–MS/MS, high-resolution mass spectrometry, and AI-assisted methods. The review calls for enhanced monitoring, regulatory updates, and multidisciplinary strategies.

Study at a glance

Abstract

Designer drugs or Novel Psychoactive Substances (NPSs) are synthetic compounds developed to mimic the pharmacological effects of controlled substances, but circumventing legal restrictions. The swift appearance of these compounds has become a significant concern to the global public health and forensic science owing to their increasing abuse potential, unpredictable toxicity, and continuous structural modifications. This review article offers a comprehensive overview of designer drugs, covering their classification, chemistry, pharmacological properties, street names, mechanisms of action, physiological and psychological effects, and current trends in abuse. The review also considers their side-effects on the cardiovascular, neurological, renal, hepatic and psychiatric systems including psychosis, hallucinations, aggression, addiction and fatal overdose. It critically analyses current global patterns of abuse, online drug markets and social media driven distribution. The forensic toxicology challenges in connection with detection, identification and interpretation of designer drugs are also reviewed with emphasis on the use of advanced analytical techniques including GC–MS, LC–MS/MS, high-resolution mass spectrometry and emerging AI-assisted forensic approaches. The review highlights the urgent need for more extensive forensic monitoring, regulatory changes, and multidisciplinary strategies to combat the rapidly evolving epidemic of designer drugs.