Andrea Mastinu

Department of Molecular and Translational Medicine, University of Brescia, Viale Europa 11, 25123 Brescia, Italy.

2 papers in the library · 714 citations · publishing 2018-2023

Papers

Cannabis sativa: A comprehensive ethnopharmacological review of a medicinal plant with a long history.

Journal of ethnopharmacology December 5, 2018 Sara Anna Bonini, Marika Premoli, Simone Tambaro et al. 669 citations

Cannabis sativa L. is an annual dioecious plant originating alongside early Asian agriculture. Its parts have been used therapeutically and recreationally, with Δ-9-tetrahydrocannabinol as the key psychoactive constituent. The phylogenetically ancient endocannabinoid system, present in primitive vertebrates, includes ligands AEA and 2-AG and receptors CB1 and CB2. This review critically evaluates ethnological, botanical, chemical, and pharmacological aspects of C. sativa from ancient times to the present, drawing on international databases, books, dissertations, and unpublished resources. Findings confirm its traditional uses and popularity as a recreational drug. Phytocannabinoids are suggested to be involved in pathophysiological mechanisms including food intake, inflammation, pain, colitis, sleep disorders, and neurological and psychiatric illness. Despite medicinal benefits, they remain banned worldwide except in a few countries.

DOI: 10.1016/j.jep.2018.09.004 Full text Cannabis sativa l. Endocannabinoids Ethnobotany Phytocannabinoids +1

The Bright Side of Psychedelics: Latest Advances and Challenges in Neuropharmacology

International Journal of Molecular Sciences January 10, 2023 Andrea Mastinu, Margrate Anyanwu, Marinella Carone et al. 45 citations

Psychedelic compounds such as psilocybin and LSD are being reexamined as potential treatments for psychiatric disorders like depression, obsessive-compulsive disorder, and post-traumatic stress disorder, though clinical results remain unclear and definitive. The mechanisms of action of these molecules are not fully understood. This review summarizes the ethnobotanical uses of well-known psychedelic plants and the pharmacological mechanisms of their active ingredients. It provides an overview of structural and computational studies on the binding of ibogaine, mescaline, DMT, psilocin, and LSD to biological receptors. Recent clinical studies evaluating psychedelics in psychiatric disorders are compared with existing therapies.

DOI: 10.3390/ijms24021329 Lysergic acid diethylamide Mescaline Psilocybin Neuropharmacology +5