Psychological Medicine
July 22, 2019
Fabrizio Schifano, Flavia Napoletano, Stefania Chiappini et al.
118 citations
A novel web-crawling tool called NPS.Finder® identified several thousand new psychoactive substances (NPS)—roughly four times more than European and international drug agencies report. Synthetic cannabinoids, new synthetic opioids, ketamine-like dissociatives, novel stimulants, novel psychedelics, and certain prescription and over-the-counter medicines were most commonly linked to psychopathological consequences. The rapid proliferation of recreational psychotropics poses a challenge for psychiatry because the pharmacodynamics and pharmacokinetics of many NPS remain poorly understood. Health and mental health professionals need up-to-date information on the range of NPS, their intake methods, sought-after effects, drug combinations, and associated medical and psychopathological risks.
Experimental neurology
May 1, 2021
Fabrizio Schifano, Stefania Chiappini, Andrea Miuli et al.
49 citations
Several new psychoactive substances (NPS) can trigger serotonin syndrome, a dangerous condition of excessive serotonin activity marked by altered mental status, neuromuscular effects, and autonomic hyperactivity. A systematic review of three retrospective studies, two case series, and five case reports identified implicated substances including psychedelic phenethylamines (2C-I, 25I-NBOMe, 5-IT) and synthetic cathinones (mephedrone, MDPV, methylone, butylone, NRG3, AMT, MXP), as well as the antidepressant bupropion when misused at high doses or combined with other serotonergic drugs. Most substances were taken orally, though nasal insufflation and sublingual administration occurred. Psychiatric history was negative for most subjects. Clinicians should recognize NPS risks and diagnostic challenges due to undetectability in routine drug screenings.
European Neuropsychopharmacology
April 13, 2021
Valeria Catalani, John Corkery, Amira Guirguis et al.
18 citations
A software tool called NPSfinder crawled websites frequented by psychonauts and online NPS resources from November 2017 to February 2020, detecting 1,344 psychedelic new psychoactive substances (NPS)—nearly ten times more than the combined total reported by the United Nations and European monitoring agencies. Of these, 994 were previously unknown molecules identified as potential novel psychedelics, indicating a large gap between online availability and officially reported NPS. The findings suggest strong interest in psychedelics among psychonauts and possibly recreational drug users, and that monitoring online spaces may help assess real-world availability, understand drug trends, and predict future scenarios.