Neurotoxicity Research
April 15, 2019
Monika Herian, Adam Wojtas, Katarzyna Kamińska et al.
44 citations
25I-NBOMe, a synthetic hallucinogen related to the 2C family, increases extracellular levels of dopamine, serotonin, and glutamate in the rat frontal cortex, as measured by microdialysis in freely moving animals. It also raises tissue content of serotonin and its metabolite 5-HIAA but does not affect tissue dopamine or its metabolites. The drug elicits head-twitch response in rats, a behavioral marker of hallucinogenic effect in humans. Dose-response curves were inverted U-shaped for dopamine and serotonin release, but U-shaped for glutamate release and head-twitch response. The findings suggest that the hallucinogenic activity of 25I-NBOMe is linked to increased extracellular glutamate mediated by cortical 5-HT2A receptors, with modulation by 5-HT2C and 5-HT1A receptors.
Critical reviews in toxicology
January 1, 2023
Monika Herian, Paweł Świt
9 citations
Hallucinogenic therapies show promise for neuropsychiatric disorders, but new psychoactive substances (NPS) like 25X-NBOMes—synthetic compounds with strong hallucinogenic properties—pose high toxicity risks. 25X-NBOMes bind strongly to serotonin, dopamine, adrenergic, and histamine receptors, causing severe intoxications and deaths. In humans, common side effects include tachycardia, anxiety, hypertension, and seizures. Preclinical studies confirm developmental impairments, cytotoxicity, cardiovascular toxicity, and behavioral changes. Their complex metabolism, involving many pathways, may explain the high toxicity. This review summarizes current knowledge about 25X-NBOMes, focusing on toxicity.
Journal of analytical toxicology
January 21, 2021
Katarzyna Kamińska, Paweł Świt, Kamilla Malek
9 citations
25I-NBOMe, a synthetic hallucinogen chemically related to mescaline and sold online as a legal alternative to LSD, acts as a potent serotonin 5-HT2A receptor agonist. Knowledge of its pharmacological properties remains limited, with few published in vivo and in vitro studies. A 2016 critical review reported 51 non-fatal intoxications and 21 deaths across Europe. Case reports describe toxic effects including tachycardia, hypertension, hallucinations, rhabdomyolysis, acute kidney injury, and death. The growing number of fatal and non-fatal intoxication cases indicates 25I-NBOMe poses a serious public health danger.