Journal of education and health promotion
January 1, 2025
Hariom Singh, Shivendra K Singh, Manish K Manar et al.
1 citation
Among 492 medical and paramedical undergraduate students in Lucknow, 46.1% reported having ever used a psychoactive substance, and 35.2% reported use in the past three months. Lifetime alcohol use was most common at 36.6%, followed by tobacco at 22.4% and cannabis at 17.9%. Use was higher among males and among fourth-year students. The findings suggest that male students consume more psychoactive substances than female students, and that interventions are needed to reduce substance use in this population.
ACS Pharmacology & Translational Science
April 14, 2026
Abhishek Gupta, Tuhin Bhattacharya, Subhamoy Pratihar et al.
Iboga alkaloids can reverse drug addiction and modulate drug tolerance, but their use is limited by severe psychedelic effects and cardiotoxicity from hERG potassium channel blockade. Researchers synthesized four modified ibogaine/ibogamine analogs (C1–C4) with a benzofuran moiety replacing the indole scaffold. Among these, the Endo-iboga analogs C2 and C4 showed notable anti-inflammatory and oxidative stress-relieving activity and improved restricted locomotor activity in a formalin-induced acute pain model in mice. C4 exhibited superior cytocompatibility (IC50 = 235 μM in C2C12 cells), no significant QTc prolongation in rat ECG tests, and the lowest hERG blockade risk (IC50 = 21.25 ± 4.89 μM). C4 acted as a potent KOR agonist and MOR antagonist, with weak 5HT2A agonist and σ1 antagonist activity, suggesting potential for acute pain management without notable cardiotoxicity.
Abhishek Gupta, Tuhin Bhattacharya, Subhamoy Pratihar et al.
preprint
Iboga alkaloids can reverse drug addiction and modulate drug tolerance but cause severe hallucinogenic effects and cardiotoxicity by blocking the hERG potassium channel. Researchers synthesized four new benzofuran-containing iboga analogs (C1, C2, C3, C4) with a bio-isosteric replacement of indole with benzofuran. The Endo-iboga analogs (C2 and C4) showed superior anti-inflammatory and oxidative stress-relieving activity and improved restricted locomotor activity in a formalin-induced acute pain model in mice. They elevated levels of GABA, dopamine, and BDNF. C4 had a superior cardiac safety profile in C2C12 cells (IC50 = 235 µM) and caused no significant QTc prolongation in rat ECG tests, indicating potential for acute pain management without notable cardiotoxicity.