Frontiers in Psychiatry
January 21, 2020
Juan José Fuentes, Francina Fonseca, Matilde Elices et al.
176 citations
A systematic review of controlled and randomized clinical trials evaluated the therapeutic potential of lysergic acid diethylamide (LSD) in psychiatry. Following PRISMA guidelines, 11 randomized-controlled trials involving 567 patients who received LSD doses from 20 to 800 mcg were identified. Despite heterogeneous study designs, positive results emerged, particularly for reducing psychiatric symptoms in alcoholism. Many authors reported significant short-term improvements, though some studies found long-term outcomes homogenized between LSD and control groups. The evidence is strongest for LSD's use in treating alcoholism, but the review notes that most older studies did not meet contemporary standards and that new, properly designed double-blind trials are needed.
Annals of the New York Academy of Sciences
August 1, 2006
Sergio Abanades, Magı́ Farré, Mireia Segura et al.
124 citations
Gamma-hydroxybutyrate (GHB) produces dose-related changes in subjective effects, showing a mixed stimulant-sedative pattern: initial feelings of euphoria, high, and liking, followed by mild-to-moderate sedation with impaired performance and balance. Single oral doses of 40, 50, 60, and 72 mg/kg were given to eight volunteers. Mean peak plasma concentrations ranged from 79.1 to 130.1 μg/L. Physiological and subjective effects were dose-dependent and related to plasma concentrations. Urinary excretion was mainly related to dose. The results suggest high abuse liability at the doses typically consumed.
Journal of Psychoactive Drugs
June 1, 2017
Álvaro José Palma-Conesa, Mireia Ventura, Liliana Galindo et al.
65 citations
New psychoactive tryptamines, which mimic the effects of regulated hallucinogens, pose a potential public health risk. Analysis of 25,296 samples submitted to a harm-reduction organization from 2006 to 2015 identified 436 tryptamines, of which 232 (53.21%) were not regulated. The most common unregulated tryptamine was 4-AcO-DMT, for which no human studies exist. Unregulated tryptamines were more likely to contain a single unadulterated substance. The number of tryptamine samples increased over time, and there were significant differences between client expectations and actual analysis results for regulated versus unregulated groups. Further research is needed to address health risks.
Pharmaceuticals
January 28, 2021
Esther Papaseit, Eulàlia Olesti, Clara Pérez‐mañá et al.
30 citations
Mephedrone, a synthetic cathinone and popular new psychoactive substance, produces euphoria and well-being and increases cardiovascular effects when self-administered orally or intranasally by healthy experienced drug users. In this observational study, ten participants took a single dose orally (100–200 mg, mean 150 mg) or intranasally (50–100 mg, mean 70 mg). Although the oral route sometimes produced greater subjective effects, concentrations of mephedrone in oral fluid and total amounts in urine were considerably higher after intranasal administration. Controlled clinical trials are needed to confirm these results.
Frontiers in Pharmacology
January 28, 2020
Esther Papaseit, Clara Pérez-mañá, Elizabeth B. de Sousa Fernandes Perna et al.
27 citations
Combining mephedrone with alcohol amplifies cardiovascular effects and intensifies euphoria and well-being compared to either drug alone, while mephedrone reduces the sedative effects of alcohol. In a double-blind, placebo-controlled trial with 11 male volunteers, the combination increased blood pressure, heart rate, and subjective feelings of euphoria. Mephedrone alone and alcohol alone were also tested. The results suggest that the abuse liability of mephedrone is greater when taken with alcohol, similar to other psychostimulants like amphetamines and MDMA.
Frontiers in Pharmacology
February 17, 2023
Lourdes Poyatos, Clara Pérez‐mañá, Olga Hladun et al.
26 citations
Methylone, a common synthetic cathinone used as a substitute for MDMA, produces similar acute effects in humans. In a controlled trial with 17 experienced psychostimulant users, a single 200 mg oral dose of methylone increased blood pressure and heart rate and induced pleasurable effects including stimulation, euphoria, wellbeing, enhanced empathy, and altered perception. Methylone's effect profile resembled MDMA's but with a faster onset and earlier disappearance of subjective effects. The findings suggest methylone's abuse potential is comparable to that of MDMA in humans.
Biology
August 17, 2021
Lourdes Poyatos, Esther Papaseit, Eulàlia Olesti et al.
26 citations
Methylone, a synthetic cathinone and beta-keto analogue of MDMA, produces acute subjective and physiological effects similar to MDMA but less intense. In an observational-naturalistic study of 14 healthy poly-drug users who self-administered oral doses (methylone 100-300 mg, mean 187.5 mg; MDMA 75-100 mg, mean 87.5 mg), methylone showed a prototypical psychostimulant and empathogenic profile. Oral fluid concentrations of both substances peaked at 2 hours, with MDMA levels matching those from controlled studies. The findings indicate that methylone's abuse potential is comparable to MDMA's in recreational users.