3,4-Methylenedioxy methamphetamine, synthetic cathinones and psychedelics: From recreational to novel psychotherapeutic drugs
Frontiers in Psychiatry October 3, 2022 Jordi Camarasa, Pol Puigseslloses, Edurne Urquizu et al. 5 citations
Conventional psychiatric drugs often fail due to limited efficacy, slow onset, or side effects. Psychoactive substances, historically used for spiritual and recreational purposes, have shown therapeutic potential for disorders like post-traumatic stress disorder and treatment-resistant depression when administered under medical supervision with psychotherapy. Drugs such as MDMA, ketamine, psilocybin, and LSD have yielded successful clinical outcomes. New psychoactive substances (NPS), including synthetic cathinones and tryptamines, despite their illicit use, expand the library of potential treatments, as many were originally synthesized for therapeutic aims. This review examines the evidence and properties needed for NPS to become viable therapeutic compounds.