Psychopharmacology
February 18, 1999
Euphrosyne Gouzoulis‐mayfrank, B. Thelen, Elmar Habermeyer et al.
145 citations
A double-blind study with 32 healthy volunteers compared the effects of the entactogen MDE (a drug similar to ecstasy), the hallucinogen psilocybin, the stimulant d-methamphetamine, and a placebo. MDE produced pleasant emotional experiences such as relaxation, peacefulness, contentment, and closeness to others, along with stimulant and mild hallucinogen-like effects. It caused the strongest endocrine and autonomic responses among the three drugs, including rises in cortisol, prolactin, blood pressure, heart rate, and a moderate increase in body temperature. The contrast between subjective relaxation and physical activation was unique to MDE. Results support entactogens as a distinct class between hallucinogens and stimulants.
Journal of Chromatography B Biomedical Sciences and Applications
May 1, 1998
Hiltrud Lindenblatt, Edda Krämer, Petra Holzmann-Erens et al.
92 citations
Two modifications of an HPLC-ED method for measuring psilocin, the active metabolite of psilocybin, in human plasma were developed and compared. One used liquid-liquid extraction (LLE) and the other automated on-line solid-phase extraction (on-line SPE). Both methods had a limit of quantitation of 10 ng/ml psilocin and showed no significant difference in standard deviation (LLE 1.82%, on-line SPE 1.13%) or analytical results. On-line SPE required less manual effort, smaller plasma volumes (400 microl versus 2 ml), and achieved nearly 100% recovery of psilocin (LLE 88%). Both methods were rapid, simple, and reliable, and were successfully used to quantify psilocin in plasma samples from healthy volunteers after oral administration of 0.2 mg psilocybin per kg body mass.
Behavioural Pharmacology
November 1, 1998
Euphrosyne Gouzoulis‐mayfrank, Karsten Heekeren, B. Thelen et al.
79 citations
In a small double-blind, placebo-controlled study with 12 healthy subjects, the hallucinogen psilocybin increased prepulse inhibition (PPI) of the startle reflex, contrary to findings from animal models where hallucinogens disrupt PPI. Psilocybin had no clear effect on habituation of the startle reflex. These preliminary results suggest that the effects of hallucinogens on sensorimotor gating may differ between humans and animals, possibly due to differences in dose regimens or experimental parameters. Further research is needed to understand the relationship between hallucinogen-induced states and naturally occurring psychoses.