Neurotoxicity research
June 7, 2025
Felype Valentim Duarte Castelhano, Carolina Aparecida de Faria Almeida, Giulia de Assis Braz et al.
3 citations
Combining ketamine with ethanol triggers greater nerve cell death than either drug alone, acting through oxidative stress and two programmed-cell-death pathways. In human neuroblastoma cells, the lowest observed adverse-effect levels were 1 mM ketamine and 100 mM ethanol. After 48 hours, the combination produced a possible synergistic increase in late apoptotic cells. Glutathione levels fell within 6 hours, and glutathione-peroxidase activity rose in all groups. Only the combination increased glutathione reductase and glutathione S-transferase activities after 3 hours, along with elevated caspase-8 and Bax expression, signaling both extrinsic and intrinsic apoptosis. The findings suggest heightened neuronal damage risk from combined use, though limitations include enzyme-activity variability, reduced sample size for some markers, and use of an immortalized cell line.
Psychopharmacology
October 31, 2025
Vítor Bruno, Lídia Emmanuela Wiazowski Spelta, Matheus Lujan Pereira et al.
Ayahuasca, a brew containing DMT and β-carbolines used in indigenous rituals, has shown potential for treating substance use disorders. In C57Bl/6 mice, ayahuasca at a high dose (15 mg DMT/kg) induced rewarding effects, but these were weaker than those of cocaine. When mice were conditioned with cocaine and later treated with ayahuasca (12.5 or 15 mg DMT/kg), the brew prevented the reinstatement of cocaine-induced conditioned place preference after a cocaine challenge. The findings suggest ayahuasca may have therapeutic value for cocaine use disorder by reducing relapse to drug-seeking behavior.
Research Square
July 25, 2025
Vítor Bruno, Lídia Emmanuela Wiazowski Spelta, Matheus Lujan Pereira et al.
Ayahuasca, a psychedelic brew used in indigenous rituals, reduced the reinstatement of cocaine-induced conditioned place preference in C57Bl/6 mice, suggesting potential for treating cocaine use disorder. While ayahuasca itself produced rewarding effects at the highest dose tested (15 mg DMT/kg), these were weaker than those of cocaine (10 mg/kg). Treatment with ayahuasca (12.5 or 15 mg DMT/kg) after cocaine conditioning and before a cocaine challenge effectively prevented the reactivation of drug-associated contextual preference. The findings indicate therapeutic value for ayahuasca in cocaine use disorder, though research in humans remains limited.