Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Lourdes Poyatos, Alfredo Fabrizio Lo Faro, Diletta Berardinelli, Giorgia Sprega, Sara Malaca, Simona Pichini, Marilyn A. Huestis, Esther Papaseit, Clara Perez-Mana, Francesco Paolo Busardo, Magi Farre
Summary: This study defined the pharmacokinetics of methylone and HMMC in human plasma for the first time and validated a new LC-MS/MS method. Methylone exhibited dose-proportional pharmacokinetics, while HMMC showed faster kinetics compared to methylone.
INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF MOLECULAR SCIENCES
(2022)
Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Alessandro Di Giorgi, Giorgia Sprega, Lourdes Poyatos, Esther Papaseit, Clara Perez-Mana, Annagiulia Di Trana, Maria Rosaria Vari, Francesco Paolo Busardo, Simona Pichini, Simona Zaami, Alfredo Fabrizio Lo Faro, Magi Farre
Summary: The aim of this study was to determine the excretion of methylone and its metabolites in sweat after controlled doses of 50, 100, 150, and 200 mg of methylone were ingested by twelve healthy volunteers in a clinical trial. Methylone and its metabolites, 4-hydroxy-3-methoxy-N-methylcathinone (HMMC) and 3,4-methylenedioxycathinone (MDC), were detected in sweat patches using liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry. Methylone and MDC were found in sweat after 2 hours and reached their highest concentration at 24 hours following the administration of doses. However, HMMC was not detectable at any time interval. Sweat has proven to be a suitable matrix for determining the concentration of methylone and its metabolites in clinical and toxicological studies, indicating recent drug consumption.
INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF MOLECULAR SCIENCES
(2023)
Article
Chemistry, Multidisciplinary
Bo-Ying Ren, Xia-Lin Dai, Jie Wang, Chao Wu, Tong-Bu Lu, Jia-Mei Chen
Summary: In this study, cocrystallization of AXI with a group of carboxylic acids was successfully attempted to improve its aqueous solubility. The newly obtained cocrystals, including a salt cocrystal with fumaric acid and two molecular cocrystals with suberic acid and trans-cinnamic acid, showed significantly improved apparent solubility and dissolution rate compared to pure AXI, without compromising the physical stability of the drug. These findings suggest that the cocrystals could be used as promising solid forms of AXI for the development of more effective oral formulations.
Article
Pharmacology & Pharmacy
Lourdes Poyatos, Clara Perez-Mana, Olga Hladun, Melani Nunez-Montero, Georgina de la Rosa, Soraya Martin, Ana Maria Barriocanal, Lydia Carabias, Benjamin Kelmendi, Omayema Taoussi, Francesco Paolo Busardo, Francina Fonseca, Marta Torrens, Simona Pichini, Magi Farre, Esther Papaseit
Summary: This study aimed to compare the pharmacological effects and abuse potential of synthetic stimulant Methylone with MDMA. The results showed that Methylone significantly increased blood pressure and heart rate and induced pleasurable effects such as stimulation, euphoria, wellbeing, enhanced empathy, and altered perception. The abuse potential of Methylone was comparable to that of MDMA in humans.
FRONTIERS IN PHARMACOLOGY
(2023)
Article
Pharmacology & Pharmacy
Courtney Gearlds, Jessica Brooke Bouldin, Mariah McKinney, Shannon Schreiner, Stacy D. Brown, Brooks B. Pond
Summary: This study investigated the pharmacokinetic interactions of synthetic cathinones MDPV, mephedrone, and methylone when used in combination. Results showed altered drug concentrations and total drug exposure, providing insight into the consequences of co-exposure to these substances in popular bath salt products.
EUROPEAN JOURNAL OF DRUG METABOLISM AND PHARMACOKINETICS
(2021)
Article
Neurosciences
Zhenlong Li, Hsien-Yu Peng, Chau-Shoun Lee, Tzer-Bin Lin, Ming-Chun Hsieh, Cheng-Yuan Lai, Han-Fang Wu, Lih-Chyang Chen, Mei-Ci Chen, Dylan Chou
Summary: Methylone shows significant efficacy in treating depression and social deficits, making it an ideal candidate for anti-depressant medication.
Article
Veterinary Sciences
Yunyu Tang, Haixin Zhang, Guangxin Yang, Changling Fang, Cong Kong, Liangliang Tian, Xuanyun Huang
Summary: This study investigated the pharmacokinetics of eugenol in Pacific white shrimp through immersion baths in a simulated transportation. The results showed that eugenol was rapidly absorbed and eliminated in shrimp, with a tendency to accumulate in muscle. The hepatopancreas was identified as the main organ for the elimination of eugenol. Sequential administration resulted in higher concentrations of eugenol in hemolymph, hepatopancreas, and muscle, with faster elimination from the tissues. A withdrawal period was suggested based on the eugenol concentrations in shrimp muscle.
BMC VETERINARY RESEARCH
(2022)
Article
Neurosciences
Pengfei Han, Xiaoyuan Jing, Shulei Han, Xinsheng Wang, Qiannan Li, Yuan Zhang, Pengpeng Yu, Xin-an Liu, Ping Wu, Huan Chen, Hongwei Hou, Qingyuan Hu
Summary: Nicotine salts are becoming more popular in e-cigarettes, but their effects on reinforcement-related behaviors are not well understood. This study compared the reinforcing effects of nicotine and nicotine salts in animal models and found that nicotine salts resulted in stronger reinforcement-related behaviors in rats compared to nicotine-freebase. Additionally, withdrawal-induced anxiety symptoms were lower in the nicotine salt groups. The study suggests that differences in the pharmacokinetics of nicotine-freebase and nicotine salts may explain these behavioral differences.
FRONTIERS IN NEUROSCIENCE
(2023)
Article
Toxicology
Veronique M. P. de Bruijn, Ivonne M. C. M. Rietjens, Hans Bouwmeester
Summary: The present study developed a physiologically based kinetic (PBK) model to predict dose-dependent bile acid (BA) accumulation. The model accurately predicted in vivo BA dynamics and provided estimates of personalized safe therapeutic external dose levels.
ARCHIVES OF TOXICOLOGY
(2022)
Article
Biology
Lourdes Poyatos, Esther Papaseit, Eulalia Olesti, Clara Perez-Mana, Mireia Ventura, Xoan Carbon, Marc Grifell, Francina Fonseca, Marta Torrens, Rafael de la Torre, Magi Farre
Summary: Methylone, a synthetic cathinone considered the beta-keto analogue of MDMA, is commonly used as a substitute for traditional psychostimulants. Limited data is available on its pharmacology, but observational studies have shown that its effects are similar to MDMA but less intense, with oral fluid concentrations serving as a suitable biomarker for acute exposure.
Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Pulikanti Guruprasad Reddy, Ayala Bar-Hai, Amnon Hoffman, Sir Marc Feldmann, Abraham J. Domb
Summary: This study explores the synthesis and characterization of metal and ammonium phenolate salts using CBD as an example. The conversion of CBD into salts significantly enhances its water solubility, thus improving its therapeutic effectiveness. The findings provide valuable insights into the potential use of CBD salts in medicine.
BIOORGANIC CHEMISTRY
(2023)
Article
Pharmacology & Pharmacy
Mohammed H. Elkomy, Hussein M. Eid, Mohammed Elmowafy, Khaled Shalaby, Ameeduzzafar Zafar, Mohamed A. Abdelgawad, Mostafa E. Rateb, Mohammed R. A. Ali, Izzeddin Alsalahat, Heba A. Abou-Taleb
Summary: In this study, berberine-loaded bilosomes were developed to improve the oral bioavailability and therapeutic efficacy of berberine. The optimized formulation showed significant hypoglycemic impact and increased the relative bioavailability of berberine compared to the berberine solution.
Article
Materials Science, Textiles
Chengshu Xu, Zheng Jiang, Yan Ren, Mengting Wu, Jing Zhang, Lei Ou Yang
Summary: This study focuses on the purification of the effluent from cotton dyeing using reactive dyes through the use of a flocculant and an anion resin, which allows the conversion of the effluent into concentrated inorganic salt solution for reuse. The results show that the recycled inorganic salt solution has similar dyeing effects as distilled water, and each recycling process saves 72.0% of water and 71.1% of inorganic salt, resulting in a reduction of 71.1% in inorganic salt discharge to the environment.
TEXTILE RESEARCH JOURNAL
(2023)
Article
Chemistry, Organic
Hannah M. Holst, Jack T. Floreancig, Casey B. Ritts, Nicholas J. Race
Summary: This study demonstrates the synthesis of beta-phenethylamine products through the treatment of unsymmetrical 2,3-disubstituted aziridines with TiCl4, involving the intermediacy of a phenonium ion. Computational analysis provides insight into the reaction mechanism, especially the selectivity of phenonium opening.
Article
Energy & Fuels
Seri Lee, Gyu Min Kim, Tsutomu Miyasaka, Se Young Oh
Summary: It is found that phenethylamine (PEA) halides (X) coated on perovskite (PVK) films are effective passivating layers in perovskite solar cells (PSCs), but the stability issues with PEA halides (PEAX), especially in the presence of Spiro-OMeTAD, have hindered their practical use. This study reports the negative effect of PEAX on PSCs and proposes a method to overcome the stability issue by employing poly(methyl methacrylate) (PMMA) at the PVK/PEABr interface to form dual PMMA/PEABr interlayers. The resulting PSCs exhibit higher power conversion efficiencies (PCEs) and enhanced stability due to the retention of dipole moments.
Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Kaitlin C. Reeves, Megan J. Kube, Gregory G. Grecco, Brandon M. Fritz, Braulio Munoz, Fuqin Yin, Yong Gao, David L. Haggerty, Hunter J. Hoffman, Brady K. Atwood
Summary: Research has shown that MOR inhibits glutamate transmission at synapses expressing vGluT2, playing a critical role in opioid reward. Mice lacking MOR in vGluT2-expressing neurons displayed altered behaviors in response to oxycodone, indicating the importance of MOR-mediated regulation of glutamate transmission in opioid reward.
Review
Clinical Neurology
Rupa Radhakrishnan, Gregory Grecco, Kellen Stolze, Brady Atwood, Samuel G. Jennings, Izlin Z. Lien, Andrew J. Saykin, Senthilkumar Sadhasivam
Summary: Prenatal opioid exposure has been shown to have adverse effects on cognitive and behavioral outcomes in offspring, but the underlying neural mechanisms are not well understood. Recent neuroimaging studies suggest that these outcomes may be related to changes in the fetal and early postnatal brain caused by opioids.
JOURNAL OF NEURORADIOLOGY
(2021)
Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Gregory G. Grecco, David L. Haggerty, Emma H. Doud, Brandon M. Fritz, Fuqin Yin, Hunter Hoffman, Amber L. Mosley, Edward Simpson, Yunlong Liu, Anthony J. Baucum, Brady K. Atwood
Summary: The study used selectively bred high and low alcohol-preferring mice to analyze differences in gene, protein, and phosphorylated protein expression in the dorsal striatum (DS) related to pathological alcohol consumption and alcohol use disorder (AUD). The analysis identified significant differences in genes, proteins, and phosphopeptides between the two lines, with enrichment in cellular organization, cytoskeletal protein binding, and pathways involved in synaptic transmission and functioning. The findings indicate that selective breeding may lead to alterations in synaptic architecture and neurotransmission in the DS, contributing to AUD-related phenotypes.
JOURNAL OF NEUROCHEMISTRY
(2021)
Article
Biology
Gregory G. Grecco, Briana E. Mork, Jui-Yen Huang, Corinne E. Metzger, David L. Haggerty, Kaitlin C. Reeves, Yong Gao, Hunter Hoffman, Simon N. Katner, Andrea R. Masters, Cameron W. Morris, Erin A. Newell, Eric A. Engleman, Anthony J. Baucum, Jiuen Kim, Bryan K. Yamamoto, Matthew R. Allen, Yu-Chien Wu, Hui-Chen Lu, Patrick L. Sheets, Brady K. Atwood
Summary: The study found that prenatal methadone exposure can lead to impaired physical and neurobehavioral development in offspring after birth, including physical growth, motor activity, and sensorimotor development; these effects are associated with methadone accumulation in the placenta and fetal brain, as well as reduced neuronal density in the motor cortex and disruption in motor neuron intrinsic properties and local circuitry connectivity.
Review
Pharmacology & Pharmacy
Maggie L. McCorkle, David F. Kisor, Caroline E. Freiermuth, Jon E. Sprague
Summary: Genetics play a significant role in opioid use disorder (OUD), but specific gene variants remain largely unidentified. Further research is needed to understand the pharmacogenomics impacts on opioids and their effects on OUD, including genetic polymorphisms associated with heroin dependence.
Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Gregory G. Grecco, David L. Haggerty, Kaitlin C. Reeves, Yong Gao, Danielle Maulucci, Brady K. Atwood
Summary: As the opioid crisis continues to grow, the number of infants exposed to opioids during the prenatal period has also increased. This study found that prenatal opioid exposure may have persistent effects on the sensitivity to alcohol reward in offspring, with the effect being influenced by sex.
Article
Substance Abuse
Myriam Shaw Ojeda, Aleda M. H. Chen, Tessa Miracle, Elizabeth Delaney, Caroline E. Freiermuth, Jon E. Sprague
Summary: This study investigates the training of future healthcare professionals in pain management, substance use disorder (SUD), and adverse childhood experiences (ACEs) in Ohio. The results suggest a need for a unified and expanded training requirement in these areas for professional healthcare education.
SUBSTANCE ABUSE TREATMENT PREVENTION AND POLICY
(2022)
Article
Neurosciences
Gregory G. Grecco, Braulio Munoz, Gonzalo Viana Di Prisco, Emma H. Doud, Brandon M. Fritz, Danielle Maulucci, Yong Gao, Amber L. Mosley, Anthony J. Baucum, Brady K. Atwood
Summary: The opioid crisis has led to an increasing number of children being exposed to opioids during fetal development, but the long-term effects of this exposure on development are not well understood. This study used a mouse model to investigate the effects of prenatal methadone exposure on synaptic functioning in the striatum of adolescent offspring. The results showed that prenatal methadone exposure led to persistent neuroadaptations in the striatum, impacting synaptic functioning and neuronal excitability.
Editorial Material
Substance Abuse
Jon E. Sprague, Arthur B. Yeh, Qizhen Lan, Jamie Vieson, Maggie McCorkle
INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF DRUG POLICY
(2023)
Article
Neurosciences
Sarah C. Simmons, Greg G. Grecco, Brady K. Atwood, Fereshteh S. Nugent
Summary: This review focuses on the effects of prenatal opioid exposure (POE) on the mental health outcomes of children and explores the interactions between developmental age and sex on synaptic plasticity and associated behaviors. The review provides an overview of research on hippocampal behaviors and plasticity in POE, discusses recent findings on reward circuit dysregulation following POE, and highlights the influence of early life stress on synaptic and behavioral outcomes. The review aims to draw similarities between POE and early life stress in terms of opioid-induced plasticity and altered behaviors in reward circuits.
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Gregory G. Grecco, Syed Salman Shahid, Brady K. Atwood, Yu-Chien Wu
Summary: Growth in opioid use during pregnancy is causing an increase in infants born with prenatal exposure to opioids. This study investigates the impact of prenatal methadone exposure on the microstructural differences in the brains of mice. The results show widespread bilateral alterations in microstructure in cortical and subcortical regions, suggesting potential interference with neurodevelopmental processes in individuals with prenatal opioid exposure.
SCIENTIFIC REPORTS
(2022)
Article
Biology
David L. Haggerty, Braulio Munoz, Taylor Pennington, Gonzalo Viana Di Prisco, Gregory G. Grecco, Brady K. Atwood
Summary: Binge drinking alcohol leads to glutamatergic synaptic adaptations between the anterior insular cortex (AIC) and dorsolateral striatum (DLS), which maintain the behavioral sequences of binge consumption. These changes may serve as a circuit-based biomarker for the development of alcohol use disorder.
Article
Oncology
Amal Aburahma, Emma L. Stewart, Srishti Rana, Ray Larsen, Christopher S. Ward, Jon E. Sprague
Summary: This study investigated the effects of bidirectional fecal microbial transplant (FMT) between male and female rats on methamphetamine (MA)-induced hyperthermia. MA treatment resulted in higher core body temperatures in male groups compared to females. Plasma concentrations of MA and amphetamine were higher in females than males. The microbiome of male and female rats showed differences in the relative abundance of Firmicutes and Bacteroidetes. However, these differences do not seem to contribute to the sex-based differences in MA-induced hyperthermia.
INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF HYPERTHERMIA
(2023)
Article
Pharmacology & Pharmacy
Amal Aburahma, Srishti Rana, Ray Larsen, Christopher S. Ward, Jon E. Sprague
Summary: This study suggests that the use of the drug MDMA can lead to life-threatening hyperthermia, and the gut-adrenal axis plays a role in MDMA-induced hyperthermia. Exogenous supplementation with norepinephrine or corticosterone in adrenalectomized rats partially restored the MDMA-induced hyperthermia. Additionally, MDMA administration caused significant changes in the gut microbiome composition and diversity.
EUROPEAN JOURNAL OF PHARMACOLOGY
(2023)
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Syed Salman Shahid, Gregory G. Grecco, Brady K. Atwood, Yu-Chien Wu
Summary: This study investigates the impact of prenatal methadone exposure on cerebral biochemistry and microstructural organization in offspring. The findings suggest that prenatal opioid exposure can lead to abnormal brain development in mice, which may persist into adolescence and early adulthood.