Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
F. Ivy Carroll, Anita H. Lewin, S. Wayne Mascarella, Herbert H. Seltzman, P. Anantha Reddy
Summary: The review discusses the exponential increase in clandestine manufacture of new psychoactive substances designed to circumvent regulations, which has led to a rise in fatalities. It focuses on three compound classes and highlights the medicinal chemistry approaches used by clandestine laboratories to develop new substances, as well as the chemical methods for treating illicit drug abuse.
ANNALS OF THE NEW YORK ACADEMY OF SCIENCES
(2021)
Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Elisabet Teixido, Clara Riera-Colomer, Demetrio Raldua, David Pubill, Elena Escubedo, Marta Barenys, Raul Lopez-Arnau
Summary: This study evaluates the cardiovascular toxicity of synthetic cathinones and traditional psychostimulants in zebrafish embryos. The results show that all drugs can induce bradycardia, arrhythmia, and atrial-ventricular block, with MDPV being the most potent in inducing these effects.
INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF MOLECULAR SCIENCES
(2023)
Article
Medicine, Legal
Andre Niebel, Fritz Pragst, Franziska Krumbiegel, Sven Hartwig
Summary: The study found a high prevalence of new psychoactive substances in families with known or suspected abuse of conventional illegal drugs. Retesting hair samples enabled an impression of the relative high prevalence of these substances despite limitations in quantitative assessments.
FORENSIC SCIENCE INTERNATIONAL
(2022)
Review
Chemistry, Analytical
Felix Zapata, Jose Manuel Matey, Gemma Montalvo, Carmen Garcia-Ruiz
Summary: This work reviews fundamental concepts about drugs, focusing on new psychoactive substances (NPS) and their classifications. A revised classification based on chemical composition is proposed to merge recent chemical groupings of NPS from various institutions, aiming to be useful for forensic practitioners/researchers.
MICROCHEMICAL JOURNAL
(2021)
Review
Biology
Alfredo Fabrizio Lo Faro, Diletta Berardinelli, Tommaso Cassano, Gregory Dendramis, Eva Montanari, Angelo Montana, Paolo Berretta, Simona Zaami, Francesco Paolo Busardo, Marilyn Ann Huestis
Summary: We conducted a comprehensive literature review on intoxications and fatalities related to New Psychoactive Substances (NPS) during the COVID-19 pandemic. The pandemic led to changes in drug consumption patterns, with some drugs being consumed less and an increase in the use of NPS. Synthetic opioids, synthetic cannabinoids, and synthetic cathinones were the most commonly abused NPS classes, and the combined consumption of several NPS classes accounted for 30% of all cases. It is important to consider that the reported cases may be an underestimate due to the impact of the pandemic on forensic toxicology capabilities.
Article
Medicine, Legal
Flaminia Vincenti, Adolfo Gregori, Martina Flammini, Fabiana Di Rosa, Alberto Salomone
Summary: The availability and consumption of NPS have increased rapidly, posing risks to public health and challenging law enforcement efforts. Through analysis using GC-MS and HPLC-HRMS, synthetic cathinones were identified as the most prevalent compounds in NPS on the Italian territory.
FORENSIC SCIENCE INTERNATIONAL
(2021)
Review
Neurosciences
Fabrizio Schifano, Stefania Chiappini, Andrea Miuli, John Martin Corkery, Norbert Scherbaum, Flavia Napoletano, Davide Arillotta, Caroline Zangani, Valeria Catalani, Alessandro Vento, Mauro Pettorruso, Giovanni Martinotti, Di Giannantonio Massimo, Amira Guirguis
Summary: The use of several new psychoactive substances (NPS) has become popular, posing global health risks. This systematic review investigated the association between Serotonin Syndrome (SS) and NPS intake, finding that various NPS can lead to SS, including psychedelic phenethylamines and synthetic cathinones. Most substances were ingested orally, but other routes were reported. A majority of subjects had no psychiatric history.
EXPERIMENTAL NEUROLOGY
(2021)
Review
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Annagiulia Di Trana, Diletta Berardinelli, Eva Montanari, Paolo Berretta, Giuseppe Basile, Marilyn A. Huestis, Francesco Paolo Busardo
Summary: Adulteration is a common practice in drug production, where active ingredients are intentionally added to alter drug effects and increase profits. The types of adulterants used vary over time. Constant monitoring of adulterants is crucial to protect drug consumers' health.
INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF MOLECULAR SCIENCES
(2022)
Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Olga Wronikowska-Denysiuk, Agnieszka Michalak, Anna Pankowska, Lukasz Kurach, Paulina Koziol, Artur Lazorczyk, Katarzyna Kochalska, Katarzyna Targowska-Duda, Anna Boguszewska-Czubara, Barbara Budzynska
Summary: The aim of this study was to assess the role of the GABA-ergic system in the rewarding effects of mephedrone. The results showed that GS39783, a positive allosteric modulator of GABA(B) receptors, blocked mephedrone-induced conditioned place preference (CPP), while baclofen, a GABA(B) receptor agonist, did not. Chromatographic analysis confirmed the behavioral effect, revealing a decrease in GABA hippocampal concentration following mephedrone administration. This study provides new insight into the involvement of the GABA-ergic system in the rewarding effects of mephedrone and suggests the potential of GABA(B) receptors as new targets for the pharmacological management of mephedrone use disorder.
INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF MOLECULAR SCIENCES
(2023)
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Marco Niello, Spyridon Sideromenos, Ralph Gradisch, Ronan O'Shea, Jakob Schwazer, Julian Maier, Nina Kastner, Walter Sandtner, Kathrin Jantsch, Carl R. Lupica, Alexander F. Hoffman, Gert Lubec, Claus J. Loland, Thomas Stockner, Daniela D. Pollak, Michael H. Baumann, Harald H. Sitte
Summary: By using various in vitro, computational, and in vivo approaches, we found that the drug-binding kinetics of S-enantiomers of pyrovalerone analogs at DAT correlate with the time-course of in vivo psychostimulant action in mice. In particular, the slow dissociation (i.e., slow koff) of S-enantiomers of pyrovalerone analogs from DAT can predict their more persistent in vivo effects compared to cocaine and methylphenidate. Overall, our findings highlight the critical importance of drug-binding kinetics at DAT in determining the in vivo profile of effects produced by psychostimulant drugs.
PROCEEDINGS OF THE NATIONAL ACADEMY OF SCIENCES OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA
(2023)
Article
Medicine, Legal
Guillaume Drevin, Marie Briet, Severine Ferec, Chadi Abbara
Summary: This article reports a case of intense agitation following the consumption of etizolam and cocaine. Blood tests showed high levels of etizolam and its metabolite benzoylecgonine, but low levels of cocaine. Unlike previous reports, this case presented with central nervous system excitation rather than depression. The clinical presentation cannot be solely explained by cocaine co-consumption, suggesting a paradoxical reaction to etizolam overdose.
FORENSIC SCIENCE INTERNATIONAL
(2022)
Article
Electrochemistry
Mariane O. B. Arrieiro, Luciano C. Arantes, Debora A. R. Moreira, Dilton M. Pimentel, Camila D. Lima, Livia M. F. Costa, Rodrigo M. Verly, Wallans T. P. dos Santos
Summary: This study presents the electrochemical detection of the synthetic cathinone eutylone for the first time. The electrochemical behavior of eutylone was investigated using glassy carbon and carbon graphite electrodes. The proposed method exhibited good stability and selectivity for eutylone detection in seized samples.
ELECTROCHIMICA ACTA
(2022)
Article
Biochemical Research Methods
Benedikt Pulver, Jan Riedel, Folker Westphal, Steven Luhn, Torsten Schoenberger, Jan Schaeper, Volker Auwaerter, Anton Luf, Michael Puetz
Summary: Synthetic cathinones, such as 3,4-EtPV, have desirable effects and can be used as legal alternatives to banned substances. However, mislabeling and intentional circumvention of regulations can lead to the supply of illicit drugs instead of controlled ones. The study emphasizes the importance of updating databases in forensic laboratories to identify mislabeled substances and highlights the health risks and uncertainties associated with online purchases.
DRUG TESTING AND ANALYSIS
(2023)
Article
Chemistry, Medicinal
Abdulaziz A. Aldubayyan, Erika Castrignano, Simon Elliott, Vincenzo Abbate
Summary: This study presents a validated LC-MS/MS method for detecting and quantifying synthetic cathinones and their metabolites in human urine. Analysis of suspicious urine samples from Saudi Arabia revealed the presence of synthetic cathinones, specifically mephedrone and N-ethylpentylone, as well as their dihydro-metabolites, along with other classical stimulant drugs. This is the first report of new psychoactive substance use in Saudi Arabia involving designer stimulant drugs. The findings highlight the need for broader urine analysis to detect and report otherwise undetected or new analytes.
Article
Toxicology
Benjamin Crulli, Alison M. Dines, Georgina Blanco, Isabelle Giraudon, Florian Eyer, Matthias E. Liechti, Oscar Miro, Knut E. Hovda, Fridtjof Heyerdahl, Christopher Yates, Odd Martin Vallersnes, David M. Wood, Paul Dargan
Summary: In recent years, there has been an increasing trend in emergency department presentations involving acute recreational drug toxicity with novel psychoactive substances (NPS). This multicenter study showed significant geographical variation and changes over time in the proportion of NPS-related presentations to European emergency departments, as well as the proportion of different NPS subgroups.
CLINICAL TOXICOLOGY
(2022)