Chapter 15: Hallucinogens, Phantasticants, and Club Drugs

What are the variety of effects on Phantasticant?

Enter a different reality (perceptual effects)

What are the variety of effects for Psychedelics?

See differently (Altered state of consciousness)

What are the varety effects of Empathogens?

Feel differently (emotional communion)

What molecular structure does many drugs with hallucinogenic and phatasticant properties have?

Serotonin (5-HT)

What is Indoleamine?

A hallucinogen that resembles serotonin

Ex: LSD, Psilocybin, Lysergic acid amide, DMT, Bufotenine, harmine and harmaline

What is Catecholamine?

Resembles neurotransmitters like dopamine, norepinephrine, epinephrine

EX: Mescaline (found in peyote cactus)

Where did LSD start from?

It started with eating grain infected with fungus. This disease is called Ergotism

What were the symptoms of Ergotism?

St. Anthony’s fire: Beverly constricted blood flow to the limbs, excessive warmth, followed by gangrene; like a burnign sensation

Who was the one who experimented on LSD?

Albert Hoffman experimented with derivatives of lysergic acid in hope of finding a new medicine

What happened to Albert Hoffman in 1938?

He accidentally exposed LSD-25, followed by deliberately taking what he thought was a small dose

What are the common forms of LSD?

Blotting paper or Gel Tabs (gel is needing a higher dose due to deterioration)

How is Mescaline taken?

Eaton (orally) or soaked in water to make a psychoactive drink

How long does it take LSD to feel effects?

Effects begin in about 30-90 minutes

What is the metabolism of LSD?

Broken down in the liver

released into the bile

sent to the Digestive tract

eliminated in feces

What is the metabolism of Mescaline?

It is readily absorbed through the digestive system

What are the effects on the body for LSD?

Pupil dilation, nausea, body temperature changes, and increased heart rate

What are the effects on the body for Mescaline?

Often causes a period of nausea during early stages

What does LSD do in the PNS?

LSD acts as a serotonin receptor blocker (antagonist)

What does LSD do in the CNS?

It activates serotonin receptors (especially 5-HT2A receptors)

What regions of the brain does LSD effect?

Locus coeruleus, Raphe nuclei, Cortex

What are the hallucinogenic (subjective) effects?

Hullucinations are subjective experiences; not everyone sees or feels the exact same way

In the Siegel UCLA 1975, what were the common types of images they found?

Grating or lattice, cobweb, tunnel, funnel, cone, spiral

What is the perception of LSD?

Alters sensory processing, distorts time, amplifies emotional meaning (spiritual interpretation)

What is the behavior and performance of LSD?

reduces focus

impair working memory

disrupt cognitive control

make task perofrmance less reliable

What is LSD tolerance?

Tolerance can build 2-3 consecutive days of use

Tolerance fades quickly about 1 week

Less drug effect even if the dose is the same

Is there a withdrawal effect of LSD?

No withdrawal symptoms

What was the self administration for LSD?

It has been a while since LSD has been used

Many do it for religious and ceremonial use

In modern Western, it is used occasionally

LSD was used by teenagers in the US in 1990s

What role does media play in harmful effect of LSD?

Media has focused attention on behaviors which may be provoked by the acute effects of hallucingenic drugs

What is Psychedelic Crisis?

An acute, intense psychological reaction to hallucinogens, where the person becomes overwhelmed and distressed during the experience

What could help with Psychelic Crisis?

Reassurance helps; calming reminding the person that the state is drug-induced and temporary

What are the flashbacks of LSD?

brief return, unclear cause, often stress-linked

What drugs did scientists combine to modify mescaline?

Catecholamine -like hallucinogens (affect dopamine/norepinephrine systems)

Amphetamines ( stimulant effects)

What is the chemical name for Ecstasy ?

MDMA

What are the street names for Ecstasy?

X

Adam

MDM
M&M

E

What are designer drugs?

Drugs are created to evade drug laws by slightly changing the chemical structure of already-illegal substances

What year did Ecstasy get banned?

1985

What brain systems did designer drugs affect?

Serotonin depletion affects. mood regulation, emotinal processing, cognition

How is Ecstasy absorbed?

Ecstasy is taken orally

When does Ecstasy reach peak blood levels?

reaches peak blood levels in about 2 hrs; doesn’t hit instantly and builds gradually after ingestion

How is Ecstasy excreted?

Majority either excreted unchanged in urine or metabolized to MDA

What are the subjective effects of Ecstasy?

increased wakefulness and energy

enhanced endurance

euphoria and well-being

heighten sensory perception

increased sociability and extroversion

strong feels of emotional closeness

What neurotransmitters is increased while taking Ecstasy?

Serotonin, Norepinephrine, Dopamine

What mechanism for reuptake in Ecstasy?

Blocking reuptake; prevents the brain from reabsorbing these chemicals/ keeps them active in the synapse longer

What does Ecstasy release?

Ecstasy increases the release of Oxytocin; may cause of empathogenic (increases empathy) and entactogenic (touching within/emotional communion)

What effects Ecstasy while taking 75 to 100mg dosage?

It induces a state with no hallucinations, and an enhanced awareness of emotions and sensations

What are the acute effects on the body while taking Ecstasy?

Increased body temperature (hyperthermia)

Sweating

Headache

Pupil dilation

Muscle tension (Bruxism; jaw clenching and teeth grinding)

What are the after effects of taking Ecstasy?

difficulty concentrating

Irritability

Insomnia

Fatigue

Depressive mood

What is the tolerance of Ecstasy?

It is a fast tolerance which means reduces effects with repeated use

Does Ecstasy have a withdrawl effects?

No because repeated use patterns are uncommon due to rapid tolerance

What are the harmful effects of Ecstasy?

Repeated use can lead to reduced of serotonin levels

It can disrupt the body’s ability to regulate temperature

Can get dehydrated/ electrolyte imbalance (drinking too much water without replacing salts can dilute sodium levels in the blood)

What is Salvia Dinorum?

psychoactive plant that produces visions and dissociative effects

What is the active compound of salvia dinorum?

Active compound Salvinorin A

first known diterpene hallucinogen’ does not chemically resemble other psychoactive compounds

What receptors does Salvia divinorum affect on the Brain?

mainly through kappa opioid and dopamine receptors

What receptor does Salvia divinorum NOT affect?

it does not really affect serotonin receptors

Does Savlia divinorum corss the blood brain barrier?

Yes, Salvia divinorum crosses the brain very fast, affecting the visual cortex/cerebellum (balance/movement)

How long does Salvia Divinorum effects last?

Salvia Divinorum effects last 5-30 minutes

How is Salvia Divinorum removed from the body?

since it has a rapid metabolism, it is removed from the body quicly and is temporarily stored in the body tissues or organs before being cleared

What are the behavioral effects of Salvia Divinorum?

Salvia divinorum behavioral effects are intense hallucinations, uncontrollable laughter, loss of motor coordination, speech difficulties, changes in perception, emotional swings, and senses mix together

What is the tolerance on salvia divinorum?

Salvia divinorum tolerance is minimal developemnt

What are the withdrawal symptoms of Salvia divinorum?

Withdrawl symptoms for savia divinourm are headaches, insomnia, and irritability

What was Phencyclidine (PCP) ?

PCP is a synthetic drug that was created in 1963

doctors used it for painkillers (analgesic) and anesthetic (during surgery)

What was the street name for PCP?

Crystal, angel dust, or hob

What was Ketamine?

Katemine was introduced in 1969 as a safer replacement for PCP

It worked as a stronger anesthetic, last for a short amount of time, causes less severe confusion and agitation when people wake up

What is ketamine mainly used for?

Ketamine mainly use for veterinary anesthetic (for animals)

What are the street names for Ketamine?

“k”, Special K, and Kit Kat

What is ketamine often used for?

as a club drug or a date rape drug

How can ketamine be dangerous?

It comes in a liquid form (colorless and tasteless) making easier to mix in drinks

How can ketamine be taken?

Ketamine can be swallowed, injected, or snorting it as a powder

When does effects happen for PCP?

Within 1 minute if smoked or injected

about 20-40 minutes if swallowed

How long can PCP effects last for?

PCP effects can last for 4-8 hours

What is the main effect blocking for PCP and Ketamine?

The main effect is blocking NMDA receptors for glutamate.

How can PCP and Ketamine be addictive?

These drugs may be reinforcing/addictive because changing glutamate activity can increase DOPAMINE release

What is the tolerance of PCP?

The frequent use of PCP, people can develop tolerance to feel the same effect which can lead to DEPENDENCE

What are the withdrawal symptoms of PCP?

Withdrawal from PCP suggests both physical and behvaioral dependence

Tolerance can develop pain-relieving effects

What is the tolerance of Ketamine?

Ketamine can produce reinforcing effects, quickly finding it as a reward to reuse

What are the effects of reproduction and genetic damage for Ketamine and PCP?

can slow fetal growth, can trigger early labor, can cause fetal distress

What is dextromethorphan?

Dextromethorphan is a synthetic cough suppressant

What does dextromethorphan interact weakly with?

Interact weakly with NMDA (glutamate) receptors

What does receptor does dextromorphan activate?

Sigma-1 and Sigma-2 receptors

they regulate mood, perception, and brain functions

Which is the affective route for dextromethorphan?

Most effective when taken by the mouth (oral route)

What kind of medications can make side effects worse for dextromethorphan?

SSRIs (antidepressants) and MAOIs

What is Gamma-Hydroxybutyrate?

A substance found naturally in the body in small amounts and has a byproduct of GABA

How long is the effects for Gamma-Hydroxybutyrate (GHB)

for GHB effects are within 15-30 minutes, peaked effects 25-45 minutes

What receptor does GHB bind too?

It ataches to at least 2 twos of receptors in the CNS (GHB receptor and GABAB receptor

What does GHB reduce in the brain?

GHB reduces dopamine release

What is catnip a part of?

Catnip is a part of the mint family

What are the effects of catnip?

rolling, rubbing, drooling,

passive “Sphinx-like” posture

WHat is the duration of catnip"?

Cantp short duration 5-15 minutes

What is the administration for catnip?

inhalation

buccal and oral (have no effect)

What does catnip activate?

It activates through the olfactory system

What does naloxone do to catnip?

Naloxone blocks catnip and is a antagonist

How is catnip excreted?

Catnip is excreted in the urine

What evolutionary benefit does catnip have?

It is an insect repellant