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Marvin the Paranoid Android and Alice in Wonderland
Published in Ornella Corazza, Andres Roman-Urrestarazu, Handbook of Novel Psychoactive Substances, 2018
Pierluigi Simonato, Attilio Negri, Marco Solmi, Rita Santacroce
Simple derivatives of cathinone can be easily produced from ephedrine, N-methylephedrine, propiophenone, or pyrrolidine; many of these precursors are freely available and not under international control. Most of the synthetic cathinones that appeared in the drug market are ring-substituted cathinones differing from phenethylamine analogues by a ketone functional group linked at the β carbon, which is crucial for their lower ability to cross the blood-brain barrier and thus their lower potency compared to other phenethylamines. (Coppola & Mondola, 2012; De Felice, Glennon, & Negus, 2014). Therefore, users report higher dosages of synthetic cathinones than those usually consumed for amphetamines; furthermore, redosing is frequent. An exception to this is represented by the pyrrolidine subgroup of cathinones, such as MDPV, which shows significantly lower polarity. Self-reported doses range between a few milligrams to over 1 g.
Stimulants
Published in G. Hussein Rassool, Alcohol and Drug Misuse, 2017
Synthetic cathinones, more commonly known as “bath salts,” are synthetic drugs chemically related to cathinone, one of the principal psychoactive components in khat. Synthetic cathinones are included “New Psychoactive Substances” can be much stronger than the natural product and, in some cases, very dangerous (Baumann 2014). The synthetic cathinones include mephedrone and methylone and are used as a recreational drug and can be addictive. The synthetic drugs are in the form of a white or brown crystal-like powder and are sold in small plastic or foil packages. These products sold as “Molly” (MDMA) often contain synthetic cathinones. These psychoactive substances are marketed “not for human consumption” as plant food or household cleaners. Most users tend to snort (insufflate) mephedrone but most of the cathinones are ingested. These psychoactive substances are sometimes injected because they are soluble in water. Mephedrone or substituted cathinone drugs can be smoked but it is not a “cost-effective” way of consuming them.
Emerging Recreational Psychotropics
Published in David J. George, Poisons, 2017
More than 600 different illegally produced psychoactive drugs have been identified in the past few years. The number of emerging synthetic drugs is challenging the resources of analytical laboratories, regulatory agencies, medical professionals, and law enforcement units. Even the most dedicated individuals involved in dealing with this growing issue struggle with the increasing availability of information on the emerging psychotropic drugs. It is becoming increasingly difficult to discern which information is actually new and not a duplicate review or refinement of the existing knowledge. References to these substances in clinical literature conveniently group them broadly into two classes: (1) cathinones and (2) cannabinoids. Cathinones: Cathinone is the active stimulant component of the khat plant (Catha edulis) and is very similar in activity and potency to amphetamine. Some emerging psychotropic drugs are derivatives of cathinone. These include mephedrone, methylone, α-PVP, and MDPV. These substituted cathinones now represent only a small class of the emerging synthetic psychotropic drugs that produce various degrees of stimulating and hallucinogenic effects. There are currently more than 200 of these drugs grouped into more than 15 chemical classes. A collective slang term for these substances is bath salts.Cannabinoids: The psychoactive components of natural marijuana are chemically related and referred to as cannabinoids. Many cannabinoids have been isolated from marijuana, but the one most responsible for the psychoactive effects is tetrahydrocannabinol or THC. Synthetic cannabinoids are derivatives of the naturally occurring compounds but differ significantly in potency, effects, and toxicity. Synthetic cannabinoids are not laboratory copies of natural cannabinoids. They are new compounds that never existed in marijuana plants. More than 200 synthetic cannabinoids have been identified. Synthetic marijuana is produced by adding synthetic cannabinoids to various blends of plant material. The resulting product is then sold as an herbal marijuana substitute to be used in the same manner as marijuana to allegedly achieve similar effects. A collective slang term for these substances is spice.
Systematic review of preclinical, clinical, and post-marketing evidence of bupropion misuse potential
Published in The American Journal of Drug and Alcohol Abuse, 2019
Andrew C Naglich, E. Sherwood Brown, Bryon Adinoff
Misuse of cathinone ((2S)-2-amino-1-phenylpropan-1-one), and synthetic cathinone derivatives anecdotally referenced as “bath salts,” has become more prevalent in recent years. Concern for the misuse potential of bupropion, itself a substituted cathinone derivative, has grown in parallel to those of illicit cathinone derivatives (1). Reports of bupropion misuse within the correctional behavioral health community of California from 2005 appear to have sparked interest in bupropion as a substance with misuse potential and led to restriction or removal of bupropion from many correctional system formularies. News reports of severe consequences bupropion misuse in non-correctional populations in 2013 reignited interest in the misuse potential of bupropion (2).
Synthetic cathinones: an evolving class of new psychoactive substances
Published in Critical Reviews in Toxicology, 2019
João L. Gonçalves, Vera L. Alves, Joselin Aguiar, Helena M. Teixeira, José S. Câmara
In 2016, Liu et al. (2017) identified nine SCat in seized materials, of which six (N‐ethylhexedrone, 4-chloro-pentedrone, 1‐(4‐chlorophenyl)‐2‐(ethylamino)pentan‐1‐one (4‐Cl‐α‐EAPP), propylone, 4‐methyl‐1‐phenyl‐2‐(pyrrolidin‐1‐yl)pentan‐1‐one (α‐PiHP), and 1‐(4‐chlorophenyl)‐2‐(pyrrolidin‐1‐yl)hexan‐1‐one (4‐Cl‐α‐PHP)) were reported for the first time. In the following year, four novel substituted cathinones, specifically hexedrone, 4-bromoethcathinone (4-BEC), 1-(4-chlorophenyl)-2-(pyrrolidin-1-yl)propan-1-one (4-Cl-PPP), and 1-(4-bromophenyl)-2-(pyrrolidin-1-yl)pentan-1-one (4-Br-PVP), were identified by Błażewicz et al. (2017) in seized products prior to being sold on the drug market.
Overview of analytical methods for determining novel psychoactive substances, drugs and their metabolites in biological samples
Published in Critical Reviews in Toxicology, 2022
Jadwiga Musiał, Jakub Czarny, Renata Gadzała-Kopciuch
Tyrkko et al. (2016) examined a group of cathinones and phenethylamines. Synthetic cathinones, such as amphetamines and cocaine, affect the levels of catecholamines: DA, NA, and 5-HT, in the central nervous system, exerting stimulatory effects. Cathinones integrate with monoamine transporters in two different ways: as transporter reuptake blockers and as transporter substrates. Both mechanisms of action increase extracellular concentrations of monoamines. Transporter substrates induce transport from the intracellular to extracellular, while blockers inhibit the uptake of neurotransmitters from synapses. Several studies have shown that MDPV, mephedrone, and α-pyrrolidinovalerophenone (α-PVP) interact and enhance DA, NA, and 5-HT neurotransmission by binding to monoamine transporters (DAT, NET, and SERT) on neurons, thus increasing catecholamine levels. Mephedrone and other ring-substituted cathinones are nonselective transporting substrates in DAT, NET, and SERT, while MDPV and α-PVP act as selective DAT and NET blockers (Fleckenstein et al. 2000; Meltzer et al. 2006; Lõpez-Arnau et al. 2012; Baumann et al. 2013; Eshleman et al. 2013; Simmler et al. 2013, 2014; Marusich et al. 2014). Marusich et al. (2014) have shown that α-PVP pyrrolidinophenones and α-PBP α-pyrrolidinobutyrophenone (α-PPP) are potent DAT and NET reuptake blockers, but do not exert any effects on SERT. All cathinones with pyrrolidinone structure, i.e. MDPV, α-PVP, αPBP, and α-PPP, stimulate motor activity, and their potency is consistent with their DAT-blocking power. Mephedrone affects the dopaminergic system rather than the serotoninergic system (Eshleman et al. 2013; Simmler et al. 2014). Metabolic profile of mephedrone is shown in Figure 1. Tyrkko et al. (2016) demonstrated that in both cathinones and phenethylamines, the parent compound is generally detected in user samples; however, their detection should be confirmed by the presence of specific metabolites. Many cathinones and phenylethylamines are metabolized by CYP2D6 enzymes.