scholarly journals Acute Pharmacological Effects of Oral and Intranasal Mephedrone: An Observational Study in Humans

2021 ◽  
Vol 14 (2) ◽  
pp. 100
Author(s):  
Esther Papaseit ◽  
Eulalia Olesti ◽  
Clara Pérez-Mañá ◽  
Marta Torrens ◽  
Francina Fonseca ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Observational Study ◽  
Oral Fluid ◽  
Subjective Effects ◽  
Vital Signs ◽  
Cardiovascular Effects ◽  
Well Being ◽  
Research Centre ◽  
New Psychoactive Substances ◽  
Pharmacological Effects ◽  
Self Administration

Mephedrone (4-methylmethcathinone) is a synthetic cathinone with psychostimulant properties which remains one of the most popular new psychoactive substances (NPS). It is frequently used orally and/or intranasally. To date, no studies have evaluated the acute effects and pharmacokinetics after self-administration of mephedrone orally (ingestion) and intranasally (insufflation) in naturalistic conditions. An observational study was conducted to assess and compare the acute pharmacological effects, as well as the oral fluid (saliva) concentrations of mephedrone self-administered orally and intranasally. Ten healthy experienced drug users (4 females and 6 males) self-administered a single dose of mephedrone, orally (n = 5, 100–200 mg; mean 150 mg) or intranasally (n = 5, 50–100 mg, mean 70 mg). Vital signs (blood pressure, heart rate, and cutaneous temperature) were measured at baseline (0), 1, 2, and 4 h after self-administration. Each participant completed subjective effects questionnaires: A set of Visual Analogue Scales (VAS), the 49-item Addiction Research Centre Inventory (ARCI), and Evaluation of the Subjective Effects of Substances with Abuse Potential (VESSPA-SSE) at baseline, 1, 2, and 4 h after self-administration. Oral fluid and urine were collected during 4 h. Both routes of mephedrone self-administration enhanced ratings of euphoria and well-being effects and increased cardiovascular effects in humans. Although it was at times assessed that the oral route produced greater and larger effects than the intranasal one, concentrations of mephedrone in oral fluid and also the total amount of mephedrone and metabolites in urine showed that concentrations of mephedrone are considerably higher when self-administered intranasally in comparison to orally. Controlled clinical trials are needed to confirm our observational results.

scholarly journals A Comparison of Acute Pharmacological Effects of Methylone and MDMA Administration in Humans and Oral Fluid Concentrations as Biomarkers of Exposure

Biology ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 10 (8) ◽  
pp. 788
Author(s):  
Lourdes Poyatos ◽  
Esther Papaseit ◽  
Eulalia Olesti ◽  
Clara Pérez-Mañá ◽  
Mireia Ventura ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Drug Users ◽  
Oral Fluid ◽  
Short Form ◽  
Subjective Effects ◽  
Vital Signs ◽  
Abuse Liability ◽  
Research Centre ◽  
Pharmacological Effects ◽  
Self Administration ◽  
Potential Abuse

Considered the β-keto analogue of 3,4-methylenedioxymethamphetamine (MDMA, ecstasy), 3,4-Methylenedioxymethcathinone (methylone) is a synthetic cathinone. Over the years, methylone has been used as a substitute for conventional psychostimulants, such as MDMA. To date, little is known about the human pharmacology of methylone; the only available information has been provided by surveys or published intoxication reports. In the present observational–naturalistic study, we evaluate the acute subjective and physiological effects of methylone after oral self-administration in comparison to MDMA in healthy poly-drug users. Fourteen participants (10 males, 4 females) selected their single oral doses of methylone from 100 to 300 mg (n = 8, mean dose 187.5 mg) or MDMA from 75 to 100 mg (n = 6, mean dose 87.5 mg) based on their experience. Study variables were assessed at 0, 1, 2, and 4 h (h) and included vital signs (non-invasive blood pressure, heart rate, cutaneous temperature) and subjective effects using visual analogue scales (VAS), the 49-item Addiction Research Centre Inventory (ARCI) short form, and the Evaluation of the Subjective Effects of Substances with Abuse Potential (VESSPA-SSE) questionnaire. Additionally, oral fluid concentrations of methylone and MDMA were determined. Acute pharmacological effects produced by methylone followed the prototypical psychostimulant and empathogenic profile associated with MDMA, although they were less intense. Methylone concentrations in oral fluid can be considered a useful biomarker to detect acute exposure in oral fluid. Oral fluid concentrations of MDMA and methylone peaked at 2 h and concentrations of MDMA were in the range of those previously described in controlled studies. Our results demonstrate that the potential abuse liability of methylone is similar to that of MDMA in recreational subjects.

scholarly journals Acute Pharmacological Effects and Oral Fluid Concentrations of the Synthetic Cannabinoids JWH-122 and JWH-210 in Humans After Self-Administration: An Observational Study

2021 ◽  
Vol 12 ◽  
Author(s):  
Lucia Martínez ◽  
Nunzia La Maida ◽  
Esther Papaseit ◽  
Clara Pérez-Mañá ◽  
Lourdes Poyatos ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Blood Pressure ◽  
Observational Study ◽  
Oral Fluid ◽  
Short Form ◽  
Subjective Effects ◽  
Synthetic Cannabinoids ◽  
Drug Effects ◽  
Pharmacological Effects ◽  
Self Administration ◽  
Potential Health

Synthetic cannabinoids (SCs) are a group of new psychoactive drugs used recreationally with potential health risks. They are monitored by the EU Early Warning System since 2010 due to severe adverse effects on consumers. JWH-122 and JWH-210 are naphthoylindole SCs and potent cannabinoid receptor CB1 and CB2 agonists. Information about the effects of SCs usually is available from intoxication cases and surveys, and few studies on humans after controlled administration or observational/naturalistic studies using standardized measures of cardiovascular and subjective effects are available. The aim of this study was to evaluate the acute pharmacological effects of JWH-122 and JWH-210 recreational consumption in a 4 h observational study and assess their disposition in oral fluid (OF). Sixteen volunteers self-administered 1 mg dose of JWH-122 (n = 8) or 2.25 mg mean dose of JWH-210 (range 2–3 mg, n = 8) by inhalation (smoking). Physiological parameters including blood pressure (systolic and diastolic), heart rate (HR), and cutaneous temperature were measured. A set of visual analog scales, the 49-item short-form version of the Addiction Research Center Inventory (ARCI), and the Evaluation of the Subjective Effects of Substances with Abuse Potential (VESSPA-SSE) were used for the evaluation of subjective effects. OF was collected at baseline and at 10, 20, and 40 min and 1, 2, 3, and 4 h after self-administration. Statistically significant increases in systolic blood pressure (SBP), diastolic blood pressure (DBP), and HR were observed after JWH-122 self-administration but not after JWH-210 self-administration. JWH-210 self-administration produced significant changes in subjective drug effects, similar to those induced by THC (intensity, high, good effects, and hunger). The subjective effects following JWH-122 consumption were minimal. The maximal effects were mostly observed 20 min after intake. JWH-122 and JWH 210 OF concentration reached a peak 20 min after administration and could not be detected after 3 h. The results demonstrated a different pattern of effects of these two SCs. Due to the limitations of our observational study, further research with a larger sample and controlled studies are needed to better define the acute pharmacological effect and health risk profile of JWH-122 and JWH-210.

Interactions between mephedrone and alcohol in humans: Cardiovascular and subjective effects

2016 ◽  
Vol 33 (S1) ◽  
pp. S115-S115 ◽  
Author(s):  
M. Farré ◽  
C. Perez-Maña ◽  
E. de Souza ◽  
J. Mateus ◽  
E. Theunisen ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Short Form ◽  
Subjective Effects ◽  
Vital Signs ◽  
Cardiovascular Effects ◽  
Well Being ◽  
Abuse Liability ◽  
Double Blind ◽  
New Novel ◽  
Synthetic Cathinone ◽  
Competing Interest

IntroductionMephedrone is a synthetic cathinone derivative included in the class of “New-Novel Psychoactive Substances”. Synthetic cathinones are marketed as “bath salts” or “plant food” and gained notable popularity for similar effects to 4-methylenedioxymethamphetamine (MDMA, ecstasy), or amphetamines. Mephedrone is commonly consumed simultaneously with alcohol.Objectives and aimsThe aim of the present study was to evaluate the interactions between mephedrone and ethanol in humans.MethodsTwelve healthy male, recreational users of psychostimulants participated as outpatients in four experimental sessions. They received a single oral dose of mephedrone (200 mg) and alcohol (0.8 g/kg), mephedrone placebo and alcohol (0.8 g/kg), mephedrone (200 mg) and placebo alcohol, and both placebos. Design was double-blind, double-dummy, randomized, cross-over and controlled with placebo. Study variables included: vital signs (blood pressure, heart rate, temperature, and pupil diameter), subjective effects (visual analogue scales-VAS, ARCI-49 item short form, and VESSPA questionnaire).ResultsThe combination produced an increase in the cardiovascular effects of mephedrone and induced more intense feeling of euphoria and well-being in comparison to mephedrone and alcohol. Mephedrone reduced the drunkenness and sedation produced by alcohol.ConclusionsThese results are similar to those obtained with the combination of other psychostimulants as amphetamines and MDMA. Abuse liability of the combination is greater that induced by mephedrone.Disclosure of interestThe authors have not supplied their declaration of competing interest.

scholarly journals Acute Pharmacological Effects and Oral Fluid Biomarkers of the Synthetic Cannabinoid UR-144 and THC in Recreational Users

Biology ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 10 (4) ◽  
pp. 257
Author(s):  
Nunzia La Maida ◽  
Esther Papaseit ◽  
Lucia Martínez ◽  
Clara Pérez-Mañá ◽  
Lourdes Poyatos ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Blood Pressure ◽  
Heart Rate ◽  
Observational Study ◽  
Early Warning ◽  
Early Warning System ◽  
Oral Fluid ◽  
Subjective Effects ◽  
Warning System ◽  
Pharmacological Effects ◽  
The Eu

Synthetic cannabinoids (SCs) are one of the most frequent classes of new psychoactive substances monitored by the EU Early Warning System and World Health Organization. UR-144 is a SC with a relative low affinity for the CB1 receptor with respect to that for the CB2 receptor. As with other cannabinoid receptor agonists, it has been monitored by the EU Early Warning System since 2012 for severe adverse effects on consumers. Since data for UR-144 human pharmacology are very limited, an observational study was carried out to evaluate its acute pharmacological effects following its administration using a cannabis joint as term of comparison. Disposition of UR-144 and delta-9-tetrahydrocannibinol (THC) was investigated in oral fluid. Sixteen volunteers smoked a joint prepared with tobacco and 1 or 1.5 mg dose of UR-144 (n = 8) or cannabis flowering tops containing 10 or 20 mg THC (n = 8). Physiological variables including systolic and diastolic blood pressure, heart rate and cutaneous temperature were measured. A set of Visual Analog Scales (VAS), the Addiction Research Centre Inventory (ARCI)-49-item short form version and the Evaluation of the Subjective Effects of Substances with Abuse Potential (VESSPA-SSE) were administered to evaluate subjective effects. Oral fluid was collected at baseline, 10, 20, 40 min and 1, 2, 3 and 4 h after smoking, for UR-144 or THC concentration monitoring. Results showed significant statistical increases in both systolic and diastolic blood pressure and heart rate after both UR-144 and cannabis smoking. Both substances produced an increase in VAS related to stimulant-like and high effects, but scores were significantly higher after cannabis administration. No hallucinogenic effects were observed. Maximal oral fluid UR-144 and THC concentrations appeared at 20 and 10 min after smoking, respectively. The presence of UR-144 in oral fluid constitutes a non-invasive biomarker of SC consumption. The results of this observational study provide valuable preliminary data of the pharmacological effects of UR-144, showing a similar profile of cardiovascular effects in comparison with THC but lower intensity of subjective effects. Our results have to be confirmed by research in a larger sample to extensively clarify pharmacological effects and the health risk profile of UR-144.

scholarly journals High dose psilocybin is associated with positive subjective effects in healthy volunteers

2018 ◽  
Vol 32 (7) ◽  
pp. 770-778 ◽  
Author(s):  
Christopher R Nicholas ◽  
Kelsey M Henriquez ◽  
Michele C Gassman ◽  
Karen M Cooper ◽  
Daniel Muller ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Mystical Experience ◽  
Subjective Effects ◽  
Vital Signs ◽  
Well Being ◽  
High Dose ◽  
Moderate Increase ◽  
Time And Space ◽  
Significant Difference ◽  
Composite Scores ◽  
Experience Questionnaire

Aim: The aim of the current study was to investigate the relationship between escalating higher doses of psilocybin and the potential psilocybin occasioned positive subjective effects. Methods: Healthy participants ( n=12) were given three escalating doses of oral psilocybin (0.3 mg/kg; 0.45 mg/kg; 0.6 mg/kg) or (18.8–36.6 mg; 27.1–54.0 mg; 36.3–59.2 mg) a minimum of four weeks apart in a supervised setting. Blood and urine samples, vital signs, and electrocardiograms were obtained. Subjective effects were assessed using the Mystical Experience Questionnaire and Persisting Effects Questionnaire. Results: There was a significant linear dose-related response in Mystical Experience Questionnaire total score and the transcendence of time and space subscale, but not in the rate of a complete mystical experience. There was also a significant difference between dose 3 compared to dose 1 on the transcendence of time and space subscale, while no dose-related differences were found for Mystical Experience Questionnaire total scores or rate of a mystical experience. Persisting Effects Questionnaire positive composite scores 30 days after completion of the last dose were significantly higher than negative composite scores. Persisting Effects Questionnaire results revealed a moderate increase in sense of well-being or life satisfaction on average that was associated with the maximum Mystical Experience Questionnaire total score. Pharmacokinetic measures were associated with dose but not with Mystical Experience Questionnaire total scores or rate of a mystical experience. Conclusions: High doses of psilocybin elicited subjective effects at least as strong as the lower doses and resulted in positive persisting subjective effects 30 days after, indicating that a complete mystical experience was not a prerequisite for positive outcomes.

scholarly journals Acute Effects of the Novel Psychoactive Drug 2C-B on Emotions

2015 ◽  
Vol 2015 ◽  
pp. 1-9 ◽  
Author(s):  
Débora González ◽  
Marta Torrens ◽  
Magí Farré
Keyword(s):  
Subjective Effects ◽  
Cardiovascular Effects ◽  
Well Being ◽  
The Novel ◽  
Limited Information ◽  
Acute Effects ◽  
Emotional Stimuli ◽  
Visual Analog Scales ◽  
Chronic Effects ◽  
Acute And Chronic Effects

Background. 2C-B (Nexus) is one of the most widespread novel psychoactive substances. There is limited information about its pharmacological properties, and few studies in humans concern its acute and chronic effects. 2C-B has been classified as a stimulant, hallucinogen, entactogen, and/or empathogen.Objectives. To evaluate the emotional, subjective, and cardiovascular effects of 2C-B.Methods. Twenty healthy recreational 2C-B users (12 women) self-administered a 20 mg dose of 2C-B. Evaluations included emotional (IAPS, FERT, and speech), subjective (visual analog scales, ARCI, VESSPA, HRS, and POMS questionnaires), and cardiovascular effects (blood pressure and heart rate).Results. Positive subjective effects predominated with a reduction of anger under the influence of 2C-B. It did, however, increase reactivity to negative emotional stimuli and decrease the ability to recognize expressions of happiness. Augmented emotionality in speech could be appreciated by others. 2C-B induced euphoria and well-being, changes in perceptions, and slight hallucinogenic states. Mild sympathetic actions were observed.Conclusions. The specific profile that 2C-B exerts on emotions suggests its classification as an entactogen with psychedelic properties.

Implementation of a Cyber-Physical System Using Wireless Sensor Networks for Monitoring Patients

2015 ◽  
Vol 1 ◽  
pp. 26 ◽  
Author(s):  
Vo Que Son ◽  
Do Tan A
Keyword(s):  
Wireless Sensor Networks ◽  
Sensor Networks ◽  
Physical System ◽  
Patient Monitoring ◽  
High Reliability ◽  
Vital Signs ◽  
Wireless Sensor ◽  
Cyber Physical System ◽  
Self Administration ◽  
Hospital Units

Sensing, distributed computation and wireless communication are the essential building components of a Cyber-Physical System (CPS). Having many advantages such as mobility, low power, multi-hop routing, low latency, self-administration, utonomous data acquisition, and fault tolerance, Wireless Sensor Networks (WSNs) have gone beyond the scope of monitoring the environment and can be a way to support CPS. This paper presents the design, deployment, and empirical study of an eHealth system, which can remotely monitor vital signs from patients such as body temperature, blood pressure, SPO2, and heart rate. The primary contribution of this paper is the measurements of the proposed eHealth device that assesses the feasibility of WSNs for patient monitoring in hospitals in two aspects of communication and clinical sensing. Moreover, both simulation and experiment are used to investigate the performance of the design in many aspects such as networking reliability, sensing reliability, or end-to-end delay. The results show that the network achieved high reliability - nearly 97% while the sensing reliability of the vital signs can be obtained at approximately 98%. This indicates the feasibility and promise of using WSNs for continuous patient monitoring and clinical worsening detection in general hospital units.

scholarly journals Community intervention strategies to reduce the impact of financial strain and promote financial well-being: a comprehensive rapid review

2021 ◽  
Vol 28 (1) ◽  
pp. 42-50
Author(s):  
Nicole M. Glenn ◽  
Lisa Allen Scott ◽  
Teree Hokanson ◽  
Karla Gustafson ◽  
Melissa A. Stoops ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Quality Of Life ◽  
Community Intervention ◽  
Well Being ◽  
Small Sample ◽  
Financial Strain ◽  
Rapid Review ◽  
Research Centre ◽  
Future Research ◽  
The Impact

Financial well-being describes when people feel able to meet their financial obligations, feel financially secure and are able to make choices that benefit their quality of life. Financial strain occurs when people are unable to pay their bills, feel stressed about money and experience negative impacts on their quality of life and health. In the face of the global economic repercussions of the COVID-19 pandemic, community-led approaches are required to address the setting-specific needs of residents and reduce the adverse impacts of widespread financial strain. To encourage evidence-informed best practices, a provincial health authority and community-engaged research centre collaborated to conduct a rapid review. We augmented the rapid review with an environmental scan and interviews. Our data focused on Western Canada and was collected prior to the pandemic (May–September 2019). We identified eight categories of community-led strategies to promote financial well-being: systems navigation and access; financial literacy and skills; emergency financial assistance; asset building; events and attractions; employment and educational support; transportation; and housing. We noted significant gaps in the evidence, including methodological limitations of the included studies (e.g. generalisability, small sample size), a lack of reporting on the mechanisms leading to the outcomes and evaluation of long-term impacts, sparse practice-based data on evaluation methods and outcomes, and limited intervention details in the published literature. Critically, few of the included interventions specifically targeted financial strain and/or well-being. We discuss the implications of these gaps in addition to possibilities and priorities for future research and practice. We also consider the results in relation to the COVID-19 pandemic and its economic consequences.

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