New and re-emerging Abused Drugs

September 27, 2014

New and re-emerging Abused Drugs

Prescription-Drug-Abuse The greatest challenge for physicians today is to be up to par with the new and remerging drugs of abuse. The problem is the law enforcers have declared certain drugs that were perceived to have medicinal qualities into illegal drugs. Most of these drugs are those used in cooling pain. Having these drugs classified as illegal has led to many street doctors to adopt ways through which they can continue using such drugs without being at loggerheads with the law enforcers and that has led to mixing certain substances with these drugs in a bid to conceal what the real contents of the drugs are. They have also branded this drugs with strange names all in a in a bid to hide them from the law enforcers. The packages of these drugs are written as ‘not for human consumption’ among other strange names that has been given to these new and re-emerging drugs of abuse to enable them trade safe. Emerging drugs of abuse are forever changing and involve manipulation of basic chemical structures to avoid legal ramifications. The structural changes are important to those dealing in these drugs as they help them evade forensic chemical tests hurdles. The names given to these drugs may not even have a relation to their contents and so not as important as understanding the classes of these drugs. Most of the synthetic new drugs of abuse result in psychoactive and sympathomimetic effects.

For emphasis this needs to be repeated many of these drugs are marketed as “legal highs despite being labeled “not for human consumption” to avoid regulation. The availability of these substances over the Internet and in “head shops” has led to a multitude of emergency department visits with severe complications including deaths worldwide. Today there are still new drugs of abuse that are not yet known by physicians. The drugs are not easy to tame since even the slightest alterations of the basic chemical structure of substances create an entirely new drug no longer regulated by current laws and an ever-changing landscape of clinical effects. The purity of each substance with exact pharmacokinetic and toxicity profiles is largely unknown hence very dangerous to the users. Some of these drugs that are being abused greatly today hence not very easy to tame are piperazines.

Piperazines

Piperazines have often been referred to as failed pharmaceuticals. This is because some had been evaluated as potential therapeutic agents by pharmaceutical companies but never brought to the market .One piperazine that has been commonly used as NPS is 1-benzylpiperazine (BZP) though other piperazine derivatives have also been reported to be useful in medicine. These include among others 1-(3-chlorophenyl) piperazine (mCPP), 1-(3-trifluoromethylphenyl) piperazines (TFMPP), 1-benzyl-4-methylpiperazine (MBZP), 1-(4-fluorophenyl) piperazines (pFPP) and 1-cyclohexyl-4-(1,2-diphenylethyl) piperazine (MT-45).

BZP itself was initially developed as a potential antidepressant drug, but was found to have similar properties to amphetamine and therefore liable to abuse. In the 1980s, it was used in Hungary to manufacture piberaline, a substance marketed as an antidepressant. This substance was later withdrawn since it was thought liable to abuse as well. In the late 1990s, BZP emerged in New Zealand as a ‘legal alternative’ for MDMA and methamphetamine. In Europe, its use was first reported in Sweden in 1999, but it only became widespread as a NPS from 2004 onwards until controls over the substance were introduced in 2008, in the European Union. mCPP was developed during the late 1970s and is used as an intermediate in the manufacture of several antidepressants, e.g. trazodone and nefazodone. TFMPP is almost always seen in combination with BZP to produce the entactogenic effects of MDMA.

Neither BZP nor any other piperazines are under international control, although several (BZP, TFMPP, mCPP, MDBP) were pre-reviewed by the WHO Expert Committee on Drug Dependence in 2012. Several countries have introduced national control measures over piperazines. The control measures are however still challenged as those dealing in these drugs are adopting ways to beat the authorities in this trade. Piperazines are frequently sold as ‘ecstasy’. Some of the generic names for these substances include; pep pills, social tonics or simply as party pills.

These drugs are mostly used recreationally and two groups of these drugs feature here and these are benzylpiperazines and phenylpiperazines. Most of the pills sold as ecstasy and amphetamines have been found to contain components of Piperazines or its substitutes. They can also come as mixtures of more than one piperazine (such as BZP/TFMPP) or in combination with other drugs of abuse. Today Piperazines are some of the most common active substances found in Internet purchased drugs and they are majorly abused by young people.

Can adversely affect the users

Piperazines have been found to act as stimulants as a result of dopaminergic, noradrenergic, and predominantly serotoninergic effects produced in the brain. The majority of pharmacological studies of piperazines has focused on BZP and have indicated that it produces toxic effects similar to amphetamine and other sympathomimetics. According to animal studies, its effects are less potent than amphetamine, methamphetamine and MDMA. TFMPP, used in conjunction with BZP, has been reported to produce some of the effects of MDMA, but with a lower potency, while mCPP has been indicated to produce similar stimulant and hallucinogenic effects as MDMA.

In New Zealand, toxic seizures and respiratory acidosis after the use of BZP alone or in conjunction with other drugs were reported from three patients. Another study of 61 patients reported toxic effects of BZP, with two cases presenting life-threatening toxicity. Hyperthermia, rhabdomyolysis and renal failure associated with BZP ingestion have also been reported. In the United Kingdom, self-terminating grand mal seizures after the use of BZP have also been reported. All these findings prove how fatal the use of these drugs is and so should be avoided at all costs.

Finally, Dr. Dalal Akoury (MD) is an experienced doctor who has been in the frontline fighting drug addiction. He runs a website that equips readers of better ways to overcome not only drug addiction but also serious health problems that have caused nightmares to the world population. Get in touch with her today and learn more.

New and re-emerging Abused Drugs

Hallucinogens? What Are They?

September 23, 2014

Widely Used Hallucinogens

There some drugs that when used may cause hallucinations. The drugs that cause hallucinations are called hallucinogens. These drugs when taken make a person to see things that are not even in existence. The drugs take a person to a trip. He ceases to see what is in the real world but instead sees things that nobody else sees. Hallucinogens may also have other destructive effects to those who take then in fact most drugs that cause hallucinations are often linked to such grave symptoms as memory loss among others. Hallucinogens are interesting drugs, they work differently for each individual person. A person may take a hallucinogen in huge quantity but still will not see many crazy visual hallucinations as compared to others who will even see dogs talk to him in his hallucinations even after taking the least quantities available.

hallucinogens

I’ve never actually taken LSD before but i know and have talked with many people who have. Color enhancement, visual distortions, and “melting” are typical effects produced by LSD in medium quantities. One of the drugs that cause a person to hallucinate is the LSD. The way LSD affects people varies greatly, however when taken it can take you to a ‘trip’ that may go for as long as 12 hours but there is a peak halfway through the middle. During these trips a person may also experience bodily changes which include dilated pupils, increased blood pressure and a high body temperature. People on LSD may also feel dizzy, sweat, have blurred vision and feel tingling in their hands and feet. They may feel drowsy but not sleepy.

LSD also induces a feeling of euphoria and a person becomes extremely happy laughs a lot and everything in his world becomes magically beautifully. A person who has taken LSD will feel like he has broken the barriers of his brain and hence become very contemplative. They feel like they have learnt new ways that were hidden and they get new understanding of how things are in the world. They trip to religious and spiritual a journey which is dreamlike revealing very strange phenomena to them. The colors in their surrounding become stronger than they really are and so are the lights that become brighter than normal. Taking LSD also causes synesthesia — a confusion of sensations between different types of stimuli. Some people have described this as seeing colors when they hear specific sounds.
LSD also causes poor judgment and so LSD users prefer taking the drug in groups and in calm environments like homes where they may not interact with other people who may take advantage in the twist of their judgment. They may spend a better part of their trip trying to understand something that seems rather unimportant.

Sometimes a person may have to be taken to hospitals in case he has got ‘a bad trip’ which means he might be hallucinating to a point not good for his mental health. The trip may take too long and in most instances the person may lose control. When taken to hospital he may be injected with anti-anxiety medication or a mild tranquilizer to ease the patient’s panic.

Mescaline

hallucinogens Mescaline is a naturally occurring psychedelic found in several cactus species, most notably, Peyote (Lophophora williamsii) and San Pedro (Trichocereus pachanoi). Several other members of the trichocereus family also contain mescaline.
Mescaline belongs to a family of compounds known as phenethylamines, making it quite distinct from the other major psychedelics which belong to the indole family. LSD, psilocybin, harmaline, and DMT are all indoles. Many synthetic “designer” psychedelics, such as ecstasy (MDMA) and 2C-B, are phenethylamines, and are related to the chemistry of mescaline.

Mescaline has been used for a long time in religious functions in san Pedro and today the use of mescaline in religious functions is still upheld by the Peru. The major reason why this plant extract is being used in for religious purposes is because of the hallucinatory effects it possesses. It helps a person to see more than he could in normal setting.

Due to its hallucinatory effects it has become abused in that instead being used for religious purposes people now use it as a recreational drug. When taken a person will experience visual hallucinations and radically altered states of consciousness, often experienced as pleasurable and illuminating. It takes a person to a mental trip where every boundary of the mind seems overcome. However with the good feelings of happiness and euphoria a person may get feelings of anxiety and revulsion after using mescaline. Visualizations euphoria and laughter are the better part of taking mescaline. However there are other side effects associated with it.

Side effects of mescaline

Being a product highly valued as it is used for religious purposes most researches that have been done on it have not shown its side effects. However these are the side effects that have been reported; dizziness, anxiety, increased heart beat diarrhea and even headache. However vomiting is considered an advantage by the Shaman ceremonies as it is considered cleansing.

Finally, Dr. Dalal Akoury (MD) is an experienced doctor who has been in the frontline fighting drug addiction. He runs a website that equips readers of better ways to overcome not only drug addiction but also serious health problems that have caused nightmares to the world population. Get in touch with her today and learn more.

Widely Used Hallucinogens

Bath Salts, Dangerous side effects

September 23, 2014

Dangerous Drugs Disguised As ‘Bath Salts’

Bath salts is a tittle that is given to a family of drugs that contain one or more than one synthetic chemicals related to cathinone, an amphetamine-like stimulant found naturally in the Khat plant. The name ‘bath salts’ was given to these drugs because of the ways they were disguised in the market. These drugs are often in the form of white powder, or crystals which often resemble legal bathing products like Epsom salts, but are different in chemical composition from actual bath salts. Those trading in these drugs were very cunning or do we say they were clever they even wrote on the packaging of these drugs as ‘not for human consumption’ just to evade all the problems from the authorities. Hence these drugs were traded for a long time without fear of prohibition.

It is therefore necessary for me to state this here, these drugs that were marked as bathing salts simply to evade problems that the traders would go through incase the authorities detected they were dealing in drugs should never be mistaken for the genuine bathing salts such as Epsom salts that are sold with intentions of improving bathing experience. Epsom and other genuine salts do not contain the drug properties that are in designed drugs disguised as bathing salts.

These drugs have since become a public health and safety issue. There has been a growing concern to tame the use of these drugs after several scientific studies have shown that they do affect the people who use them adversely. The users of these ‘bathing salts’ are always lured by the opinion that these drugs would give a person a feeling of euphoria, increased sociability and even increases a person’s sex drive. Those who are using these drugs for these reasons are misled because they do not always check for the side effects that may come along with the ‘benefits’ that they seek to find in these bathing salts. Some of the side effects that are associated with the use of these ‘bathing salts’ are paranoia, agitation, and hallucinatory delirium; some even display psychotic and violent behavior, and in extreme cases, deaths. With proof that these drugs can cause death it therefore calls for caution in handling these drugs and strict laws should be adopted to deal with those found in possession of these ‘bathing soaps’ just as it has always been done with other hard drugs.

bath salts

The use of these drugs has really spread as fast as they are now being sold online under such names as plant food, jewelry cleaner and even phone screen cleaner. There are also other online drug stores that also sell these drugs under such brand names as Ivory Wave, Bloom, Cloud Nine, Lunar Wave, Vanilla Sky, White Lightning and Scarface.

Common synthetic cathinones found in bath salts include 3, 4 methylenedioxypyrovalerone (MDPV), mephedrone commonly known as Drone, Meph, or Meow Meow and methylone, but there are others that are not mentioned here. Much is still unknown about how these substances affect the human brain, and each one may have somewhat different properties. Chemically, they are similar to amphetamines such as methamphetamine as well as to MDMA also known as ecstasy.

The energizing and often agitating effects reported in people who have taken bath salts are consistent with other drugs like amphetamines and cocaine that raise the level of the neurotransmitter dopamine in brain circuits regulating reward and movement. A surge in dopamine in these circuits causes feelings of euphoria and increased activity. A similar surge of the transmitter norepinephrine can raise heart rate and blood pressure. Bath salts have been marketed as cheap and until recently, legal substitutes for those stimulants. A recent study found that MDPV—the most common synthetic cathinone found in the blood and urine of patients admitted to emergency departments after bath salts ingestion—raises brain dopamine in the same manner as cocaine but is at least 10 times more potent. This shows how dangerous these drugs are.

Those who use these bathing salts have been reported to inhibit hallucinatory effects that are similar to those experienced by those who are using such drugs as MDMA or LSD that are known to increase the levels of serotonin which is another known neurotransmitter. Researchers have done experiments on rats through which it was found that mephedrone and methylone increased the levels of serotonin as it happens with the use of MDMA.

Here are some other side effects of Bath salts

Today hospitals are receiving victims of these bath salts. Most of the reactions that they inhibit include but not limited to high blood pressure, and chest pains, psychiatric symptoms like paranoia, hallucinations, and panic attacks. There is also a symptom commonly referred to as ‘excited delirium’ from taking bath salts also may have dehydration, breakdown of skeletal muscle tissue, and kidney failure.

These drugs are also very addictive and since may prove a real hell to break free from. The more a person uses these drugs the more he craves for more of this drug and this with time may prove fatal. When used for a long time it may beckon dependence.

There are very many side effects associated with ‘bath salts’ but the greatest fear is that these drugs are designed and so most of the contents are unknown which seem very dangerous.

Finally, Dr. Dalal Akoury (MD) is an experienced Medical Educator who has been in the frontline fighting drug addiction. She runs a website that equips readers of better ways to overcome not only drug addiction but also serious health problems that have caused nightmares to the world population. Get in touch with her today and learn more. Dr. Akoury offers great Natural addiction education to Physicians, Nurses, Nurse Practitioners , and Councilors.

Dangerous Drugs Disguised As ‘Bath Salts’

Phencyclidine (PCP) and Excitatory Actions

September 22, 2014

Phencyclidine (PCP) selectively reduces excitatory actions

Phencyclidine To begin with, it is important to point out to those who have not heard of club drugs yet. These are also known as rave drugs and are often associated with night parties in discotheques. The term club drugs refers to a wide range of substances that are commonly abused by young adults and teens at all-night party clubs and parties. The drugs reported in these scenes are extremely diverse and vary among locales. Overall, they include drugs that have long been abused, such as marijuana and cocaine, and drugs whose abuse is a more recent development. All these drugs are taken with different purposes but most importantly most youths are lured to abuse this drugs by there need to belong. When the party lovers meet and spend time together they will obviously want to do everything together as that will give them a sense of belonging and a ‘family’. Most youths indulge in the use of club drugs not because they really need to but because those they came to club with are using; talk of peer pressure. Some of these drugs are stimulants, some depressants, and some hallucinogens. Most of these club drugs however exhibit multiple pharmacological properties hence cannot be easily categorized. The club drugs are often grouped as;

Designer Drugs

Designer drug is the term used for a drug created by changing the molecular structure of one or more existing drugs to create a new substance. These drugs have no place in the medical field as they have no accepted medical purpose so they can only be used for other purposes other than medical purposes and hence are always abused. As a result, they are synthesized in illicit laboratories. MDMA which is mostly associated with ecstasy is the most sought after and the most commonly abused of the designer drugs. The other designer drugs are considered by users to be inferior substitutes for MDMA and are typically only ingested unknowingly, when present in tablets sold as ecstasy. Examples of other designer drugs are: MDA, MDE, MBDB, DOB, DOM, 2C-B. MDMA and MDA are the most known club drugs and are hence highly used by youths in discotheques.

Hallucinogens

Hallucinogens, also known as psychedelics, refer to a wide range of substances derived from both natural and synthetic sources. In general, hallucinogens distort the user’s sensory perceptions and may also create feelings of euphoria. These effects vary depending on the drug in question. The stronger hallucinogens can exert a powerful effect on a drug user’s thinking and can produce sensory illusions that make it difficult to distinguish between fact and fantasy. In general, hallucinogens do not create a physical dependence, but they can create a psychological dependence. Their consumption also creates a tolerance that is built rapidly within the body. Many drugs that exhibit mild hallucinogenic properties are commonly classified as hallucinogens, including marijuana and MDMA. Drugs that exhibit potent hallucinogenic properties are discussed below, including, LSD, ketamine, peyote/mescaline, and mushrooms.

Depressants

Depressants are also known as sedatives. These drugs commonly abused in the club environment include GHB and Rohypnol. These sedatives are highly potent. As a result, they have earned the title “date rape drugs“. As the name suggests they are very dangerous but unfortunately teens and young men are rocking them like their names depends on them.

Phencyclidine (PCP) selectively reduces excitatory actions

Phencyclidine often shortened as PCP is a major drug of abuse that has anesthetic actions and produces effects that resemble schizophrenia. The mechanism of action of PCP-like drugs has not been established, although specific binding sites in brain have been identified that appear to be pharmacologically relevant. PCP-like drugs selectively antagonize excitation of spinal neurons by N-methyl aspartate commonly abbreviated as NMA. Therefore, the behavioral effects of PCP-like drugs might result from reduced neurotransmission at excitatory synapses utilizing NMA receptors in higher centers of the central nervous system. Until now, this proposed explanation of the behavioral effects of PCP-like drugs is based exclusively on electrophysiological findings.

Phencyclidine

Given that PCP-like drugs produce behavioral effects primarily through antagonism at excitatory synapses utilizing NMA receptors, drugs that are known to antagonize electrophysiological effects of NMA should produce PCP-like behavioral effects. DL-2-Amino-5-phosphonovalerate (AP5) is a potent and highly selective NMA antagonist 8. A procedure for the measurement of catalepsy in pigeons, suitable for studying PCP-like activity of compounds, has been described.

Phencyclidine (PCP) has effects on the NMDA receptor. In an experiment that was done using mice in a laboratory, it was found that Stable N-methyl-D-aspartic acid (NMDA) receptor-mediated currents in cultured mouse hippocampal neurons were evoked by 20 ms pressure pulse applications of L-aspartate, repeatedly applied at 30 or 40 s intervals, to the cell body region of the neuron. In the study a simple model of the blockade, based on the ‘guarded receptor hypothesis’ was used to interpret our data. The model assumes that receptors are maximally activated at the peak of the response with an open probability (Po) approaching 1, that there is no desensitization and that the blocking drug only associates with, or dissociates from, receptor channels which have been activated by agonist.

The model used allowed the scientists to estimate forward and reverse rate constants for binding of the blockers to open channels from measurements of the steady-state level of blockade and the rate of change of the current amplitude per pulse during onset and offset of blockade. As predicted by the model, the estimated reverse rate was independent of blocker concentration while the forward rate increased with concentration.

Finally, Dr. Dalal Akoury (MD) is an experienced doctor who has been in the frontline fighting drug addiction. He runs a website that equips readers of better ways to overcome not only drug addiction but also serious health problems that have caused nightmares to the world population. Get in touch with her today and learn more.

Phencyclidine (PCP) selectively reduces excitatory actions

Hallucinogenic Drugs

July 10, 2014

Hallucinogenic Drugs – Drug Addiction

Drug addiction is and will never be good for human life it does not matter whether you are taking hallucinogenic drugs or not

The human senses can be affected in different ways and by different means. Consumptions of various drugs are some of the actions that have the adverse effects in the human senses. Among those drugs are hallucinogenic drugs, this is a collection of drugs with the capabilities of altering the human senses. They are also known as psychedelic drugs and are powerful to affect the perception of the world around us. They can also be very intimidating to the senses or rather change them in such a way that things become more extreme like the affected person can see dull colours much brighter and occasionally even ‘see’ sounds or ‘hear’ colours. Besides affecting senses these drugs can also change their user’s moods thoughts and even behavior.

Some Hallucinogenic drugs group include

Hallucinogen is a collection of various drugs like: LSD, PCP, Magic Mushrooms, Mescaline, DMT. They also include ecstasy, cannabis especially the stronger varieties such as skunk and ketamine. It must be noted that some of these drugs originate naturally from vegetation’s for example cannabis and magic mushrooms whereas others are produced artificially from laboratories. The examples of laboratory drugs may include ketamine and ecstasy.

Street names of Hallucinogenic drugs

Like any other drug hallucinogenic drugs also have some street names associated with them these street names may include any of the following: Dope, Pot, Mushrooms, Acid, Special K, Angel dust, Trip, Blotters, Northern lights, Smarties etc.

How are hallucinogens used?

Lysergic acid diethylamide (LSD) is packaged in small squares of blotting paper or a sheet of small designs which the user drips onto their tongue. It can also be dropped into to sugar cube or used to produce capsules or tablets. When taken in whichever way it brings in alterations in human perception and feelings of being out of one’s body.
PCP or ‘angel dust’ is accessible in different forms and kinds which may include powder, tablets, liquid or crystals. It is ingested in the body through inhaling (snorted), smoked in cigarette, taken orally or injected.
Magic mushrooms are a wild form of fungus which is cultivated mainly in the UK and other parts of the world. The most common form is the ‘liberty cap’ although the ‘fly agaric’ variety is also used. They may be consumed raw even though many people prefer to add them to food or make them into a drink.
Mescaline is a more unusual form of hallucinogen which comes from a cactus plant.
DMT (dimethyltriptamine) is very similar to LSD. Besides being similar to LSD they are more powerful than LSD. It can be inhaled (snorted), smoked or injected and is less easy to get hold of than LSD.
Ecstasy is obtainable in tablets, capsules or a powder forms and is popular with clubbers as it enables them to dance for long hours. It boosts feelings of intimacy and closeness and is also known as the ‘love drug’.
Cannabis can be smoked or added to food e.g. ‘hash cakes’ and is taken as a means of relaxation although stronger varieties such as sinsemilla and skunk can cause mild hallucinations.
Ketamine is an anaesthetic drug originally designed for veterinary purposes but has been used by people for its hallucinogenic qualities. It acts in a very similar way to PCP and taken orally, as tablets or injected.

Effects of hallucinogenic drugs

As has been discussed the most noticeable effect one is that of altered perception, affected people report mind-altering effects in what they see, hear, smell or touch things which they think are there but in reality, don’t exist. These effects vary according to the substance taken, the quantity taken, how often, the environment, age and whether it is taken in combination with other drugs e.g. alcohol.

Some people may experience greater effects than others. One person may only have a minor experience which can be absolutely pleasurable often refered to as a ‘good trip’ whereas another person can experience a complete ‘out of body’ experience which is terrifying to say the least known as a ‘bad trip’. Some of these effects only last for a short time but others can last for many hours.

People who experience altered perception can find themselves indulging in risky or dangerous behavior, for example believing that they are able to fly. It is not unknown for someone to jump from a great height because of a psychedelic experience.

Are hallucinogenic drugs addictive?

They tend to be used on an irregular basis only so addiction doesn’t occur but a tolerance can build up if the drug is used on a regular basis, for example cannabis or ecstasy.

These drugs have a strong psychological effect which often involves a change in the brain’s chemistry and structure which results in dependence.

People also find that they experience some rather unpleasant withdrawal symptoms if they stop which results in them continuing to take these drugs.

Other side effects include anxiety and depression and an unpleasant condition called ‘flashbacks’: this is where someone sees replays of their drug experience, weeks, months or even years after they took the drug. If any drug is causing you the mention side effects of hallucinogenic drugs you must not wait until it wears you down. It will be important that you seek help from the experts. This you can get conveniently at AWAREmed Health and Wellness Resource Center under Doctor Akoury’s care where total focus is on Neuroendocrine Restoration (NER) to reinstate normality through realization of the oneness of Spirit, Mind, and Body, Unifying the threesome into ONE.

Hallucinogenic Drugs – Drug Addiction

Tag Archives: MDMA