Exam 2 Flashcards
1
Q
how are psychoactive drugs classified?
A
- chemical nature
- effects they produce
- plant source
2
Q
problems with classifying psychoactives
A
- some have combination of effects (e.g. stimulant + hallucinogen)
- chemically similar substances can also produce very different effects
3
Q
narcotics
A
confusing term–opium products or any habit-forming illicit drug
4
Q
psychoactive drug examples from class
A
- ayahuasca: in S. American rituals, but overused by Westerners
- belladonna: dialates pupils
5
Q
4 main psychoactive classifications by effect
A
- stimulants/convulsants
- narcotic analgesics: mainly opiates, block ability to sense pain
- psychedelics: norepinepherine and seratonin mimics
- antipsychotics: deplete norepinepherine
6
Q
types of stimulants + their mechanisms
A
- cocaine: block norepinepherine reuptake
- caffeine: activate intracellular metabolism
- nicotine: stimulate acetylcholine receptors
7
Q
chemical properties of psychoactives
A
- almost all (except THC) are alkaloids (amide or amine)
- have to enter bloodstream and be transported to sites where they exert effects
8
Q
how do people get high from psychoactives?
A
- taken orally, injected, or passed through a membrane
- blood circulates it
- acts on a target site
- broken down by liver and excreted by kidneys (why there’s an initial rush and then it wears off)
9
Q
mode of action for psychoactives (general)
A
- some act on only CNS, some also act on PNS
- all act by altering normal interactions between neurons and NTs at synapses
- psychoactives bind to receptor sites of neurons and either mimic or inhibit NTs
10
Q
5 main types of NT that psychoactives mimic/inhibit
A
- acetylcholine
- norepinepherine
- serotonin
- dopamine
- neuropeptides
11
Q
agonists and antagonists
A
- agonists: mimic a NT
- antagonist: inhibit a NT
12
Q
use of hallucinogens for Shamanism
A
- shamanism: history of healing, divination, and theatrical performance based on natural magic
- shamans use hallucinogens on themselves to have healing visions; heal people supernaturally
- differ from healers, who use plant medicinals (more similar to Western medicine principals)
13
Q
use of iboga in rituals
A
- Iboga used in Gabon (Bwiti religion) for shaman initiations
- initiations ritualistic and can be painful
- other elements of initiation include drumming, breath manipulation, fasting, theatrical illusions, and abstinence
14
Q
hallucinogen plants we are primarily discussing
A
- marijuana
- opium
- tobacco
- coca
- peyote
15
Q
marijuana origin and history
A
- originated in central and S. Asia
- seeds dispersed by birds, wind, water, and animals
- used traditionally during mourning
16
Q
different varieties of marijuana
A
- hemp: grown close together; upward growth better for fibers
- higher THC marijuana: grown more spaced out with lots of light, more resin produced by females
- sinsemella: unfertilized female flowers, most resin!!
17
Q
history of marijuana in the US
A
- introduced to US through S. America and caribbean (1920s)
- appreciation rose during prohibition era
- popular in jazz music, abstract art
18
Q
THC
A
- tetrahydro cannibinol; main psychodelic in resin of marijuana
- mimics anandamide, a NT that helps you forget bad memories
- activates receptors in hippocampus and frontal cortex
19
Q
history of growing marijuana in US
A
- US sprayed paraquat in Mexican fields, so people turned to domestic-grown
- government crackdown meant growers turned to indoors
