Hallucinogens Flashcards
What is another term used to describe hallucinogens?
Psychedelics
Define hallucinogens
Change the way people see, hear, taste, smell or feel, and affect mood and thought
What are the two main categories of hallucinogens?
Psychedelics and dissociatives
What are reported effects of hallucinogens?
Auditory, visual and sensory hallucinations
Distorted perceptions
Difficulty distinguishing between reality and illusion
Paranoia
Psychosis
What are traditional hallucinogens?
Plant compounds that have been used for hundreds-thousands of years in spiritual ceremonies
How do traditional hallucinogens act?
Via 5-HT (serotonin) receptors
What is mescaline?
Found in several cactus species (e.g., peyote cactus), native to southwestern US and Mexico
Used for thousands of years in religious ceremonies
What receptors does mescaline have affinity for?
High - 5-HT2A
Some - 5-HT2B
Describe the structure of mescaline.
Substituted phenethylamine
What does the amanita muscaria mushroom contain?
ibotenic acid and muscimol
Describe the interactions that are thought to cause the psychoactive effects of amanita muscaria
Muscimol is a potent GABA A agonist
Ibotenic acid is an NMDA glutamate receptor agonist
What are magic mushrooms?
Mushrooms that contain alkaloids with hallucinogenic properties
What is the pharmacologically significant ingredient in magic mushrooms?
Psilocybin
What is psilocybin?
A pro-drug that is dephosphorylated by alkaline phosphatase to psilocin
Describe how psilocybin works in the body.
Partial agonist for 5-HT2B and 5-HT2C
Slightly lower affinity for 5-HT2A
Some effects on dopamine but no direct action
Describe the case of R v Chan
Took magic mushrooms
Attacked and killed father with knife
Defence of automatism and underlying brain injury
How was LSD discovered?
By Albert Hoffmann, research chemist experimenting with alkaloids of ergot (rye fungus)
Compare LSD and mescaline
Similar early descriptions
LSD 5,000 - 10,000 times stronger
How is LSD absorbed?
Easily absorbed via oral admin
Describe how LSD works in the body.
Acts on 5-HT2A receptors in the brain
Has some effects on the dopamine D2 receptor
What is the potency of LSD?
1 dose is 20-80 ug.
Describe LSD blotters
LSD dissolved in water, single-dose drops applied to a sheet of paper (blotter) and dried
Paper divided into tabs
Each sheet typically contains 100 doses
What are potential effects of LSD?
Vivid visual hallucinations
Slowing of the subjective sense of time
Feelings of depersonalization
Strong emotional reactions
Disruption of logical thought
Synesthesia
What is synesthesia?
Crossing-over of sensations in which, for example, colours are heard and sounds are felt
Differentiate between good and bad LSD trips
Good - mystical, spiritually enlightening
Bad - disturbing, frightening
What does a good or bad trip depend on?
Dose
Individual
Environment