Hallucinogens Flashcards
Hallucinogens
Substances whose primary effect is to cause perceptual and cognitive distortions without producing a state of toxic delirium.
Mescaline
Found in peyote cactus.
Oral administration → chewed raw or cooked.
Muscimol
- Active agent in fly agaric mushrooms.
- produces macroscopia
- GABA-a agonist.
Psilocin
- After ingestion, psilocybin gets converted into psilocin.
- Oral administration → eaten dried, boiled in water, or cooked in food.
DMT
- Common in South America.
- Used to prepare ayahuasca drink.
- When smoked or snorted, can produce a short-intense experience.
- Synthetic DMT analogs → AMT/Foxy Methoxy.
NBOMes
Synthetic hallucinogens.
Oral/buccal administration → single doses on blotter paper.
Nasal administration → drug can be taken in powder form.
Very potent = easy to overdose.
Salvinorin A
Oral administration
Is a k-opioid receptor agonist.
Inactivated by the GI tract when swallowed.
Effects → out-of body experiences, vivid hallucinations, hysterical laughter, etc.
LSD
Dr. Albert Hoffman → first to synthesize LSD (from ergot).
Recreational use banned in 1967.
Active orally (oral administration).
Range of potency
LSD → psilocin → DMT → mescaline (lowest).
Duration
Onset is typically 30-90 mins.
- LSD trip lasts for 6-12 hours.
- NBOMes effects last for 3-10 hours.
- DMT & salvia peak in minutes, and are over in an hour or less.
The LSD Trip - Onset Stage
30 mins to 1 hour after ingestion.
Visual effects begin to occur, Intensification of colors, Appearance of geometric shapes
The LSD Trip - Plateau Stage
Lasts for 2 hours.
Subjective sense of time beings to slow & Visual effects become more intense.
The LSD Trip - Peak Stage
Lasts for 2-3 hours.
User feels like they’re in another world with suspended time, Continuous stream of bizarre, distorted images.
May experience synesthesia.
The LSD Trip - ComedownStage
Lasting 2 hours or longer.
Most of the drug effects are gone.
Physiological Effects of Hallucinogens -
Sympathetic activation
Pupil dilation, increase in heart rate, blood pressure, & body temperature.
LSD use can lead to dizziness, nausea & vomiting.
NBOMe Toxicity
Delusions, seizures, hypertension, muscle breakdown, kidney damage.
Indoleamine hallucinogens
Substances with serotonin-like structure.
Includes LSD, psilocybin, DMT.
Phenethylamine hallucinogens
Includes mescaline & NBOMes.
Structure related to NE (norepinephrine) & amphetamine.
what is the mechanism of action of Hallucinogens?
- Activation of 5-HT2 receptors
- Disrupts the functioning of glutamatergic networks
Flashbacks
re-experiences of hallucinogenic visual distortions.
Hallucinogen Persisting Perception Disorder (HPPD)
when perceptual symptoms persist for a long time following drug use and are experienced frequently.
LSD-induced psychosis
psychotic episodes following use of LSD.
Chronic Effects of hallucinogens
Lack high degree of abuse potential.
Do not produce physical withdrawal.
Not effective reinforcers.
Rapid tolerance with repeated use linked to 5-HT2 receptor (not for DMT or Salvia).
Alternate tolerance mechanism for mescaline.
Sensitization
Psycholytic therapy
gradually increasing LSD doses to promote the release of repressed memories and to enhance communication.
