Research ethics aspects of experimentation with LSD on human subjects : a historical and ethical review Bodnár Kristóf János, Kakuk Péter Medicine, Health Care and Philosophy © Springer Nature B.V. 2018 https://doi.org/10.1007/s11019-018-9871-9 Abstract In this paper our aim is to examine whether research conducted on human participants with LSD-25 (lysergic acid diethylamide) raises unique research ethical questions or demands particular concerns with regard to the design, conduct and follow-up of these studies, and should this be the case, explore and describe those issues. Our analysis is based on reviewing publications up to date which examine the clinical, research and other uses of LSD and those addressing [...]
Lire la suiteSome distorted thoughts about ketamine as a psychedelic and a novel hypothesis based on NMDA receptor-mediated synaptic plasticity Rachael Ingram, Heather Kang, Stafford Lightman, David E. Jane, Zuner A. Bortolotto, Graham L. Collingridge, David Lodge, Arturas Volianskis Neuropharmacology, 2018, 142, 30e40 https://doi.org/10.1016/j.neuropharm.2018.06.008 Abstract Ketamine, a channel blocking NMDA receptor antagonist, is used off-label for its psychedelic effects, which may arise from a combination of several inter-related actions. Firstly, reductions of the contribution of NMDA receptors to afferent information from external and internal sensory inputs may distort sensations and their processing in higher brain centres. Secondly, reductions of NMDA receptormediated excitation of GABAergic interneurons can result in [...]
Lire la suiteCould cannabidiol be used as an alternative to antipsychotics ? Marc Fakhoury Journal of Psychiatric Research · May 2016 Doi : 10.1016/j.jpsychires.2016.05.013 Abstract Schizophrenia is a mental disorder that affects close to 1% of the population. Individuals with this disorder often present signs such as hallucination, anxiety, reduced attention, and social withdrawal. Although antipsychotic drugs remain the cornerstone of schizophrenia treatment, they are associated with severe side effects. Recently, the endocannabinoid system (ECS) has emerged as a potential therapeutic target for pharmacotherapy that is involved in a wide range of disorders, including schizophrenia. Since its discovery, a lot of effort has been devoted to the [...]
Lire la suiteThe Varieties of Psychedelic Epistemology Chris Letheby Published in N. Wyrd, D. Luke, A. Tollan, C. Adams, and D. King (eds.) : "Psychedelicacies: more food for thought from Breaking Convention", Strange Attractor Press, 2019. INTRODUCTION Is it possible to gain knowledge1 by taking psychedelic2 drugs? One influential answer is ‘yes’: according to this conception, by inducing mystical states of consciousness, psychedelics afford direct knowledge of supernatural, transcendent dimensions of reality. This is an entheogenic conception of the drugs as agents that “generate the divine within”. A second influential answer is ‘no’: since materialism or physicalism3 is true, there are no transcendent realities, and psychedelics [...]
Lire la suiteMedicinal properties of Peganum harmala L. in traditional Iranian medicine and modern phytotherapy: a review Mina Cheraghi Niroumand, Mohammad Hosein Farzaei, Gholamreza Amin Journal of Traditional Chinese Medicine, 2015, 35, (1), 104-109. Abstract OBJECTIVE : To review the pharmacological activities of Peganum harmala L. (P. harmala, Nitrariaceae) in traditional Iranian medicine (TIM) and modern phytotherapy. METHODS : Opinions of TIM and modern phytotherapy about safety and acceptable dosage of this plant are discussed. Various medical properties of P. harmala were collected from important TIM references and added to scientific reports derived from modern medical databases like PubMed, Scirus, ScienceDirect and Scopus. RESULTS : The main medicinal [...]
Lire la suiteCannabinoids for the treatment of mental disorders and symptoms of mental disorders : a systematic review and meta-analysis Nicola Black, Emily Stockings, Gabrielle Campbell, Lucy T. Tran, Dino Zagic, Wayne D. Hall, Michael Farrell, Louisa Degenhardt Lancet Psychiatry, 2019 https://doi.org/10.1016/S2215-0366(19)30401-8 Summary Background : Medicinal cannabinoids, including medicinal cannabis and pharmaceutical cannabinoids and their synthetic derivatives, such as tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) and cannabidiol (CBD), have been suggested to have a therapeutic role in certain mental disorders. We analysed the available evidence to ascertain the effectiveness and safety of all types of medicinal cannabinoids in treating symptoms of various mental disorders. Methods : For this systematic review and meta-analysis [...]
Lire la suiteTherapeutic potential of cannabinoid medicines Philip J. Robson Drug and Testing Analysis, 2014 Doi : 10.1002/dta.1529 Cannabis was extensively used as amedicine throughout the developed world in the nineteenth century but went into decline early in the twentieth century ahead of its emergence as the most widely used illicit recreational drug later that century. Recent advances in cannabinoid pharmacology alongside the discovery of the endocannabinoid system (ECS) have re-ignited interest in cannabis-based medicines. The ECS has emerged as an important physiological system and plausible target for new medicines. Its receptors and endogenous ligands play a vital modulatory role in diverse functions including immune response, [...]
Lire la suiteUsing Cannabis To Help You Sleep: Heightened Frequency of Medical Cannabis Use among Those with PTSD Marcel O. Bonn-Miller, Kimberly A. Babson, and Ryan Vandrey Drug and Alcohol Dependence, 2014, 136, 162–165. doi:10.1016/j.drugalcdep.2013.12.008 Abstract Background : The use of cannabis for medical purposes is proliferating in the U.S., and PTSD is an explicitly approved condition for accessing medical cannabis in 5 states. Prior research suggests that people with PTSD often use cannabis to help cope with their condition, and that doing so results in more frequent and problematic cannabis use patterns. Specific coping motivations, such as sleep improvement, among medical cannabis users, have not been [...]
Lire la suiteCase report : A case of β-carboline alkaloid intoxication following ingestion of Peganum harmala seed extract Giampietro Frison, Donata Favretto, Flavio Zancanaro, Giorgio Fazzin, Santo Davide Ferrara Forensic Science International, 2008, 179, e37–e43 doi:10.1016/j.forsciint.2008.05.003 Abstract b-Carboline alkaloids harmine, harmaline, and tetrahydroharmine can stimulate the central nervous system by inhibiting the metabolism of amine neurotransmitters, or by direct interaction with specific receptors; they are found in numerous plants, including Peganum harmala, Passiflora incarnata and Banisteriopsis caapi, and in the entheogen preparation Ayahuasca, which is traditionally brewed using B. caapi to enhance the activity of amine hallucinogenic drugs. The ingestion of plant preparations containing b-carboline alkaloids may [...]
Lire la suiteSelf-reported cannabis use characteristics, patterns and helpfulness among medical cannabis users M.O. Bonn-Miller, M.T. Boden, M.M. Bucossi, K.A. Babson The American Journal of Drug and Alcohol Abuse, 2014, 40, (1), 23-30. doi : 10.3109/00952990.2013.821477. OBJECTIVES Little research has investigated the demographic and symptom profile of medical cannabis users in states in the USA that have legalized cannabis use. METHODS In the present cross-sectional study, we investigated the demographic profile of 217 adults currently receiving medical cannabis, as well as differences in problematic use and perceived helpfulness in terms of (i) symptoms of psychological disorders and pain, and (ii) motives for use. RESULTS Findings indicated that medical cannabis users (i) [...]
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