scholarly journals The ugly side of amphetamines: short- and long-term toxicity of 3,4-methylenedioxymethamphetamine (MDMA, ‘Ecstasy’), methamphetamine and d-amphetamine

2011 ◽  
Vol 392 (1-2) ◽  
Author(s):  
Thomas Steinkellner ◽  
Michael Freissmuth ◽  
Harald H. Sitte ◽  
Therese Montgomery
Keyword(s):  
Animal Models ◽  
Animal Studies ◽  
Illicit Drugs ◽  
Compelling Evidence ◽  
Human Dose ◽  
Drug Purity ◽  
Amphetamine Toxicity ◽  
Short And Long Term ◽  
Different Strains

Abstract Amphetamine (‘Speed’), methamphetamine (‘Ice’) and its congener 3,4-methylenedioxymethamphetamine (MDMA; ‘Ecstasy’) are illicit drugs abused worldwide for their euphoric and stimulant effects. Despite compelling evidence for chronic MDMA neurotoxicity in animal models, the physiological consequences of such toxicity in humans remain unclear. In addition, distinct differences in the metabolism and pharmacokinetics of MDMA between species and different strains of animals prevent the rationalisation of realistic human dose paradigms in animal studies. Here, we attempt to review amphetamine toxicity and in particular MDMA toxicity in the pathogenesis of exemplary human pathologies, independently of confounding environmental factors such as poly-drug use and drug purity.

Cannabis and Its Different Strains

2021 ◽  
pp. 1-10
Author(s):  
Anna Muro ◽  
Ramon Cladellas ◽  
Judit Castellà
Keyword(s):  
Control Group ◽  
Temporal Perception ◽  
Self Medication ◽  
Therapeutic Uses ◽  
Before And After ◽  
Cannabis Consumption ◽  
Short And Long Term ◽  
Different Strains ◽  
Main Effects

Abstract. Previous studies show how time perception can be altered by cannabis consumption, but it is not clear yet whether cannabis produces temporal underproductions or overproductions after acute cannabis intoxication. The present study aimed to analyze a sample of 50 regular cannabis users controlling for cannabis strain (sativa, indica, and hybrid) and to compare their scores in a temporal production task before and after consuming cannabis with a control group of 49 nonusers. Results showed that cannabis intake leads to overproductions, suggesting that regular users’ internal tempo slows down after acute intoxication. However, the analyses of main effects showed that indica users, both at baseline levels and after consuming, reported significant underproductions compared to controls, sativa, and hybrid users, and the cannabis-induced effects had a higher magnitude after smoking in the indica-strain group. Results highlight the relevance of including the type of strain consumed in cannabis studies, and they are discussed in terms of short- and long-term alterations in temporal perception under the light of the self-medication theory and the therapeutic uses of cannabis.

SPECIAL REQUIREMENTS FOR TOXICITY TESTING OF ORAL COMPOUNDS ADMINISTERED CONTINUOUSLY OR CYCLICALLY

1974 ◽  
Vol 77 (1_Suppla) ◽  
pp. S387-S408 ◽  
Author(s):  
G. A. Overbeek ◽  
H. W. Hornstra ◽  
E. B. van Julsingha ◽  
J. P. Mumford ◽  
I. Zayed
Keyword(s):  
Side Effects ◽  
Oral Contraceptives ◽  
Predictive Value ◽  
Animal Studies ◽  
Toxicity Testing ◽  
Prolonged Treatment ◽  
Safety Studies ◽  
Short And Long Term ◽  
Dose Levels

ABSTRACT The authors feel that several reasons exist for considering contraceptives as a special class of drugs, which therefore require special safety studies. Apart from the usual short and long term studies, particular attention should be paid to the reversibility of the induced infertility, and to its possible consequences for subsequent offspring. A possible risk of damage to the foetus is partially outweighed by the low risk of pregnancy during the treatment periods with oral contraceptives. The procedures used in the Organon laboratories are briefly described. Principles on which we base the choice of dose levels and the duration of the various studies are discussed. The paucity of available data from toxicity studies in animals has prevented the presentation of a summary allowing an appraisal of the predictive value of the current methods in toxicology. Nevertheless, a few examples are given which demonstrate the need for more predictive methods. The present lack of knowledge on side effects in humans after prolonged treatment with oral contraceptives has created a feeling of uneasiness. This in its turn has resulted in some excessive regulatory requirements for very long term animal studies. In our opinion, the predictive value of these studies is extremely low because of the inadequacy of the available animal models. More value can be attached to the monitoring of side effects in humans and efforts in this direction should be increased. The Organon system of monitoring the side effects of its marketed preparations is briefly described. It is not considered feasible to standardize regulatory toxicity requirements for the time being, which should not prevent us from aiming at reasonable, more generally accepted methods of study.

scholarly journals A Systematic Review of the Neuropathologic Findings of Post-Viral Olfactory Dysfunction: Implications and Novel Insight for the COVID-19 Pandemic

2020 ◽  
pp. 194589242095785 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jason C. Lee ◽  
Rohit Nallani ◽  
Lauren Cass ◽  
Vidur Bhalla ◽  
Alexander G. Chiu ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Animal Studies ◽  
Neural Mechanism ◽  
Final Analysis ◽  
Scientific Data ◽  
Olfactory Dysfunction ◽  
Human Studies ◽  
Future Research ◽  
Olfactory Pathway ◽  
Short And Long Term

Background Post-viral olfactory dysfunction is a common cause of both short- and long-term smell alteration. The coronavirus pandemic further highlights the importance of post-viral olfactory dysfunction. Currently, a comprehensive review of the neural mechanism underpinning post-viral olfactory dysfunction is lacking. Objectives To synthesize the existing primary literature related to olfactory dysfunction secondary to viral infection, detail the underlying pathophysiological mechanisms, highlight relevance for the current COVID-19 pandemic, and identify high impact areas of future research. Methods PubMed and Embase were searched to identify studies reporting primary scientific data on post-viral olfactory dysfunction. Results were supplemented by manual searches. Studies were categorized into animal and human studies for final analysis and summary. Results A total of 38 animal studies and 7 human studies met inclusion criteria and were analyzed. There was significant variability in study design, experimental model, and outcome measured. Viral effects on the olfactory system varies significantly based on viral substrain but generally include damage or alteration in components of the olfactory epithelium and/or the olfactory bulb. Conclusions The mechanism of post-viral olfactory dysfunction is highly complex, virus-dependent, and involves a combination of insults at multiple levels of the olfactory pathway. This will have important implications for future diagnostic and therapeutic developments for patients infected with COVID-19.

scholarly journals Cannabis Hyperemesis Syndrome: A Still Under-Recognized Syndrome

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Attout Hassene ◽  
Amichi Sofia ◽  
Josse Françoise ◽  
Appavoupoule Vincent ◽  
Randriajohany Andrey ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Illicit Drugs ◽  
Cannabinoid Receptors ◽  
Inhibitory Effect ◽  
Nausea And Vomiting ◽  
Cannabinoid Hyperemesis Syndrome ◽  
Short And Long Term ◽  
Emergency Room Care ◽  
Impaired Attention

Cannabis is one of the most widely used illicit drugs in the world. Its use is associated with several short- and long-term side-effects such as changes in mood, impaired memory, impaired attention, depression and anxiety, and it is correlated with schizophrenia. Cannabinoid hyperemesis syndrome (CHS) is characterized by chronic cannabis use, cyclic intractable nausea and vomiting, and compulsive hot bathing. Patients are typically diagnosed with CHS only after multiple medical evaluations. Recent research has identified type 1 cannabinoid receptors in the intestinal nerve plexus that have an inhibitory effect on gastrointestinal motility. This effect may explain hyperemesis in cannabis users. The thermoregulatory role of endocannabinoids may be responsible for compulsive hot bathing. We describe the cases of two young men seeking repeated emergency room care with recurrent nausea and vomiting. Abstinence from cannabis led to resolution of vomiting symptoms and abdominal pain.

scholarly journals Febrile Seizures: Current Views and Investigations

2009 ◽  
Vol 36 (6) ◽  
pp. 679-686 ◽  
Author(s):  
Aylin Y. Reid ◽  
Michael A. Galic ◽  
G. Campbell Teskey ◽  
Quentin J. Pittman
Keyword(s):  
Animal Models ◽  
Current Literature ◽  
Growth And Development ◽  
Animal Studies ◽  
Pediatric Population ◽  
Febrile Seizures ◽  
Long Term Effects ◽  
Common Cause ◽  
Increased Risk

Febrile seizures (FSs) are seizures that occur during fever, usually at the time of a cold or flu, and represent the most common cause of seizures in the pediatric population. Up to 5% of children between the ages of six months and five years-of-age will experience a FS. Clinically these seizures are categorized as benign events with little impact on the growth and development of the child. However, studies have linked the occurrence of FSs to an increased risk of developing adult epileptic disorders. There are many unanswered questions about FSs, such as the mechanism of their generation, the long-term effects of these seizures, and their role in epileptogenesis. Answers are beginning to emerge based on results from animal studies. This review summarizes the current literature on animal models of FSs, mechanisms underlying the seizures, and functional, structural, and molecular changes that may result from them.

scholarly journals A ‘Furry-Tale’ of Zika Virus Infection: What Have We Learned from Animal Models?

Viruses ◽  
2019 ◽  
Vol 11 (1) ◽  
pp. 29 ◽  
Author(s):  
Loulieta Nazerai ◽  
Jan Pravsgaard Christensen ◽  
Allan Randrup Thomsen
Keyword(s):  
Animal Models ◽  
Immune Responses ◽  
Zika Virus ◽  
Animal Studies ◽  
Molecular Mechanisms ◽  
Zikv Infection ◽  
Infected People ◽  
Collective Effort ◽  
Transplacental Infection

The worldwide attention that the Zika virus (ZIKV) attracted, following its declaration as a Public Health Emergency of International concern by WHO in 2016, has led to a large collective effort by the international scientific community to understand its biology. Despite the mild symptoms caused by ZIKV in most infected people, the virus displays a number of worrying features, such as its ability to cause transplacental infection, fetal abnormalities and vector independent transmission through body fluids. In addition, the virus has been associated with the induction of Guillain-Barre syndrome in a number of infected individuals. With travelling, the virus has spread outside the original ZIKV endemic areas making it imperative to find ways to control it. Thus far, the large number of animal models developed to study ZIKV pathogenesis have proven to be valuable tools in understanding how the virus replicates and manifests itself in the host, its tissue tropism and the type of immune responses it induces. Still, vital questions, such as the molecular mechanisms of ZIKV persistence and the long-term consequences of ZIKV infection in the developing brain, remain unanswered. Here, we reviewed and discussed the major and most recent findings coming from animal studies and their implications for a ZIKV vaccine design.

scholarly journals Cannabis and its different strains: do they have differential effects on time perception?

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Anna Muro ◽  
Ramon Cladellas ◽  
Judit Castellà
Keyword(s):  
Time Perception ◽  
Control Group ◽  
Self Medication ◽  
Therapeutic Uses ◽  
Before And After ◽  
Cannabis Consumption ◽  
Short And Long Term ◽  
Different Strains ◽  
Main Effects

Previous studies show how time perception can be altered by cannabis consumption, but it is not clear yet whether cannabis produces temporal underproductions or overproductions after acute cannabis intoxication. The present study aimed to analyze a sample of 50 regular cannabis users controlling for cannabis strain (sativa, indica, and hybrid) and to compare their scores in a temporal production task before and after consuming cannabis with a control group of 49 non-users. Results showed that cannabis intake leads to overproductions, suggesting that regular users’ internal tempo slows down after acute intoxication. However, the analyses of main effects showed that indica users, both at baseline levels and after consuming, reported significant underproductions compared to controls, sativa, and hybrid users, and the cannabis-induced effects had a higher magnitude after smoking in the indica-strain group. Results highlight the relevance of including the type of strain consumed in cannabis studies and they are discussed in terms of short- and long-term alterations in temporal perception under the light of the self-medication theory and the therapeutic uses of cannabis.

Short- and Long-Term Effects of Capsaicin Supplementation on Glycemic Control: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis of Controlled Trials

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Sahar Foshati ◽  
Sajjad Moradi ◽  
Mohammad Tavassoly ◽  
Mohammad Hossein Rouhani
Keyword(s):  
Systematic Review ◽  
Glucose Metabolism ◽  
Glycemic Control ◽  
Animal Studies ◽  
Meta Analysis ◽  
Controlled Trials ◽  
Long Term Effects ◽  
Beneficial Effects ◽  
Short And Long Term

Background & Aims: Animal studies have shown that capsaicin exerts beneficial effects on glucose metabolism. However, the findings of human studies are contradictory. Therefore, we aimed to conduct a systematic...

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