OPEN Foundation

Day: 16 April 2015

The hallucinogenic world of tryptamines: an updated review

April 16, 2015 / Chemistry, DMT, LSD, Mushrooms / Psilocybin, New substances, Other substances, Papers, Psychology, Publications, Safety, Toxicology / By / , , , ,

Abstract

In the area of psychotropic drugs, tryptamines are known to be a broad class of classical or serotonergic hallucinogens. These drugs are capable of producing profound changes in sensory perception, mood and thought in humans and act primarily as agonists of the 5-HT2A receptor. Well-known tryptamines such as psilocybin contained in Aztec sacred mushrooms and N,N-dimethyltryptamine (DMT), present in South American psychoactive beverage ayahuasca, have been restrictedly used since ancient times in sociocultural and ritual contexts. However, with the discovery of hallucinogenic properties of lysergic acid diethylamide (LSD) in mid-1900s, tryptamines began to be used recreationally among young people. More recently, new synthetically produced tryptamine hallucinogens, such as alpha-methyltryptamine (AMT), 5-methoxy-N,N-dimethyltryptamine (5-MeO-DMT) and 5-methoxy-N,N-diisopropyltryptamine (5-MeO-DIPT), emerged in the recreational drug market, which have been claimed as the next-generation designer drugs to replace LSD (‘legal’ alternatives to LSD). Tryptamine derivatives are widely accessible over the Internet through companies selling them as ‘research chemicals’, but can also be sold in ‘headshops’ and street dealers. Reports of intoxication and deaths related to the use of new tryptamines have been described over the last years, raising international concern over tryptamines. However, the lack of literature pertaining to pharmacological and toxicological properties of new tryptamine hallucinogens hampers the assessment of their actual potential harm to general public health. This review provides a comprehensive update on tryptamine hallucinogens, concerning their historical background, prevalence, patterns of use and legal status, chemistry, toxicokinetics, toxicodynamics and their physiological and toxicological effects on animals and humans.

Araújo, A. M., Carvalho, F., de Lourdes Bastos, M., de Pinho, P. G., & Carvalho, M. (2015). The hallucinogenic world of tryptamines: an updated review. Archives of toxicology, 1-23. https://dx.doi.org/10.1007/s00204-015-1513-x
Link to full text

Symposium over psychedelisch onderzoek aan Universiteit Utrecht

December 2, 2021 / Artikelen, Dutch, Evenementen / By

Op donderdag 7 mei organiseert studievereniging Brainwave (Neurowetenschappen Universiteit Utrecht) in samenwerking met Stichting OPEN een symposium over wetenschappelijk onderzoek naar psychedelica.

Sprekers:

Leon Kenemans – Professor Psychofarmacologie Universiteit Utrecht.

Mendel Kaelen – PhD student Imperial College Londen en bestuurslid Stichting OPEN.

Joost Breeksema – Voorzitter Stichting OPEN en harm reduction expert.

Barbara van Zwieten-Boot – College ter Beoordeling van Geneesmiddelen.

Leon Kenemans zal beginnen met een algemeen overzicht van de werking van verschillende psychoactieve stoffen in het brein. Joost Breeksema zal vervolgens het onderwerp psychedelica introduceren en op basis van historisch en huidig onderzoek beargumenteren waarom hedendaags onderzoek naar dit soort middelen zo interessant en relevant is. Hierna zal Mendel Kaelen dieper ingaan op de werking van psychedelica in het brein. Onder andere aan de hand van  studies die de afgelopen jaren zijn gedaan aan Imperial College Londen, waar hij momenteel promotieonderzoek doet naar hersenmechanismen van LSD en de effecten van LSD op muziekperceptie. Vervolgens zal Barbara van Zwieten-Boot spreken over de risico’s van bepaalde medicijnen. Tot slot zal er een debat plaatsvinden tussen de sprekers en zal er ook ruimte zijn voor vragen vanuit het publiek.

Studievereniging Brainwave heeft een Facebook event aangemaakt waar men zich kan aanmelden voor dit symposium. Mensen zonder Facebook kunnen zich aanmelden via de volgende link.

De voertaal zal deels Engels en deels Nederlands zijn. Mendel Kaelen en Joost Breeksema zullen in het Engels spreken. Leon Kenemans en Barbara van Zwieten-Boot zullen Nederlands spreken.

Symposium about psychedelic research at Utrecht University

December 6, 2021 / Articles, Events, Public Lectures, Publications, Research / By

On Thursday May 7th there will be a symposium on academic research with psychedelic drugs at Utrecht University. This symposium is organized by the student society Brainwave (Neuroscience Utrecht University), in collaboration with the OPEN Foundation.

Speakers:

Leon Kenemans – Professor Psychopharmacology Utrecht University.

Mendel Kaelen – PhD student Imperial College London and board member OPEN Foundation.

Joost Breeksema – President OPEN Foundation and harm reduction expert.

Barbara van Zwieten-Boot – College ter Beoordeling van Geneesmiddelen (Medicines Evaluation Board).

Leon Kenemans will open the symposium by providing a general overview of the brain mechanisms of various psychoactive drugs. Following this, Joost Breeksema will introduce the topic of psychedelic drugs, and argue for the relevance of modern research with psychedelics. Subsequently, Mendel Kaelen will talk about the brain mechanisms of psychedelics on the basis of recent research at Imperial College London. There he studies the brain mechanisms of LSD and the effects of LSD on music perception. Next, Barbara van Zwieten-Boot, will talk about the potential risks of medicines. Finally, there will be discussion between the speakers with the possibility for questions by the audience.

Brainwave created a Facebook event at which people can register themselves for this symposium. People without a Facebook account can register here.

The language of the symposium will be part English and part Dutch. Mendel Kaelen and Joost Breeksema will speak English. Leon Kenemans and Barbara van Zwieten-Boot will speak in Dutch.

30 April - Q&A with Rick Strassman

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