Herbal Highs: Review on Psychoactive Effects and Neuropharmacology

Title:Herbal Highs: Review on Psychoactive Effects and Neuropharmacology

Volume: 15 Issue: 5

Author(s): Silvia Graziano, Laura Orsolini, Maria Concetta Rotolo, Roberta Tittarelli, Fabrizio Schifano*Simona Pichini

Affiliation:

• Psychopharmacology, Drug Misuse and Novel Psychoactive Substances Research Unit, School of Life and Medical Sciences, University of Hertfordshire, College Lane Campus, Hatfield, Herts, AL10 9AB, UK,United Kingdom

Keywords: Herbal highs, plant material, psychoactive herbal products, neuropharmacology.

Abstract: Background: A new trend among users of new psychoactive substances’ the consumption of “herbal highs”: plant parts containing psychoactive substances. Most of the substances extracted from herbs, in old centuries were at the centre of religious ceremonies of ancient civilizations. Currently, these herbal products are mainly sold by internet web sites and easily obtained since some of them have no legal restriction.

Objective: We reviewed psychoactive effects and neuropharmacology of the most used “herbal highs” with characterized active principles, with studies reporting mechanisms of action, pharmacological and subjective effects, eventual secondary effects including intoxications and/or fatalities

Method: The PubMed database was searched using the following key.words: herbal highs, Argyreia nervosa, Ipomoea violacea and Rivea corymbosa; Catha edulis; Datura stramonium; Piper methysticum; Mitragyna speciosa.

Results: Psychoactive plants here reviewed have been known and used from ancient times, even if for some of them limited information still exist regarding subjective and neuropharmacological effects and consequent eventual toxicity when plants are used alone or in combination with “classical” drugs of abuse.

Conclusion: Some “herbal highs” should be classified as harmful drugs since chronic administration has been linked with addiction and cognitive impairment; for some others taking into consideration only the recent trends of abuse, studies investigating these aspects are lacking.

Cite this article as:

Graziano Silvia, Orsolini Laura, Rotolo Concetta Maria, Tittarelli Roberta, Schifano Fabrizio*, Pichini Simona, Herbal Highs: Review on Psychoactive Effects and Neuropharmacology, Current Neuropharmacology 2017; 15 (5) . https://dx.doi.org/10.2174/1570159X14666161031144427

DOI https://dx.doi.org/10.2174/1570159X14666161031144427	Print ISSN 1570-159X
Publisher Name Bentham Science Publisher	Online ISSN 1875-6190