Four Drugs with Therapeutic Application - Research Paper Example

?Four Drugs with Therapeutic Application This paper will introduce four drugs. They are Lysergic acid diethylamide, Psilocybin, Ketamine, and Salvinorin A. Lysergic acid diethylamide is popularly known as LSD or acid, among 80 or so street names. Psilocybin is often referred to as magic mushrooms or shrooms. Ketamine is popularly known as Special K or Purple. Salvinorum A is an active ingredient of Salvia Divinorum and is known as the Sage of the Seers, Diviner’s Sage, Salvia, or Magic Mint. This paper will present a brief overview of their histories, uses and therapeutic applications. The drugs we are considering come in various forms. Here are common forms of each: LSD Psilocybin Ketamine Salvia Divinorum (United States Drug (Estevez, 2010) (drugfree.org, 2012) (Psychotropia, 2010) Enforcement Administraton) The mechanism of action, with LSD, is that it binds to the serotonin receptors, and over-activates them (USA.gov, 2011). Psilocybin is an agonist of the serotonin receptors, mostly the 5-HT 2A and 5-Ht 2C (Neurosoup, n.d.). Ketamine interacts with N-methyl-D-aspartate receptors, opioid receptors, monoaminerbic receptors muscarinic receptiors and voltgage-sensitive CA 2+ channels (Reilly, 1996). Salvinorin A is an extremely powerful and selective kappa opioid receptor agonist (Neurosoup, salvia, n.d.). LSD was first synthesized by a Swiss chemist, in 1938. Hofmann and the University of Zurich began experimenting with the drug on normal and schizophrenic patients, finding it induced euphoria. From 1948, it was taken by medical students, to understand schizophrenia, was marketed for a variety of psychiatric conditions (psychoactive.org, 2010). Dr. Timothy Leary popularized its recreational and spiritual use. The government imprisoned Leary and the CIA conducted illicit LSD mind control experiments on people, without consent, using psychological torture, which eventually led to deaths and many suicides. This was a project known as MK-ULTRA (psychoactive.org, 2010). Therapeutic applications of LSD include: LSD-assisted psychotherapy with terminal cancer patients (Grof, Goodman, Richards, & Kurland, 1973), dying patients (Kast, 1966 Summer) and alcoholics (Abramson, 1966 July); treatment of mental illness, psychopathic personality and obsessive disorders, and with schizophrenia, especially in resistant cases (Sandison & Whitelaw, 1957); and with existential issues (Ainaes, 1964 November). Psilocybin, a naturally occurring tryptamine alkaloid, has a very ancient history as a religious and divinatory aid (Wasson, 1980). Mexican Indian religious use from 2000 years ago has been well-documented and there is support for the theory that it was used also by the Maya 3000 years ago in Guatamala (Shalgin, 1980). Recent research on hallucinogen-naive volunteers, using rigorous doubleblind clinical pharmacology methodology, evaluated acute and long-term effects of psilocybin on mood and psychology and found that it effected perceptual changes and influenced mood, and also increased measures of mystical experience with personal meaning, subjective spiritual significance, and positive behavior and attitude changes lasting long-term, similar to mystical experiences that occur spontaneously (Griffiths, Richard, McCann, & Jesse, 2006). Timothy Leary, Harvard University professor, experimented with psilocybin mushrooms on himself, his students, and state prisoners. He had a 90% success rate in keeping the prisoners away from a continued life in crime (Kaiser, Spring 2011). Other therapeutic applications identified in research include: psychotherapy for relationship problems, destructive behavior, terminally-ill patients, and spiritual growth (Blanchard, 2011); as well as cluster headaches, OCD, and anxiety (Winkelman & (editors), 2007); relieving anxiety of advanced-stage cancer patients (Grob, Danforth and Chopra); and a newly emerging area of study is its use in the treatment of bipolar disorder (Zarate & Manji, 2008 June). Psilocybin acts as a psychointegrator, stimulating system integration of the brain’s function in processing information, helping to integrate the limbic system and emotions with the activities of the neocortex (Winkelman, 2001). Ketamine became available in the 1970’s, and was used by the military, during wars, as an anesthetic (Mercer, 2009). It has veterinary application, as well as human. It was unsuccessfully used to support abortion procedures (Friedberg, 2010). It sedates, immobilizes, induces amnesia, analgesia and dissociation, as well as hallucinations, changes in mood and body image. It is popular as a date rape drug (US Depsartment of Justice, 2009). It is used to eliminate pain in pediatric diagnostic and treatment procedures (Parker, Mahan, Giugliano, & Parker, 1997) and pediatric emergency sedation (Dachs & Innes, 1997; McCarty, Mencio, Walker, & Green, 2000); treats depression (Cloud, 2007), cancer pain (Mercadante, 1996 July), post-operative pain (Schmid, Sandier, & Katz, 1999), and acute asthma (Sarma, 1992 January). Salvinorin A is an active ingredient extracted from Salvia Divinorum. It is an entheogen (a sacred ritual drug, like psilocybin mushrooms) with a rich history, especially used by Mazateca Indian shamans in Mexico. It has only the briefest history in North America, and it grows naturally only where the Mazateca people live (Cesar, n.d.). It is thought to be the most intriguing and promising of the therapeutic hallucinogens now being studied for central nervous system disorders (Clement, Yoder, & Kingston, 2004). Its therapeutic applications include: opioid withdrawal (Babu, McCurdy, & Boyer, 2008); treatment of bipolar disorder (Zarate & Manji, 2008 June); and treatment of depression, chronic pain, and kidney problems (Griffin, Miller, & David N., 2008). Because Salvia divinorum acts at the kappa opiate receptor (KOR) site, where the regulation of perception is located, it is suspected to be capable of a psychotherapeutic role in schizophrenia and Alzheimer’s disease, as well (Cesar, n.d.). This paper reviewed four hallucinogenic drugs: LSD, psilocybin, ketamine, and salivinorin A. History and therapeutic application have been emphasized. 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