Science Page

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Scientific Studies of

Synthetic (“marijuana”)Cannabinoids

and Synthetic Cathinones (“bath salts”)

AKI (Kidney Damage) Associated with Synthetic Cannabinoids: A Case Series

Cardiotoxicity Associated with Synthetic Cannabinoids:

Posted in order by date:

March 2013: A case series study conducted by investigators at the University of Alabama at Birmingham associating acute kidney injury will be published in the March issue of the Clinical Journal of the American Society of Nephrology. Look for that soon.

February 15, 2013: Centers for Disease Control Report: Acute Kidney Injury Associated with Synthetic Cannabinoid Use — Multiple States, 2012. Here’s the pdf: AKI with SC (1)

August 15, 2012: High Potency and Synthetic Marijuana Pose Real Dangers in First Weeks of Pregnancy

July 23, 2012: Changes in ambient temperature differentially alter the thermoregulatory, cardiac and locomotor stimulant effects of 4-methylmethcathinone (mephedrone)

July 13, 2012: Florida International University’s International Forensic Research Institute tackles research in the forensic toxicology of synthetic drugs. They are involved in research to develop new and better methods of screening for these compounds. Unfortunately, Dr. Anthony D. DeCaprio estimates this that it will take “a number of years” for them to accomplish their objective.

July 5, 2012: Pot Smokers can Tolerate High Doses of Synthetic THC (This may be why we see such bad reactions in those that smoke synthetic marijuana and don’t have histories of drug use.) http://www.examiner.com/article/regular-pot-smokers-can-tolerate-high-doses-of-synthetic-thc

May 13, 2012: A new study reveals how manipulating the endocannabinoid system, comprised of two brain receptors (CB1 and CB2), two endogenous ligands and two metabolism enzymescan, can modulate high levels of impulsivity. This is the main problem in psychiatric illnesses such a schizophrenia, bipolar disorder and substance abuse.

Why is this important? We are seeing many repeat users of synthetic marijuana diagnosed with schizophrenia, bipolar disorder and anxiety disorder.

http://www.news-medical.net/news/20120308/CB2-receptor-involved-in-regulating-impulsive-behaviour.aspx

April 30, 2012: European Monitoring Center for Drugs and Drug Abuse (EMCDDA) Reports 23 New Synthetic Cannabinoids and 8 New Synthetic Cathinones Registered in 2011

March 28, 2012: Rapid identification of synthetic cannabinoids in herbal samples via direct analysis in real time mass spectrometry (Abstract Only)

November 14, 2011: K2 Synthetic Marijuana: Heart Attacks, Suicides, and Surveillance

September 21, 2011: Beyond THC: the new generation of cannabinoid designer drugs

June 22, 2011: Relax – Here’s an LC-MS Analysis for Bath Salts!

April 21, 2011: LC/MS/MS Analysis of Synthetic Cannabinoid Metabolites in Urine – The Saga Begins

February 9, 2011: Spicing Things Up: BAM! LC/MS/MS Analysis of Synthetic Cannabinoids in Herbal Incense

January 26, 2012: Direct screening of herbal blends for new synthetic cannabinoids by MALDI-TOF MS

January 26, 2012: Identification of the major urinary metabolites in man of seven synthetic cannabinoids of the aminoalkylindole type present as adulterants in ‘herbal mixtures’ using LC-MS/MS techniques

January 25, 2012: Here Today, Gone Tomorrow…and Back Again? A Review of Herbal Marijuana Alternatives (K2, Spice), Synthetic Cathinones (Bath Salts), Kratom, Salvia divinorum, Methoxetamine, and Piperazines