Mescaline effects

In much of the writing about psychedelics, little effort has been made to clarify the differences between LSD and mescaline effects. In The Varieties of Psychedelic Experience, for example, Masters and Houston specify the agent ingested by their 206 subjects (of whom 89 received mescaline) but then seem to take ir for granted that stages and characteristics of mescaline experience will be the same as those under LSD. They noted no great differences between the effects of LSD and mescaline in the creativity studies cited in Chapter One. Aldous Huxley, writing to Humphry Osmond in December of 1955 about his first experience with LSD (75 meg.), emphasized the resemblances (and re-emphasized them later after more experiences with LSD) ... 

There haven t yet been any studies comparing effects from mescaline with those from peyote. The Church of the Awakening used both fairly extensively and characterized mescaline effects as "identical with those we had obtained through the use of peyote itself (in John Aiken s words). 

The mode of action of the amphetamine derivatives MDA and MDMA seems to be dissimilar, with MDMA possessing mescaline-like psychoactive properties. MDMA demonstrates greater serotonergic effects than does the more amphetamine-like MDA. 

Mescaline is considerably less potent than LSD equipotent amounts are 5 mg and 1 pg, respectively. Peyote is readily absorbed from the gastrointestinal tract. Mescaline is mainly concentrated in the liver, spleen, and kidney. Up to 60% is excreted unchanged in the urine mescaline metabolites are devoid of any psychoactive effect. 

Davis M Mescaline excitatory effects on acoustic startle are blocked by serotonin 2 antagonists. Psychopharmacology (Berl) 93 286—291, 1987 DishotskyNI, LoughamWD, Mogar RE, et al LSD and genetic damage. Science 172 431 40, 1971... 

Lyvers M, Hashing P Have Halpern et al. (2004) detected residual neuropsychological effects of MDMA not likely. Drug Alcohol Depend 75 149-152, 2004 Mack RB Marching to a different cactus peyote (mescaline) intoxication. N Engl J Med 47 137-138, 1986... 

MDA had unique psychoactive properties that were different from hallucinogens such as LSD or mescaline. While MDA in high doses appears to be hallucinogenic or psychotomimetic, it seems not to have been used for this effect, but rather for its effects on mood production of a sense of decreased anxiety and enhanced self-awareness. Even early reports described the desire of MDA users to be with and talk to other people (Jackson and Reed 1970). MDA is also the only substituted amphetamine that received serious clinical study as an adjunct to psychotherapy (Yensen et al. 1976). 

Recent controversy about the recreational abuse and potential therapeutic use of designer drugs has focused attention on MDA (methylenedioxyampheta-mine HCl) and structurally related phenylisopropylamine compounds, including MDMA istructural analogs of the psychomotor stimulant amphetamine and the hallucinogen mescaline, and produce stimulant and/or hallucinogenic effects (Shulgin 1978). 

TMA, to produce mescaline, results in a similar (i.e., 2.5-fold) decrease in activity. Although these a-desmethyl analogs produce stimulus effects similar to those of DOM, there is some evidence that the spectrum of effects produced by these agents, in rats and in humans, is not... 

The answer is b. (Kn.lzu.ng, p 5.38.) Crack is the free-base (nonsalt) form of the alkaloid cocaine. It is called crack because, when heated, it makes a crackling sound. Heating crack enables a person to smoke it the drug is readily absorbed through the lungs and produces an intense euphoric effect in seconds Use has led to seizures and cardiac arrhythmias. Some of cocaine s effects (sympathomimetic) are due to blockade of norepinephrine reuptake into presynaptic terminals it does not block receptors. Flashbacks can occur with use of LSD and mescaline but have not been associated with the use of cocaine. 

In this chapter, we have reviewed the effects of indolealkylamine and phen-ylalkylamine hallucinogens on respondent (classical or Pavlovian) and operant (instrumental) behavior. Both the classically conditioned NMR and bar pressing or licking that is simultaneously reinforced with food or water and suppressed by punishment appear to be particularly sensitive to low doses of LSD- or mescaline-like agents. To date, however, neither of these behaviors has provided substantial amounts of information regarding specific, underlying neuronal mechanisms. 

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