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Piperazine Designer Drugs of Abuse

What They Are and How They Exert Toxicity

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Handbook of Substance Misuse and Addictions

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Abstract

According to the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime, new psychoactive substances (NPS) are molecules designed and synthesized from small changes in the molecular structure of substances already known and controlled, such as ecstasy and cannabis, mimicking or enhancing their effects. Compounds with psychostimulant characteristics are the most comprehensive among all NPS include piperazine designer drugs as an example. Piperazine derivatives are molecules derived from piperazine, synthesized in laboratories, and are marketed mainly in the form of capsules or tablets sold as “dietary supplements” or “legal highs.” The main compounds are BZP, TFMPP, mCPP, MeOPP, and MDBP. This class of NPS mediates stimulant effects by promoting an action in dopaminergic, noradrenergic, and predominantly serotoninergic neurotransmission. The toxicity is characterized by symptoms including insomnia, headaches, nausea, anxiety, depression, paranoia, and auditory hallucinations.

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Abbreviations

5-HT:

Serotonin

BZP:

1-Benzylpiperaxine

DA:

Dopamine

DATs:

Dopamine transporters

DIMS:

Drug Information and Monitoring System

DIV-145:

Befuraline

EGYT-475:

Trelibet

EU:

European Union

mCPP:

1-(3-Chlorophenyl)piperazine

MDBP:

1-(3,4-Methylenedioxybenzyl)piperazine

MDMA:

3,4-Methylenedioxymethamphetamine

MeOPP:

1-(4-Methoxyphenyl)piperazine

NE:

Norepinephrine

SERTs:

Serotonin transporters

TFMPP:

1-(3-Trifluoromethylphenyl)piperazine

UK:

United Kingdom

WADA:

World Anti-Doping Agency

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Pharmacosciences Department, Federal University of Health Sciences of Porto Alegre, Porto Alegre, Brazil

    Sarah Eller

  2. Department of Analysis, Faculty of Pharmacy, Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Sul, Porto Alegre, Brazil

    Marcelo Dutra Arbo

Authors
  1. Sarah Eller
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  2. Marcelo Dutra Arbo
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Corresponding author

Correspondence to Marcelo Dutra Arbo .

Editor information

Editors and Affiliations

  1. School of Life Sciences, University of Westminster, London, UK

    Vinood B. Patel

  2. School of Life Course and Population Sciences, Faculty of Life Sciences and Medicine, King’s College London, London, UK

    Victor R. Preedy

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Eller, S., Arbo, M.D. (2022). Piperazine Designer Drugs of Abuse. In: Patel, V.B., Preedy, V.R. (eds) Handbook of Substance Misuse and Addictions. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-92392-1_166

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