This incisive book offers an epidemiological study of road users’ consumption of psychoactive substances in Nigeria. It examines psychoactive drug screening and the use of driving simulators to evaluate skills impairment after drinking alcoholic beverages. Portable electronic digital screening devices such as “Oral Screen,” along with other screening devices were used to establish the prevalence of substances of abuse among road users in some selected cities in Nigeria. Blood, saliva, urine, and other biological fluids were screened. Skills impairment, characterized by unsafe driving actions based on the level of blood alcohol concentration (BAC), was evaluated using a driving simulator. The findings were validated by application of a Field Impairment Test (FIT) or modified clinical test of impairment. The implication of the results on everyday highway utilization and the best approach for research into screening for psychoactive drugs are highlighted, along with several recommendations to enhance highway safety.

There are global concerns about the proliferation and misuse of club drugs and novel psychoactive substances, yet we know little about their harms and research on clinical management and treatment remains limited. This book fills the knowledge gap by providing a detailed overview of the research evidence available to date. The book provides a framework that allows readers to understand this large number of new drugs, using classifications based on primary psychoactive effect. Within this framework, the book provides detailed reviews of the more commonly used drugs. Each chapter explores pharmacology, patterns and mode of use, acute and chronic harms, and clinical interventions supported by research evidence. An invaluable resource for clinical staff, this book will support clinicians working in the emergency department, substance misuse and addiction services, mental health services, primary care, sexual health services and more. It will also be of interest to academics and those developing drug policy.

An increasing number of novel psychoactive drugs are currently available and sold as 'legal highs' or 'research chemicals'. These New Psychoactive Substances (NPS) constitute a broad range of hundreds of natural and synthetic drugs, including synthetic cannabinoids, synthetic cathinones, synthetic opioids and other classes, which use has resulted in a significantly growing number of intoxication and mortality, as reported by emergency and poison centres from all over the world. Definition of “NPS” includes any substance that has recently become available and has been designed purposely to replace illegal drugs, although not necessarily of new synthesis. Use of NPS is dramatically increased in the last decade and represents a serious risk for the public health. Their ever-evolving chemical structure, the possibility to distribute in real time through the Internet and social networks information about their use and effects have dramatically challenged public health and drug policies internationally. NPS recently attracted great attention, but most are still unregulated and proposed online as legal alternatives to traditional illicit drugs. Unfortunately, this area is still poorly investigated and very limited information are available so far on their nature and potential risks. The phenomenon of NPS requires multi-national and multi-disciplinary collaborations to improve our knowledge on this changing drug market, to share information and define good practices at a global level. Political and educational efforts are indispensable to regulate this mutable scenario and to inform the public about health consequences of NPS use. Clinicians and emergency staff should be aware that NPS may cause severe health consequences and unexpected adverse effects, and be informed on how to recognized and treat specific intoxication cases. Considering the widespread use of NPS and paucity of information about their toxicology and pharmacology, this Research Topic will be useful to understand the new trends in the scenario of drug use, abuse and addiction to inform professionals and general public about the health problems caused by NPS and to help drug-control policies to adopt suitable control measures.

CNS and Behavioural Pharmacology is the third volume of the proceedings of the Sixth International Congress of Pharmacology, organized by the Finnish Pharmacological Society and held in Helsinki, Finland, on July 20-25, 1975. Contributors focus on the findings concerning the central nervous system (CNS) and on the developments in behavioral pharmacology and related areas of research. This volume has 33 chapters divided into five sections. After discussing the application of psychopharmacology to the conservation of wild animals such as ungulates, this book turns its attention to alcohol dependence and the interactions between neurotransmitters and the hypothalamic releasing hormones. The reader is methodically introduced to the pharmacology of emotive behavior, with emphasis on drug effects in mental and emotional disorders as well as the action of psychotropic drugs on emotions, motivations, and social behavior of animals. The final section is devoted to the pharmacological aspects of the cerebrospinal fluid-transport system. This section covers topics such as the metabolism of biogenic amines in the human CNS; the importance of dopamine metabolism for the clinical effects and side effects of neuroleptics; and composite transport systems for organic acids and bases in choroid plexus. This book will be of interest to scientists representing all the major areas of pharmacology, including clinical pharmacology and toxicology, as well as to internists, psychiatrists, neurologists, and anesthesiologists.

Active botanical ingredients are a prime requirement for herbal formulations and discovering a drug is all about integration of science disciplines. In recent decades there has been a growing interest in treating wounds and diseases using traditional remedies based on local herbs, combined with chemical advances. Although this has led to the development of new bioactive ingredients from plants, there has been little success in terms of clinical trials and post-marketing studies to comply with FDA guidelines. Plants have been used as a source of medicine throughout history and continue to serve as the basis for many pharmaceuticals used today. However, despite the modern pharmaceutical industry being founded on botanical medicine, synthetic approaches to drug discovery have now become standard. Science-driven translational discovery and botanical development has created a new reality, leading to enormous changes in strategies, technologies and the disciplines involved, which have been embraced by the pharmaceutical and biotech industries. This book gathers scientific expertise and traditional knowledge to promote the discovery and development of new formulations and drugs based on active ingredients and to provide guidance on taking these to clinical trials. It discusses major topics, such as how the phytochemical composition of many plants has changed over time due to factors like cultivation, which can have both positive and negative effects on the levels of bioactive compounds. It also explores the importance of plants as a valuable source of therapeutic compounds as a result of their vast biosynthetic capacity, and classifies them according to their intended use, safety and regulatory status. Further, the book offers insights into the regulatory aspects of botanical products, which is an important issue when considering standardization and quality assessment, and also examines the commercial aspects of plant-derived medications and their proven role in the treatment of chronic diseases such as heart disease, high blood pressure, pain, asthma, and other associated conditions. Given its scope, this book is a valuable tool for botanists, natural product chemists, pharmacologists and microbiologists involved in the study of phytochemicals for drug discovery.

Pharmacology, 4th Edition helps you master the "must-know" concepts in this subject and how they apply to everyday clinical problem solving and decision making. This concise yet comprehensive text clearly explains and illustrates challenging concepts and helps you retain the material - from course exams and the USMLE Step 1 right through to clinical practice. Consult this title on your favorite e-reader with intuitive search tools and adjustable font sizes. Elsevier eBooks provide instant portable access to your entire library, no matter what device you're using or where you're located. Quickly reference essential information thanks to abundant tables throughout, and drug classification boxes at the beginning of each chapter. See how pharmacology applies to practice with real-world case studies. Prepare for exams with self-assessment questions at the end of each chapter. Understand complex concepts visually with the aid of superb full-color illustrations. Access the complete contents online at www.studentconsult.com, along with an additional glossary, chapter-by-chapter summaries and case studies, a full list of featured drugs, 150 USMLE-style questions, animations, and more. Learn the latest pharmacologic mechanisms and applications with new and updated drug information throughout. Be aware of new "off label" uses, including important FDA regulations.

There is a dramatic rise of novel drug use due to the increased popularity of so-called designer drugs. These synthetic drugs can be illegal in some countries, but legal in others and novel compounds unknown to drug chemistry emerge monthly. This thoughtfully constructed edited reference presents the main chromatographic methodologies and strategies used to discover and analyze novel designer drugs contained in diverse biological materials. The methods are based on molecular characteristics of the drugs belonging to each individual class of compounds, so it will be clear how the current methods are adaptable to future new drugs that appear in the market.