Chemical Reactivity Parameters to Analyze Psychedelics: How Do We Explain the Potency of the Drugs?
Ana Martínez, Alexis Caballero, Rodrigo Ramírez, Emiliano Perez-Sanchez, Esperanza Quevedo, Diana Salvador-García
TL;DR
This paper explores how chemical properties like electron acceptance and global softness relate to the potency of psychedelic drugs.
Contribution
The study introduces chemical reactivity parameters to explain the varying potency of serotonergic psychedelic compounds.
Findings
The most potent psychedelic is also the best electron acceptor.
Molecules with higher global softness are more potent and polarizable.
Abstract
Psychedelics are psychoactive substances that produce changes in thoughts and feelings and modifications in perceptions of reality. The most potent psychedelic is also the first semisynthetic hallucinogen (lysergic acid diethylamide). Psychedelics have been investigated for decades because of their potential therapeutic effects in the treatment of neuropsychiatric diseases and also because these drugs are useful in controlling addictions to other substances. In this investigation, we analyze 27 psychedelic molecules. These compounds are serotonergic psychedelics; that is, they are serotonin agonists. We analyze the electron transfer properties to better understand the mechanism of action of these substances. We found that the electron acceptance capacity is related to the potency of the drugs: the best electron acceptor is also the most potent drug. We also used global softness as a…
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Taxonomy
TopicsPsychedelics and Drug Studies · Chemical synthesis and alkaloids · Neurotransmitter Receptor Influence on Behavior