Evidence map›Paper›PMID 25220897›Full record

ReviewDrug and alcohol dependence2014

Synthetic cannabinoids: epidemiology, pharmacodynamics, and clinical implications.

Marisol S Castaneto, David A Gorelick, Nathalie A Desrosiers, Rebecca L Hartman, Sandrine Pirard, Marilyn A Huestis

Abstract readReview
PubMed Full text at PMC Publisher
In one paragraph

Review in Drug and alcohol dependence, 2014. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 216 papers, 5 of them syntheses that pooled it.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
216citing papers in PubMed, 5 pooled it
57.0field-weighted citation impact, top 1% of its field
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

216 citing papers in PubMed, 5 syntheses or guidelines pooled it, 691 citations in OpenAlex.

  1. Pooled it
  2. Pooled it
  3. Pooled it
  4. Pooled it
  5. Pooled it
  6. Trial
  7. Article
  8. Article
  9. Review
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  12. Review
  13. Cannabinoids and ADHD: a New Frontier in Neuropharmacology?Journal of molecular neuroscience : MN · 2025
    Review
  14. Observational
  15. Article
  16. Article
  17. Article
  18. Article
  19. Article
  20. Article

156 more citing papers are in PubMed but not listed here.

4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

6 authors at 2 institutions in 1 country.

Marisol S CastanetoChemistry and Drug Metabolism, Intramural Research Program, National Institute on Drug Abuse, NIH, Baltimore, MD, United States; Program in Toxicology, University of Maryland Baltimore, Baltimore, MD, United States.
David A GorelickDepartment of Psychiatry, University of Maryland School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, United States.
Nathalie A DesrosiersChemistry and Drug Metabolism, Intramural Research Program, National Institute on Drug Abuse, NIH, Baltimore, MD, United States; Program in Toxicology, University of Maryland Baltimore, Baltimore, MD, United States.
Rebecca L HartmanChemistry and Drug Metabolism, Intramural Research Program, National Institute on Drug Abuse, NIH, Baltimore, MD, United States; Program in Toxicology, University of Maryland Baltimore, Baltimore, MD, United States.
Sandrine PirardChemistry and Drug Metabolism, Intramural Research Program, National Institute on Drug Abuse, NIH, Baltimore, MD, United States.
Marilyn A HuestisChemistry and Drug Metabolism, Intramural Research Program, National Institute on Drug Abuse, NIH, Baltimore, MD, United States. Electronic address: mhuestis@intra.nida.nih.gov.
National Institute on Drug Abuse · USUniversity of Maryland, Baltimore · US

Funding

Pharmacokinetics And Pharmacodynamics Of Smoked Drugs Of AbuseZIADA000413 · NIDA · NATIONAL INSTITUTE ON DRUG ABUSE · PI SCHEIDWEILER, KARL · 2009 to 2016
$6.0M
Intramural NIH HHS ZIA DA000413
6 · The paper itself

Abstract

backgroundSynthetic cannabinoids (SC) are a heterogeneous group of compounds developed to probe the endogenous cannabinoid system or as potential therapeutics. Clandestine laboratories subsequently utilized published data to develop SC variations marketed as abusable designer drugs. In the early 2000s, SC became popular as "legal highs" under brand names such as Spice and K2, in part due to their ability to escape detection by standard cannabinoid screening tests. The majority of SC detected in herbal products have greater binding affinity to the cannabinoid CB1 receptor than does Δ(9)-tetrahydrocannabinol (THC), the primary psychoactive compound in the cannabis plant, and greater affinity at the CB1 than the CB2 receptor. In vitro and animal in vivo studies show SC pharmacological effects 2-100 times more potent than THC, including analgesic, anti-seizure, weight-loss, anti-inflammatory, and anti-cancer growth effects. SC produce physiological and psychoactive effects similar to THC, but with greater intensity, resulting in medical and psychiatric emergencies. Human adverse effects include nausea and vomiting, shortness of breath or depressed breathing, hypertension, tachycardia, chest pain, muscle twitches, acute renal failure, anxiety, agitation, psychosis, suicidal ideation, and cognitive impairment. Long-term or residual effects are unknown. Due to these public health consequences, many SC are classified as controlled substances. However, frequent structural modification by clandestine laboratories results in a stream of novel SC that may not be legally controlled or detectable by routine laboratory tests.

methodsWe present here a comprehensive review, based on a systematic electronic literature search, of SC epidemiology and pharmacology and their clinical implications.

Indexed as

AnimalsCannabinoidsDesigner DrugsDronabinolHumansProtein BindingReceptor, Cannabinoid, CB1Receptor, Cannabinoid, CB2CannabinoidsDesigner DrugsDronabinolReceptor, Cannabinoid, CB1Receptor, Cannabinoid, CB2CB(1)/CB(2) agonistsDesigner drugEpidemiologyPharmacodynamicsSpiceSynthetic cannabinoids

Identifiers

PMID25220897
PMCPMC4253059
OpenAlexW2074114778

What OpenQuestion holds

Textmetadata
LicenceTDM
Read underepoch 390

Registered trials

None linked

Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.