What are Novel Research Chemicals?
Scientific exploration into the benefits of synthetic research chemicals known to produce psychoactive effects has yielded significantly beneficial results in the past few decades.
With the emergence of scientific interest in the therapeutic impacts of novel psychoactive research chemicals and the cultural reemergence of their acceptance and exploration, many wonderful and exciting new avenues have opened that can grant insight into the fascinating world of psychedelics and mind-altering substances.
This article looks at some of the most prominent research chemicals and novel psychoactive substances that can provide exciting avenues for further research and exploration.
Aminoindanes
This class of research chemicals promises some prominent therapeutic benefits that were first explored during the early 1970s.
The class can enhance serotonin uptake and produces bronco dilatory and analgesic effects in the body.
As a research chemical, it can prove beneficial for providing symptomatic relief from chronic conditions that cause pain and inflammation in the body. It can also be explored for its benefits in treating neurodegenerative diseases such as depression due to its role in the serotonin pathway.
As a psychoactive substance, it has the potential to improve cognition and focus through its empathogenic and entactogenic effects.
Phencyclidine-type Substances
This broad classification includes chemical analogs of phencyclidine (PCP) and ketamine and is classified as arylcycloalkylamines based on their nature.
First explored in the 1950s, this class of chemicals has now been expanded with various chemical analogs that produce stimulating effects on the nervous system.
As a central nervous system stimulant, the chemicals can enhance cognition, memory, focus, and concentration, with many possible medical applications in psychotherapy and mental disorders treatment.
The substances also produce slight dissociative effects that can be utilized to treat syndromes related to hyperactivity and hyper anxiety.
As a euphoric psychoactive substance, this class of chemicals interacts with the N-methyl-D-aspartate (NMDA) receptors in the brain, creating experiences that provide deep insight into one’s spiritual and psychological self.
Novel Phenethylamines
Variations in the chemical ring and structure of classical phenethylamines have created an entire class of novel substances, each having a slight variation that creates an array of psychoactive effects ranging in severity and experience.
The substances have formed a basis of modern research into pain therapy known to produce stimulating and psychoactive hallucinogenic effects.
The primary research into this new generation of chemicals was conducted by Professor David Nichols and his research team at Purdue University.
His team is responsible for the most extensive research and production of synthetic analogs of natural substances that produce more profound psychoactive effects. These include the 2-C family, the FLY family of substances (Benzo difurans), and DOB.
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Synthetic Piperazines
These central nervous stimulants form a class of psychoactive compounds based on synthetic analogs of naturally occurring piperazines. Some common examples include 1-benzylpiperazine (BZP), 1-(3-trifluoromethylphenyl) piperazine (TFMPP), and 1-(3-chlorophenyl) piperazine (mCPP).
These substances have immense therapeutic potential as they produced profound stimulating effects across the central nervous system and have been extensively explored in the past as pharmaceutical agents.
Renewed interest in their effects have given rise to a new generation of purified synthetic piperazines that produce effects like MDMA and amphetamines, with a pronounced antidepressant, mood stimulating, and cognition-enhancing effect noted by various studies across the globe.
This class of novel psychoactive substances interacts with the dopamine, serotonin, and norepinephrine pathways of the body, presenting a massive potential for therapeutic and recreational exploration.
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Synthetic Cannabinoids
The human body possesses an endocrine pathway referred to as the endocannabinoid system, primarily responsible for interacting with cannabinoid chemicals. This pathway is the primary target of natural cannabinoids, as found in marijuana and other such plants.
With the new wave of psychedelic exploration, a class of chemicals known as synthetic cannabinoids has arisen that contain chemicals structurally like natural cannabinoids while providing a range of either stronger or milder effects as compared to natural analogs.
This class of compounds may either be like THC or dissimilar to some extent while producing the same effects.
This group’s constituents include Aminoalkylindoles, cyclohexylphenols, or 3-arylcyclohexanols (‘CP’compounds), naphthoylindoles, and phenylacetylindoles.
As therapeutic agents, they offer some of the same potentials as natural cannabinoids. Simultaneously, their recreational and psychoactive effects may range from severe to mild, based on individual receptivity and reactivity.
Synthetic Cathinones
Cathinones are by nature β-keto phenethylamines and chemically like amphetamine and methamphetamine. This new class of recreational research chemicals represents a new leap in the scientific understanding of psychoactive substances. Novel forms include synthetic analogs of pyrovalerone such as MDPV.
Novel chemicals within this class include methylone, butylone, 4-methylethcathinone, 4-fluoromethcathinone, naphyrone, 3-fluoromethcathinone, methedrone, 3,4-dimethyl- methcathinone, α-pyrrolidinopentiophenone (α-PVP), buphedrone, pentedrone, and α-pyrrolidinopropiophenone (α-PPP).
Some of these substances have been patented as potent antidepressants, and most show promising effects as antiparkinsonian agents.
These substances act as central nervous system stimulants, interacting with dopamine, norepinephrine, and serotonin pathways of the body.
As therapeutic agents, this class of research psychoactive substances shows excellent potential against neurodegenerative diseases such as dementia, Parkinson’s disease, and Alzheimer’s disease.
Conclusion
Although sometimes called designer drugs, herbal highs, or legal highs, these novel research chemicals represent impressive progress in our understanding of the nature of chemical interactions that produce psychoactive effects in the body and bring us closer to developing potent therapeutic agents that can double as recreational chemicals as well.
With varying legislative reforms being enacted across the globe, the exploration of these substances has become more convenient in the past decade, allowing for more fast-tracked research and development in the field of recreational and therapeutic psychoactive research chemicals.
If you get the chance, explore the effects of these novel research substances to find for yourself how well they suit your preferences and satisfy your curiosity for the unknown.
