stimulant

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Methylphenidate preparations from various manufacturers
Caffeine, the most widely consumed psychoactive substance in the world.
Cocaine hydrochloride for medical use.

As stimulants or psychostimulants are psychoactive substances called that have a stimulating effect on the organism. The term stimulant ( singular ) is derived from the Latin stimulare = "to stimulate". The World Health Organization defines stimulants as substances that increase, speed up or improve the activity of the nerves .

Other names are stimulants , psychotonics , psychoanaleptics , stimulants or colloquially upper . The opposite of this class of substances are the tranquilizers ( sedatives ), colloquially known as downers .

use

Medical

Xanthine-type stimulants ( theophylline ) are used in pulmonary medicine to treat asthma , chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) and sleep apnea . Methylphenidate and amphetamine are used to treat attention deficit / hyperactivity disorder and narcolepsy, while modafinil is used to treat narcolepsy . Ephedrine is used to reduce swelling of the mucous membranes in the case of colds.

Recreational consumption

A large number of stimulants such as B. Amphetamine ( speed ), MDMA ( ecstasy ) and methamphetamine ( crystal meth) are also used in the party and drug scene, mostly for pleasure or to induce intoxication.

hazards

Many stimulants have the potential to be addictive if misused , especially if taken non-orally. Overdoses of stimulants can, depending on the substance , cause high blood pressure , palpitations , sweating and nausea . The psychological symptoms include arousal, aggressiveness, overconfidence and insomnia . With cocaine and amphetamine derivatives, the outbreak of psychosis is possible. Some appetite suppressants are also stimulants or have similar chemical structures.

Classification

The stimulants can be classified as follows:

Amphetamine derivatives

Cathinones (subgroup)

Entactogens (subgroup)

These include amphetamine derivatives with an additional empathogenic effect:

Xanthines

Piperazine derivatives

Piperidines

Oxazolidinones

Benzhydryl sulfinyls

Various substances

See also

Web links

Wiktionary: Stimulant  - explanations of meanings, word origins, synonyms, translations

Individual evidence

  1. ↑ Entry on caffeine. In: Römpp Online . Georg Thieme Verlag, accessed on August 31, 2014.
  2. ^ DE Nichols: Differences Between the Mechanism of Action of Mdma, Mbdb, and the Classic Hallucinogens. Identification of a New Therapeutic Class: Entactogens. In: Journal of Psychoactive Drugs. Volume 18, No. 4, 1986, pp. 305-313 (English; online at scribd.com; doi : 10.1080 / 02791072.1986.10472362 ).