| A | B | C | D | E | F | G | H | I | J | K | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
1 | Drug Class | Specific Drugs | Examples | Mechanism | Any medical use | Duration of Action (Hours) | Habituation Potential (Psychological Dependence) | Tolerance Potential (Leading to Higher Dose) | Addiction Potential (Physical Dependence) | Possible Short-Term Effects | Possible Long-Term Effects |
2 | Benzodiazepines (Subgroup, Depressants) | Diazepam (Valium/Librium), clonazepam (Klonopin), lorazepam (Ativan), temazepam (Restoril), flunitrazepam (Rohypnol), triazolam (Halcion), alprazolam (Xanax) | Agonist at benzodiazepine site on the GABA-A receptor | Anxiety, insomnia, epilepsy, many other diseases | Calm, relaxed muscles, sleepy, relieves anxiety | Drowsiness, falls, impaired coordination, impaired memory, dizziness | |||||
3 | Benzodiazepine agonists (Subgroup) | Zolpidem (Ambien), eszopiclone (Lunesta), zopiclone, zaleplon (Sonata) | Same as above | Insomnia | Mainly just sleepy, sometimes hallucinations and sleep-like states, relieve anxiety, relax muscles | Same as above | |||||
4 | Sedatives | Barbiturates (Subgroup, Depressant) | Phenobarbital, pentobarbital, thiopental (sodium pentothal, sodium amytal), secobarbital, nembutal, seconal quaaludes | Agonist at barbiturate site on the GABA-A receptor | Epilepsy, other diseases in the past and more rarely today | 4-6 | Moderate to high | Yes | Yes | CNS depressants; sleep induction; relaxation (sedation); confusion; euphoria, drowsiness; impaired judgement, reaction time, coordination, and emotional control; relief of anxiety-tension; lethargy; suppression of hallucinations; hallucinations | Irritability; weight loss; breathing suppressed; addiction with severe withdrawl illness; drowsiness; blurred vision; jaundice; habituation; possible death, similar to benzodiazepines |
5 | Alcohol (Depressant) | ——— | Opens BK potassium channels (hyperpolarizing neurons), closes SK potassium channels in reward center of brain (causing DA release), probably other effects | Alcohol withdrawal | 2-4 | High | Yes | Yes | CNS depressant; relaxation (sedation); confusion; drowsiness; impaired judgement, reaction time, coordination, and emotional control; frequent aggressive behavior; euphoria: loss of inhibitions (facilitates socializing, talking, singing, sex), impair memory and judgement; same as benzodiazepines, plus nausea, vomiting, breathing suppressed, terrible withdrawal (including psychosis and seizures) | Diversion of energy and money from more creative and productive pursuits; habituation; possible obesity with chronic excessive use; irreversible damage to brain and liver; addiction; DTs; death; brain damage; various diseases | |
6 | Gammahydroxybutyrate (GHB), GBL, 1,4-butanediol | ——— | Agonist at GHB receptor (may desensitize it or inhibit GABA), agonist at GABA-B receptor | Narcolepsy (improves cataplexy, not simply a sleep aid) | Euphoria; energetic; sleepy; calm (mix of stimulant and sedative effects); same as benzodiazepines, plus nausea, vomiting, breathing suppressed, psychosis, | Seizures, death | |||||
7 | Stimulants | Amphetamines (Subgroup) | Amphetamine (Adderall), methamphetamine (Desoxyn), methylphenidate (Ritalin), phentermine, 4-methylaminorex, phenmetrazine (Preludin), methcathinone, fenfluramine (Pondimin, Fen-Phen), dexfenfluramine (Redux), pseudoephedrine (Sudafed), ephedrine, phenylpropanolamine (old Triaminic), phenylephrine (Sudafed PE), Benzedrine, Methedrine, Dexedrine | Increase release and inhibit reuptake of 5-HT, DA, and NE. | ADHD, narcolepsy, obesity, rarely depression | 4-8 | Very high (injected) Moderate (oral) | Yes | Yes | CNS stimulants; increased alertness, reduction of fatigue; loss of appetite; insomnia; increased respiration and heart rate; euphoria; energetic; reduces appetite | Restlessness; insomnia; irritability; weight loss; paranoia; gastric irritation; habituation; death; anxiety; psychosis; high blood pressure; heart attack; stroke; brain damage when used excessively |
8 | Cocaine (Crack) | ——— | Inhibits 5-HT, NE, and DA reuptake, blocks voltage-gated sodium channels | Local anesthesia and bleeding control, diagnostic tests | 1-2 | Moderate | Yes | Yes | CNS stimulant; often elevates mood; increased heart rate and respiration; drying of the nose; laxative; depression and fatigue after effects wear off | Restlessness; irritability; destruction of nasal walls; habituation; diversion of energy and money; weight loss; paranoia; death | |
9 | Caffeine | Coffee, Tea, other plants | Adenosine receptor antagonist, inhibits some PDE enzymes causing increased cAMP signaling | Headaches | 2-4 | Moderate | Yes | Yes | CNS stimulant; increased alertness; reduction of fatigue; increased pulse rate; headache relief; appetite suppression | Sometimes insomnia, restlessness, gastric irritation; habituation; anxiety; headaches on withdrawal; diuresis | |
10 | Nicotine (Tabacco) | ——— | Nicotinic acetylcholine receptor agonist | 1-2 | High | Yes | Yes | CNS stimulation; relaxation; constriction of blood vessels; impaired breathing; headache; nausea; mouth/tooth/throat pain; cough; runny/stuffy nose; change in taste; heartburn; hiccups; sweating; diarrhea; stimulate brain activity | Heart and blood vessel disease; respiratory diseases; habituation | ||
11 | Narcotics | Full opioid agonists (Subgroup) | Morphine, heroin (diacetylmorphine), hydrocodone (Vicodin), oxycodone (Percocet, Oxycontin), fentanyl, Demerol, codeine, opium, hydromorphone (Dilaudid), oxymorphone (Opana), methadone | Activate all opioid receptors completely. Reduce NE release. | Pain relief, rarely depression and diarrhea | Nausea, constipation, vomiting, drowsiness, breathing suppressed, euphoria, pain relief, calm, relaxed, sleepy, appetite suppression, decrease attention to real world, unpleasant withdrawl effects as drug's effect wears off | |||||
12 | Partial, selective, or mixed opioid agonists (Subgroup) | Buprenorphine (Suboxone), pentazocine, nalbuphine, tramadol (Ultram), tifluadom | Only activate certain subtypes of opioid receptors, and/or do not activate them fully, and/or block certain subtypes. | Pain relief, rarely depression, opioid addiction | Pain relief, not quite as euphoria or relaxing as full agonists (above), nausea, constipation, vomiting, drowsiness, breathing suppressed | ||||||
13 | Phenethylamines (Subgroup) | Mescaline (peyote cactus), 2C-series drugs (2C-B, 2C-I, 2C-C, 2C-T-7), 3C-E, 4-MTA, PMA, DO-series drugs (DOC, DOB, DOI, DOM) | Partial agonist at 5-HT2 receptors (2A and possibly 2C). This receptor is mostly excitatory, but it is inhibitory in certain parts of the brain dealing with perception. | None | Feeling of novelty, inspiration, reverence. Fast, disordered thoughts, trances. Perceptual anomalies: patterns move, colors brighter, seeing sounds, smelling colors. Crazy ideas and beliefs. Causes hallucinations, sensory distortions, and occasional panic. Anxiety, insomnia, paranoia, temporary psychosis. Some cause nausea, increased body temperature, tremors. | May contribute to psychosis in the long term, or cause "flashbacks" (HPPD). | |||||
14 | Tryptamines (Subgroup) | Psilocybin and psilocin (both in mushrooms), bufotenin (in toads), DMT (in plants), 5-MeO-DMT (in plants), 5-MeO-DiPT, DET, AMT, 4-HO-DiPT | Psilocybin and LSD have been tested for the treatment of cluster headaches | ||||||||
15 | Ergolines (Subgroup) | Lysergic acid diethylamine (LSD), LSA (ergine, in plants) | Same as above, plus agonism at other 5-HT, DA, and NE receptors. | Other ergolines are used for many diseases but are not psychedelic | Same as above, plus other effects, depends of frequency of use and dose. | ||||||
16 | Psychedelics | LSD | ——— | 10-12 | Low | Yes | No | Effects are unpredictable but can include intense visual imagery; increased sensory awareness; feeling of conciousness expansion; anxiety; rapid mood changes; nausea; increased pulse arte and blood pressure; very violent behavior with PCP; occasional panic; hallucinations | Sometimes precipitates or intensifies an already existing psychosis. Other effects include panic reaction; distorted judgement and perception; flashbacks; possible brain damage and genetic damage | ||
17 | Psilocybin | ——— | Psilocybin has been tested for the treatment of cluster headaches | 6-8 | Low | Yes | No | Same as above | Same as above | ||
18 | Mescaline | ——— | 12-14 | Low | Yes | No | Same as above | Same as above | |||
19 | PCP | ——— | Variable | High | Yes | Yes | Same as above | Same as above | |||
20 | Marijuana (Cannabis) | ——— | Agonist at cannabinoid receptors | Might relieve nausea, vomiting, neuropathic pain, and glaucoma. Pills already legal, other forms under investigation | 2-4 | Moderate | Yes | Low | Distortion of thoughts, feelings, and perception; short-term memory loss; impared coordination; panic reaction; increased appetite; hallucination in larger doses; relaxation; happiness; enhanced appreciation of art; intensifies sensory experiences; distorts perception of time, nausea sometimes impairs learning and memory | Impared judgement; apathy; temporary sterility and infertility; brain damage; lung cancer; possible genetic damage; habituation; hinders long-term memory; may contribute to psychosis | |
21 | Hashish | ——— | 2-4 | Moderate | Yes | Low | Same as above | Same as above | |||
22 | Dissociative Anesthetics | Phencyclidine (PCP), dextromethorphan, ketamine | ——— | NMDA (glutamate receptor) antagonists | Anesthesia. A related drug, memantine, is used in Alzheimer's disease, and these could be used in stroke sufferers | Feeling of distance from reality and body, numbing of sensations and pain. Convincing and absorbing hallucinations. Nausea, vomiting, coma, violence, extreme confusion, temporary psychosis. | PCP causes brain damage | ||||
23 | Deliriants | Scopolamine and atropine (in plants), diphenhydramine (Benadryl), dimenhydrinate (Dramamine) | ——— | Muscarinic (ACh receptor) antagonists | Many legitimate uses | Loss of memory, convincing and absorbing hallucinations, extreme confusion, temporary psychosis, hot, dry skin, dry mouth, huge pupils, fast heartbeat, death | |||||
24 | Diethyl ether (starter fluid), toluene, gasoline, glue, paint, xenon, freon, halothane, sevoflurane | ——— | Unknown, probably multiple mechanisms | General anesthesia | Calm, relaxed, euphoria, pain relief, hallucinations, strange sensations (different inhalants cause different effects from this list), nausea, vomiting, accidental asphyxiation, falls, varies depending on particular drug | Many diseases, death | |||||
25 | Inhalants | Nitrous oxide, hydrocarbons, chlorohydrocarbons | ——— | Unknown, but opioid pathways are necessary | General or partial anesthesia | 1-2 | Moderate | Unknown | Unknown | Euphoria; shortness of breath; nausea; headache; dizziness; fainting; relaxation; pain relief; memory loss; unconsciousness | Unknown |
26 | Nitrites (Subgroup) | Isoamyl nitrite, isobutyl nitrite | Stimulate NO system (NO is a neurotransmitter) | Heart conditions | "Head rush", muscle relaxation, dizziness, dangerously low blood pressure, fainting | ||||||
27 | Salvinorin A (salvia divinorum) | ——— | Selective agonist of the kappa opioid receptor | Theoretically similar to pain relievers (pentazocine) | Convincing, absorbing hallucinations, visionary states, pain relief, dysphoria, panic, headache, inability to talk, falls, sweating, persisting anxiety | ||||||
28 | Other | Muscimol (amanita muscaria) | ——— | GABA-A agonist | Useful in research | Vaguely like a hallucinogen, nausea, other side effects | |||||
29 | Methaqualone (Quaalude, Sopor), thalidomide, meprobamate (Miltown), carisoprodol (Soma), glutethimide, chloral hydrate (knockout drops, Micky), ethchlorvynol (Placidyl), methyprylon, primidone | ——— | Various mechanisms, mostly related to GABA, similar to barbiturates | Anxiety, depression, insomnia, pain, anesthesia, epilepsy, muscle relaxation, nausea | Depending on the drug: calm, sleepy, euphoria, relaxed muscles, pain relief, nausea relief, falls, poor coordination and memory, coma | ||||||
30 | Lithium | ——— | 8-12 | Low | No | No | Relief of depression (elevation of mood); stimulation | Basically the same as tranquilizers | |||
31 | Antidepressants | Dibenzapines | ——— | 8-13 | Low | No | No | Same as above | Same as above | ||
32 | MAO inhibitors | ——— | 8-14 | Low | No | No | Same as above | Same as above | |||
33 | Understand the risks of taking drugs/medications. Educate yourself and others.This chart provides a rough overview, it is an oversimplification, it has omissions, and it may have inaccuracies due to ongoing scientific data. |