Flakka Drug: Symptoms, Side Effects & Complications

The term “man on flakka” does not refer to a specific individual but rather describes the behavior typically exhibited by individuals under the influence of flakka (alpha-PVP), a synthetic cathinone known for inducing extreme and unpredictable actions. Flakka has gained fame due to its ability to cause erratic and dangerous behavior in users. Law enforcement agencies and health care providers have expressed significant concerns about the widespread use of flakka, particularly among younger demographics and in clubbing scenes where synthetic drugs are more prevalent.

• NPS detection in biological specimens remains a challenge for forensic and analytical toxicology due to the ease of market introduction and the speed at which they are synthesized and modified at 10,95.
• Interestingly, ShA drug self-administration also led to escalation of intake, particularly for 4MMC.
• All statistically significant effects of drug (synthetic cathinone vs saline) on neurotransmitters in ShA groups, and interactions between drug and sex are shown in Table 2 and Fig.
• The euphoric high from flakka abuse can last from hours to days, depending on the dosage.
• Effective treatment typically includes a combination of medical detoxification, behavioral therapies, and ongoing support to manage cravings and prevent relapse.
• Exposure to 4-F-PVP for 24 h led to a marked, concentration-dependent reduction in the survival of SH-SY5Y (10–300 μM), Hep G2 (10–300 μM), RPMI 2650 (10–300 μM), and H9c2(2-1) (25–300 μM) cell lines.
• One of the most problematic classes of novel psychoactive substances to emerge are synthetic cathinones, comprising approximately 18% of all unregulated substances in international markets (United Nations, 2013).

Main Navigation

Since 2016, α-PiHP has been reported to the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime by 30 countries and territories worldwide, including Europe, Asia, North America, and Oceania 18. The desired psychostimulatory effects include raised alertness and awareness, improved mood, impression of increased motivation, energy, and euphoria (Zawilska and Wojcieszak 2017). Next, slopes for the log-transformed drug doses on the linear portion of the descending slopes (ED50 values in mg/kg) and maximal ICSS threshold decreases for METH, α-PVP, and 4-MEC were compared by a 1-way between-subjects analysis of variance with alpha-pyrrolidinopentiophenone function Bonferroni posthoc tests.

ICSS Apparatus

This will often be part of inpatient or outpatient treatment programs which include a course of behavioral therapy to help manage addiction, identify causes and triggers of addiction, and treat any co-occurring mental health disorders. Ark Behavioral Health Is an accredited drug and alcohol rehabilitation program, that believes addiction treatment should not just address “how to stay sober” but needs to transform the life of the addict and empower him or her to create a more meaningful and positive life. We are dedicated to transforming the despair of addiction into a purposeful life of confidence, self-respect and happiness.

Methods:

These patients are a threat to themselves, the people around them, and the first responders (police, EMS) who are there to help them. It is common to hear reports that it takes multiple people to restrain and sedate these patients. Rescue crews and emergency department staff need to give sedatives to these patients to calm them and make them safe. Flakka is a dangerous drug that has many bad side effects, mostly including changes in behavior or mood. Various instances of “Man on Flakka” have been captured in videos on news channels and social media platforms such as YouTube. These videos often depict alarming scenes of erratic behavior, such as individuals running naked through streets, attempting to break into homes, jumping from heights, exhibiting extreme aggression towards others, or displaying bizarre and dangerous acts.

“Flakka drug dance”

Prominent sex differences emerged for NE levels in amygdala, hippocampus, PFC, and striatum for ShA groups (Fig. 4). There were also large sex differences in GLU levels in PFC, and 5-HIAA levels in striatum and thalamus for ShA groups (Fig. 4). Sex differences in neurochemistry in LgA groups were largely confined to 5-HIAA levels (Fig. 3). Future studies are needed to determine why there were vast sex differences in the neurochemistry of ShA groups that seemed to dissipate in the LgA groups. New Psychoactive Substances (NPSs) are characterized as substances in a pure or prepared form that are not under the 1961 and 1971 European Union Conventions and can jeopardize public health. They are rapidly emerging and spreading through the market, triggering social and public health risks 1.

Treatment Options for Flakka Addiction

When heated up, it gives off a foul-smelling smoke characterized as smelling like dirty socks. After 24-h incubation PVP caused significant reductions in the survival of SH-SY5Y (25–300 μM), Hep G2 (10–300 μM), RPMI 2650 (50–300 μM), and H9c2(2-1) (10–300 μM) cell lines. At a concentration of 300 μM, PVP produced a decrease in the viability of SH-SY5Y, Hep G2, RPMI 2650, and H9c2(2-1) cells by, respectively, 25, 51, 44, and 21% of control values.

• This plasticity hijacks normal learning mechanisms to create habits that persist despite adverse consequences and contribute to the deterioration of cognitive performance (Koob and Volkow, 2010).
• The adverse side effects of the drug include volatile psychosis, leading it to be dubbed “the zombie drug”.
• High school students continue to use α-pyrrolidinopentiophenone (α-PVP) (Palamar et al., 2019), and α-PVP has caused multiple medical emergencies and deaths (NDEWS, 2015, 2018a).
• This substance has been sold on the streets under its original name and the same name as synthetic cathinones and has already been reported in a branded product called “Insomnia” 25.
• There were also sex differences in 5-HT levels for hippocampus, hypothalamus, and striatum for 4MMC ShA groups, but the direction of the effects was region dependent.

Both substances can induce euphoria, heightened sex drive, increased sociability, and hallucinations. When used in excessive amounts, they can lead to severe negative effects, including high blood pressure, elevated heart rate, paranoia, aggression, panic attacks, and psychosis. Both drugs can be consumed in various ways—such as smoking, injecting, or snorting—and carry a significant risk of overdose and death. NPS drugs like synthetic cathinones began to gain prevalence in the early 2000s and were designed to mimic the effects of other drugs such as cocaine, LSD, and ecstasy. Flakka is a synthetic cathinone with effects and a chemical makeup similar to bath salts and CNS stimulants.