Acute psychotropic, autonomic, and endocrine effects of 5,6-methylenedioxy-2-aminoindane (MDAI) compared with 3,4-methylenedioxymethamphetamine (MDMA) in human volunteers: A self-administration study.

The acute psychoactive, autonomic, and endocrine effects of the new psychoactive substance (NPS) 5,6-methylenedioxy-2-aminoindane (MDAI; 3.0 mg/kg, range 180-228 mg) were investigated in six healthy volunteers (four males, two females) in a non-blinded fashion without placebo. Subjective, cardiovascular, and endocrine responses were compared with two different doses of 3,4-methylenedioxymethamphetamine (MDMA) (75 mg and 125 mg) described in previously published placebo-controlled studies, which used identical outcome measures including Visual Analogue Scales (VAS), the Adjective Mood Rating Scale (AMRS), and the 5 Dimensions of Altered States of Consciousness (5D-ASC) scale. MDAI was well tolerated and produced subjective effects comparable with those of 125 mg MDMA. MDAI increased blood pressure similar to 125 mg MDMA but did not increase heart rate or body temperature. MDAI increased cortisol and prolactin levels and could be detected in serum about 20 min post ingestion and remained detectable at least for 4 days. In urine, MDAI was detectable over a period of at least 6 days. Further clinical investigations are warranted to assess whether MDAI could serve as drug with medicinal properties.

Isoprostanes inhibit vascular endothelial growth factor-induced endothelial cell migration, tube formation, and cardiac vessel sprouting in vitro, as well as angiogenesis in vivo via activation of the thromboxane A(2) receptor: a potential link between oxidative stress and impaired angiogenesis.

Isoprostanes are endogenously formed end products of lipid peroxidation. Furthermore, they are markers of oxidative stress and independent risk markers of coronary heart disease. In patients experiencing coronary heart disease, impaired angiogenesis may exacerbate insufficient blood supply of ischemic myocardium. We therefore hypothesized that isoprostanes may exert detrimental cardiovascular effects by inhibiting angiogenesis. We studied the effect of isoprostanes on vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF)-induced migration and tube formation of human endothelial cells (ECs), and cardiac angiogenesis in vitro as well as on VEGF-induced angiogenesis in the chorioallantoic membrane assay in vivo. The isoprostanes 8-iso-PGF(2alpha), 8-iso-PGE(2), and 8-iso-PGA(2) inhibited VEGF-induced migration, tube formation of ECs, and cardiac angiogenesis in vitro, as well as VEGF-induced angiogenesis in vivo via activation of the thromboxane A(2) receptor (TBXA2R): the specific TBXA2R antagonists SQ-29548, BM 567, and ICI 192,605 but not the thromboxane A(2) synthase inhibitor ozagrel blocked the effect of isoprostanes. The isoprostane 8-iso-PGA(2) degraded into 2 biologically active derivatives in vitro, which also inhibited EC tube formation via the TBXA2R. Moreover, short hairpin RNA-mediated knockdown of the TBXA2R antagonized isoprostane-induced effects. In addition, Rho kinase inhibitor Y-27632 reversed the inhibitory effect of isoprostanes and the thromboxane A(2) mimetic U-46619 on EC migration and tube formation. Finally, the various isoprostanes exerted a synergistic inhibitory effect on EC tube formation. We demonstrate for the first time that isoprostanes inhibit angiogenesis via activation of the TBXA2R. By this mechanism, isoprostanes may contribute directly to exacerbation of coronary heart disease and to capillary rarefaction in disease states of increased oxidative stress.