Medicines
Discover all available medicines and treatments
Discover all available medicines and treatments
Generic: Phencyclidine hydrochloride
Phencyclidine (PCP), also known as angel dust, is a dissociative anesthetic with hallucinogenic properties. It acts primarily as an NMDA receptor antagonist, disrupting the normal function of glutamate in the brain. This leads to a range of cognitive and perceptual distortions, including hallucinations, delusions, and altered sense of reality. PCP was initially developed as a surgical anesthetic but was withdrawn from clinical use due to its severe psychotomimetic side effects.
Formerly used as a surgical anesthetic, now primarily a drug of abuse due to its hallucinogenic effects.
Outcome:
Increased sedation, respiratory depression
Mechanism:
Additive CNS depressant effects
Outcome:
Increased risk of psychosis, serotonin syndrome
Mechanism:
Both act on NMDA receptors and serotonin reuptake
Outcome:
May slightly increase anxiety and agitation
Mechanism:
Caffeine's stimulant effects may exacerbate PCP's psychotomimetic effects
Research into NMDA receptor modulation may lead to the development of novel therapeutics for neuropsychiatric disorders, but it's unlikely to involve PCP analogues (2030, 70% confidence).
Due to its high potential for abuse and serious adverse effects, PCP is unlikely to be reconsidered for therapeutic use.
Dissociative anesthetic, Hallucinogen
Arylcyclohexylamine