
Talk:W-18
W-18 Has little to no activity on opioid receptors
However, recent information suggests that W-18, a street drug feared to be stronger than any opioid known to science turns out not be an opioid at all. W-18, an experimental pain medicine first developed at the University of Alberta in Edmonton in the 1980s, doesn’t even appear to provide relief in animal pain models. These findings appeared July 24, 2016 in a preprint report (PDF) in bioRxiv (pronounced “Bioarchive”), a non-peer-reviewed resource of Cold Spring Harbor Laboratories designed to rapidly disseminate critical research findings.
The comprehensive study not only showed the lack of opioid effects of W-18 or a related chemical called W-15. They showed that human or mouse metabolites of the chemicals had no effect on human or mouse opioid receptors. More surprisingly, a receptorome-wide screen showed no substantial effect of the compounds or metabolites on any psychoactive drug receptor. The study marks a rare case where a potentially lethal drug of abuse is likely to be far less of a public health risk than originally believed.[1]
http://biorxiv.org/content/early/2016/07/24/065623
Chemistry
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Pharmacology
W-18 was found to obtain weak activity at both sigma receptors and the translocator protein (peripheral benzodiazepine receptor) .
Toxicity and harm potential
It also inhibits hERG binding, an important antitarget in drug discovery, which possibly causes cardiovascular side-effects.
Legal issues
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This legality section is a stub. As such, it may contain incomplete or wrong information. You can help by expanding it. |
- Sweden - W-18 is illegal as of 26 January 2016.[2]
- Canada - Health Canada proposed in February 2016 to list W-18 in Schedule I of the Controlled Drugs and Substances Act, which would make it illegal except for authorized prescription use, similar to fentanyl and other opioids.[3] Details of the proposal are in the Canada Gazette.[4]
- USA - W-18 is not currently regulated under the Controlled Drug and Substances Act and can be manufactured and bought freely according to the B.C. Centre for Disease Control.
- United Kingdom - It is illegal to produce, supply, or import this drug under the Psychoactive Substance Act, which came into effect on May 26th, 2016.[5]
External links
References
- ↑ http://www.forbes.com/sites/davidkroll/2016/07/28/w-18-is-not-a-super-potent-designer-opioid-as-originally-believed/#17de6fe44121
- ↑ 31 nya ämnen kan klassas som narkotika eller hälsofarlig vara | https://www.folkhalsomyndigheten.se/nyheter-och-press/nyhetsarkiv/2015/november/31-nya-amnen-kan-klassas-som-narkotika-eller-halsofarlig-vara/
- ↑ Consultation - Proposal regarding the scheduling of W-18 under the Controlled Drugs and Substances Act and its Regulations | http://www.hc-sc.gc.ca/hc-ps/consult/w-18-eng.php
- ↑ CANADIAN ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION ACT, 1999 | http://gazette.gc.ca/rp-pr/p1/2016/2016-02-13/html/notice-avis-eng.php#nl3
- ↑ Psychoactive Substances Act 2016 (Legislation.gov.uk) | http://www.legislation.gov.uk/ukpga/2016/2/contents/enacted