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These combinations are considered extremely harmful and should always be avoided. Reactions to these drugs taken in combination are highly unpredictable and have a potential to cause death.
There is considerable risk of physical harm when taking these combinations, they should be avoided where possible.
These combinations are not usually physically harmful, but may produce undesirable effects, such as physical discomfort or overstimulation. Extreme use may cause physical health issues. Synergistic effects may be unpredictable. Care should be taken when choosing to use this combination.
PCP is classified as habit-forming and is known to cause addiction with excessive use. It induces ΔFosB expression in the nucleus accumbens and has rewarding and reinforcing effects mediated in part by NMDA receptor blockade in dopaminergic pathways.
Neurotoxicity is a concern with PCP, particularly at high doses and with frequent use, though the clinical significance in humans remains controversial. Animal studies have shown that high doses of NMDA receptor antagonists can cause reversible vacuoles in brain tissue (Olney's lesions), but these findings are from non-human animals and may not directly apply to humans.
Rhabdomyolysis (muscle breakdown) is described as a not-unusual manifestation of PCP toxicity and may occur during intoxication.
PCP is more likely to produce psychosis compared to other dissociatives. Studies found agitation or hallucinations in up to 50% of patients at anesthetic doses, with greater psychiatric issues in approximately 17%. Recreational doses occasionally induce psychotic states with emotional and cognitive impairment resembling schizophrenic episodes. A 2019 review found that 26% of those diagnosed with hallucinogen-induced psychosis (including PCP) later transitioned to a schizophrenia diagnosis. High doses have been associated with dangerous psychotic states, including paranoia, delusions, and suicidal impulses. Flashbacks may occur despite stopping usage.
High doses and overdoses may lead to convulsions and seizures. Benzodiazepines are the drugs of choice for controlling seizures when present during PCP intoxication. Certain antipsychotics such as phenothiazines may lower the seizure threshold and are not preferred for managing PCP-induced psychosis.
Phencyclidine was first synthesized in 1926 by German chemist Arthur Kötz and his student Paul Merkel during research involving Grignard reactions with piperidinocyclohexancarbonitrile compounds. The compound remained largely unexplored until 1956, when chemist H. Victor Maddox independently…
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