Strychnine

[atdEn]

strychnine was used alot as a PED/medicine it was since replaced by other less "dangerous" PED/medicine, still as far as i'm aware strychnine is still used to this day either medically in some countries like india or as a PED in sport like powerlifting
as i understand it should increase muscle strength by activating a greater numbers of motor neurons via glycine receptors antagonism
motor neurons are more easily activated by excitatory neurotransmitters and the neuromuscular junctions should be flooded with pre-synaptic neuronal action potential
does my theory about it increasing strengh is right or it's flawed?
what about it safety profile ? i have read a study about it being cytotoxic..
see http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/25796448
Thanks!

 

[serotonin2A]

Muscle strength is not altered by motor neuron activation. If you are a healthy individual then your brain should have no problem activating your muscles. Facilitating motoneuron excitability might increase reflex speed and/or intensity but it won't make you stronger (at least acutely).

Strychnine is not a safe drug to take. Many other stmulants with better safety profiles are available.

 

[AA357]

That stuff just isn't fit for human consumption. I'm sure amphetamine is far more effective as a PED.

Turning off your body's inhibitory neurotransmitters is a very dangerous thing to do. It's better and safer to take something that increases your dopamine and norepinephrine levels.

 

[immad]

But does it provide mental clarity? Increased concentration? Imagination? Or just plain anxiety?

 

[AA357]

But does it provide mental clarity? Increased concentration? Imagination? Or just plain anxiety?

It would probably feel incredibly jittery and anxiogenic, like high-dose caffeine but far worse. It's well-known that external stimulus increases the risk of convulsions and death from strychnine. I imagine it would also lower pain threshold.

 

[immad]

It would probably feel incredibly jittery and anxiogenic, like high-dose caffeine but far worse. It's well-known that external stimulus increases the risk of convulsions and death from strychnine. I imagine it would also lower pain threshold.

I thought so as well, but there are surprisingly few people who've actually tried the stuff.

 

[serotonin2A]

I thought so as well, but there are surprisingly few people who've actually tried the stuff.

I don't think it is suprising that few people have tried strychnine. It isn't a psychostimulant -- it is really a convulsant, but it happens to make you more alert at subconvulsant doses. Glycine receptors are primarily found in motor neurons and in the spinal cord. The receptors are not found in the forebrain or the limbic system where psychostimulants act.

 

[immad]

I don't think it is suprising that few people have tried strychnine. It isn't a psychostimulant -- it is really a convulsant, but it happens to make you more alert at subconvulsant doses. Glycine receptors are primarily found in motor neurons and in the spinal cord. The receptors are not found in the forebrain or the limbic system where psychostimulants act.

I know, but I was under the impression that pre-1900s Strychnine use was more common and I'm still hoping for a detailed account of the mental effects.

 

[serotonin2A]

I know, but I was under the impression that pre-1900s Strychnine use was more common and I'm still hoping for a detailed account of the mental effects.

Strychnine was used as a tonic, and the effects of low doses are similar to those of caffeine, with enhanced reflexes. But it is not safe to use it for that purpose, because there are numerous cases where people ingested low doses and had severe reactions or even died.

I pulled this off of wikipedia:
"Three years ago I was reading for an examination, and feeling "run down". I took 10 minims of strychnia solution (B.P.) with the same quantity of dilute phosphoric acid well diluted twice a day. On the second day of taking it, towards the evening, I felt a tightness in the "facial muscles " and a peculiar metallic taste in the mouth. There was great uneasiness and restlessness, and I felt a desire to walk about and do something rather than sit still and read. I lay on the bed and the calf muscles began to stiffen and jerk. My toes drew up under my feet, and as I moved or turned my head flashes of light kept darting across my eyes.. I then knew something serious was developing, so I crawled off the bed and scrambled to a case in my room and got out (fortunately) the bromide of potassium and the chloral. I had no confidence or courage to weigh them, so I guessed the quantity-about 30 gr. [30 grains, about 2 grams] bromide of potassium and 10 gr. chloral-put them in a tumbler with some water, and drank it off. My whole body was in a cold sweat, with anginous attacks in the precordial region, and a feeling of "going off." I did not call for medical aid, as I thought the symptoms declining. I felt better, but my lower limbs were as cold as ice, and the calf muscles kept tense and jerking. There was no opisthotonos, only a slight stiffness at the back of the neck. Half an hour later, as I could judge, I took the same quantity of bromide of potassium and chloral, and a little time after I lost consciousness and fell into a " profound sleep," awaking in the morning with no unpleasant symptoms, no headache, &c., but a desire " to be on the move " and a slight feeling of stiffness in the jaw. These worked off during the day."

 

[nAON]

GABA antagonists will probably have similar effect, but are less toxic and have more research done on pro-cognitive effects. Though they will also have horrendous side effects such as anxiety and decreased seizure threshold.

 

[serotonin2A]

GABA antagonists will probably have similar effect, but are less toxic and have more research done on pro-cognitive effects. Though they will also have horrendous side effects such as anxiety and decreased seizure threshold.

I don't think the effects are as similar as you might expect. There are very few glycine receptors on the CNS -- they are mainly located in regions with motor neurons. By contrast, GABA-A receptors are ubiquitous. That means that strychnine has little effect on mood and cognition. GABA-A antagonists cause convulsions, but strychnine kills by causing severe spasms.