Pharmacokinetics and Pharmacodynamics of Psychoactive Drugs in Old Age

Abstract

It can be shown that aged patients need about 2/3 of the dose of younger adult depressive patients to reach a comparable serum level distribution. No difference could be found between younger and aged patients in the correlation between serum level and clinical outcome. This correlation can best be described as a kind of saturation curve. Taking the vast serum level range in patient collectives in therapy with tri- and tetracyclic antidepressives into consideration, a routine screening of serum levels of antidepressives is highly desirable.

Syntheses of Cannabinoid Metabolites: Ajulemic Acid and HU-210

“…Compound 4 is a synthetic analog of ∆ 9 -THC-11-oic acid, the major metabolite of the psychoactive component of marijuana, ∆ 9 -THC. ∆ 9 -THC-11-oic acid [8] has no psychotropic activity and is present in the tissues of the millions of recreational cannabis users long after the mood altering effects are gone [9]. Its analgesic properties suggest that it would be a good template structure for the discovery of more potent analogs.…”