About
The group’s primary goal is to study the acute pharmacological effects and toxicity caused by substances of abuse in humans. This objective encompasses the evaluation of abuse potential and the consequences of chronic use in substance use disorders and addiction.
The members of the group are mostly physicians at Germans Trias i Pujol University Hospital, responsible for daily patient care.
Keywords: Substance abuse disorder, pharmacokinetics, pharmacodynamics, synthetic cathinones, semisynthetic cannabinoids, THC, CBD, binge drinkings, alcohol, energy drinks, gender differences.
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Group leader
- Magí Farré Albaladejo
Magí Farré Albaladejo
Magi Farré is professor of Pharmacology at the School of Medicine of Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona, and head of the Clinical Pharmacology Unit at Germans Trias i Pujol University Hospital in Badalona. He has developed his main research area in the field of human pharmacology of drugs of abuse and medications, being one of the few clinical researchers in this area. Farré has worked on the evaluation of pharmacokinetics and the acute and chronic effects of different drugs of abuse. He has extensive experience in pharmacogenetics with studies of the influence of genetic polymorphisms on the pharmacokinetics and effects of medications and drugs of abuse, highlighting the influence of polymorphisms of CYP2D6, CYP2C9, CYP3A4, CYP1A2, COMT, DAT, 5-HT1AR, ALDH5A1 or opioid or cannabinoid receptors. Most of the research projects in which he has been a PI/CI incorporate pharmacogenetic determinations. The most recent ones, which are currently underway, are on cannabis and synthetic cathinones.
For more than last ten years, Farré has participated in numerous projects on human pharmacology of new psychoactive substances, highlighting his work on MDMA (midomafetamine), 2C-B, 2C-E, mephedrone, methylone and other synthetic cathinones, synthetic and natural cannabinoids (cannabis with high THC content), GHB, binge drinking, alcohol combined with energy drinks, cannabis and the combination of cannabis and alcohol. He has participated in clinical trials for the treatment of substance use disorders, especially alcohol and cocaine, in addition to the use of ayahuasca for severe grief therapy. More recently, he has been part of research teams on emerging infectious diseases, participating in clinical trials of treatments for COVID-19, including vaccines, as well as MPOX epidemiology.
For five years, he has been working mainly on the human pharmacology of different forms of administration of cannabis preparations (oral: tea and oil; inhaled: vaporizer, different preparation with variable contents of THC/CBD), synthetic cannabinoids (JWH-122, JWH-210, UR-144), synthetic cathinones (mephedrone, methylone, MDPV, clephedrone [4-CMC], ethylhexedrone [Hexen] and ethylpentedrone [NEP], alpha-PVP, alpha-PHiP, clophedrone [3-CMC]), as well as the combination of alcohol and psychostimulants and consumption of alcohol in binge-drinking. More recently a new line of research on semisynthetic cannabinoids (THC derivatives, HHC derivatives) has been started. All these clinical studies are conducted in humans and, when possible, include men and women.
Contact: mfarre.germanstrias(ELIMINAR)@gencat.cat
ORCID: 0000-0001-8338-7543
Research lines
- Evaluation of the acute effects and pharmacokinetics of new psychoactive substances (synthetic cathinones such as methylone, pyrovalerone derivatives, and others), and classical psychostimulants (MDMA, amphetamines and cocaine) in humans. Including experimental and observational studies.
- Evaluation of the acute effects of binge alcohol consumption in young people and its combination with other substances (cannabis, energy drinks) in humans. Including experimental and observational studies.
- Evaluation of the effects and pharmacokinetics of natural, semisynthetic and synthetic cannabinoids, including cannabis and its components (different compositions of THC/CBD) in humans. Therapeutic use (medicinal cannabis) in humans. Including experimental and observational studies.
- Pharmacogenomics and substance use, including drug of abuse and medicines. Influence of genetic polymorphism in the effects and pharmacokinetics of drugs. Gender differences.
- Therapeutic use of psychedelic substances. Use of ayahuasca in severe grief therapy.
Active projects
Proyecto iPHARMGx: Estudio colaborativo nacional para evaluar la efectividad y eficiencia de la implementación de biomarcadores Farmacogenéticos mediante una estrategia de genotipado anticipado en el SNS
PI: Borovia A. HUGTiP-IGTP investigator: Magí Farré
Funding agency: Instituto de Salud Carlos III (ISCIII)
Agency code: PMP22/00055
Duration: 2023 - 2025
Farmacología humana de diferentes preparados de cannabis administrados por diferentes vías y la influencia del género
PI: Esther Papaseit; Co-PI: Magí Farré
Funding agency: Instituto de Salud Carlos III (ISCIII), Ministerio de Ciencia e Innovación
Agency code: PI20/00879
Duration: 2021 - 2023 (extended to 2025)
Farmacología humana, potencial de abuso y evaluación de la conectividad neuronal del hexahidrocannabinol en comparación con el tetrahidrocannabinol
PI: Esther Papaseit Fontanet
Funding agency: Instituto de Salud Carlos III (ISCIII), Ministerio de Ciencia e Innovación
Agency code: PI24/00660
Duration: 2025 – 2027
Farmacología humana, conectividad cerebral y potencial de abuso tras la administración aguda de una nueva catinona sintética
PI: Clara Pérez Mañá
Funding Agency: Instituto de Salud Carlos III (ISCIII), Ministerio de Ciencia e Innovación
Agency code: PI24/00834
Duration: 2025-2027
Consumo de alcohol en atracón (binge drinking): perspectiva de género
PI: Magí Farré
Funding agency: Ministerio de Sanidad
Agency code: 2022I045
Duration: 2023 - 2024 (extended to 2025)
Proyecto iPHARMGx: Estudio colaborativo nacional para evaluar la efectividad y eficiencia de la implementación de biomarcadores Farmacogenéticos mediante una estrategia de genotipado anticipado en el SNS
PI: Borovia A; HUGTiP-IGTP investigator: Magí Farré
Funding agency: Proyectos de Investigación de Medicina Personalizada de Precisión de la Acción Estratégica en Salud 2021-2023
Agency code: PMP22/00055
Duration: 2023 - 2025
Efectos agudos de un combinado explosivo con bebidas energéticas que está de moda entre los jóvenes, el Jägerbomb
PI: Clara Pérez Mañá
Funding agency: Ministerio de Sanidad, Servicios Sociales e Igualdad
Agency code: 2024I013
Duration: 2025 - 2026
Past projects
Plataformas ISCIII de apoyo a la I+D+I en Biomedicina y Ciencias de la Salud: Soporte para la investigación clínica
PI: Magí Farré
Funding agency: Instituto de Salud Carlos III (ISCIII)
Agency code: PT20/00018
Duration: 2021 - 2023 (extended to 2024)
Farmacología humana de la catinona sintética metilendioxipirovalerona (MDPV) y su interacción con alcohol
PI: Clara Pérez Mañá
Funding agency: Instituto de Salud Carlos III (ISCIII), Ministerio de Ciencia e Innovación
Agency code: PI20/00879
Duration: 2021 - 2023 (extended to 2024)
Scientific publications
Highlighted publications
Camí J, Farré M. Drug addiction. N Engl J Med. 2003 Sep 4;349(10):975-86. DOI: 10.1056/NEJMra023160.
Cami J, Farré M, Mas M, Roset PN, Poudevida S, Mas A, San L, de la Torre R. Human pharmacology of 3,4-methylenedioxymethamphetamine ("ecstasy"): psychomotor performance and subjective effects. J Clin Psychopharmacol. 2000 Aug;20(4):455-66. DOI: 10.1097/00004714-200008000-00010.
Mas M, Farré M, de la Torre R, Roset PN, Ortuño J, Segura J, Camí J. Cardiovascular and neuroendocrine effects and pharmacokinetics of 3, 4-methylenedioxymethamphetamine in humans. J Pharmacol Exp Ther. 1999 Jul;290(1):136-45. PMID: 10381769.
Papaseit E, Pérez-Mañá C, Mateus JA, Pujadas M, Fonseca F, Torrens M, Olesti E, de la Torre R, Farré M. Human Pharmacology of Mephedrone in Comparison with MDMA. Neuropsychopharmacology. 2016 Oct;41(11):2704-13. DOI: 10.1038/npp.2016.75.
Papaseit E, Pérez-Mañá C, de Sousa Fernandes Perna EB, Olesti E, Mateus J, Kuypers KP, Theunissen EL, Fonseca F, Torrens M, Ramaekers JG, de la Torre R, Farré M. Mephedrone and Alcohol Interactions in Humans. Front Pharmacol. 2020 Jan 28;10:1588. DOI: 10.3389/fphar.2019.01588.
Highlighted 2024 publications
Jorbenadze S, Khatiashvili T, Giunashvili L, Tchelidze A, Lo Faro AF, Pichini S, Farré M, Papaseit E, Nuñez-Montero M, Carlier J, Farkas T, Busardo FP, Chankvetadze B. Challenges encountered in the enantioselective analysis of new psychoactive substances exemplified by clephedrone (4-CMC). J Pharm Biomed Anal. 2024 Sep 15;248:116275. DOI: 10.1016/j.jpba.2024.116275.
Cárdenas-Quesada J, Mestre-Pintó J, Maldonado R, Rodríguez de Fonseca F, Torrens M, Farré M; on behalf the RIAPAd research group. Substance use disorders and cooperative research on addictions: Spanish approach as a model. Pharmacol Res. 2024 Aug;206:107233. DOI: 10.1016/j.phrs.2024.107233.
Massano M, Nuñez-Montero M, Papaseit E, Hladun O, Pérez-Maña C, Ventura M, Marchei E, Alladio E, Gerace E, Pichini S, Farrè M, Salomone A. Metabolic profile of N-ethylhexedrone, N-ethylpentedrone, and 4-chloromethcathinone in urine samples by UHPLC-QTOF-HRMS. J Pharm Biomed Anal. 2024 Apr 15;241:115994. DOI: 10.1016/j.jpba.2024.115994.
Lo Faro AF, Sprega G, Beradinelli D, Tini A, Poyatos L, Papaseit E, Berretta P, Di Giorgi A, Farre M, Takaishvili N, Farkas T, Busardò FP, Chankvetadze B. Development of enantioselective high-performance liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry method for the quantitative determination of 3,4-methylenedioxy-methamphetamine (MDMA) and its phase-1 metabolites in human biological fluids. J Pharm Biomed Anal. 2024 Jan 20;238:115768. DOI: 10.1016/j.jpba.2023.115768.
Montané E, Sanz Y, Martin S, Pérez-Mañá C, Papaseit E, Hladun O, De la Rosa G, Farré M. Spontaneous adverse drug reactions reported in a thirteen-year pharmacovigilance program in a tertiary university hospital. Front Pharmacol. 2024 Dec 5;15:1427772. DOI: 10.3389/fphar.2024.1427772.
Additional information
Collaborative networks
Redes de Investigación Cooperativa Orientadas a Resultados en Salud (RICORS). Red de Investigación en Atención Primaria de Adicciones (RIAPAd).
PI: Robert Muga
Agency code: RD24/0003/0019
The Research Network in Primary Addiction Care (RIAPAd) is an organisational structure funded by Instituto de Salud Carlos III (ISCIII). It is made up of different clinical, basic and epidemiological research groups, whose common objective is to investigate the origins of addictive processes, their clinical manifestations and their social impact with the ultimate goal of providing therapeutic and social intervention tools that help reduce the impact of addictions and associated pathologies. Contribution: study of psychostimulants and cannabis in humans.
Doctoral theses
Title: Efectos agudos asociados al consumo de metilona
Author: Lourdes Poyatos Blanco
Supervisors: Magí Farré Albaladejo, Esther Papaseit Fontanet, Clara Pérez Mañá
University: Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona
Date of defense: 31-05-2023
Evaluation: Excellent Cum Laude
Title: Combinación de alcohol y bebidas energéticas en patrón de atracón-binge drinking: Efectos agudos y diferencias de género
Author: Olga Hladun Alvaro
Supervisors: Esther Papaseit Fontanet, Clara Pérez Mañá
University: Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona
Date of defense: 17-02-2025
Evaluation: Excellent Cum Laude
Title: Farmacocinética y efectos farmacológicos de un preparado de cannabis estandarizado en adultos sanos consumidores recreativos de cannabis
Author: Ana Pilar Pérez Acevedo
Supervisors: Magí Farré Albaladejo, Esther Papaseit Fontanet, Clara Pérez
University: Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona
Date of defense: 04-12-2024
Evaluation: Excellent Cum Laude
Others
Activity is based in different types of studies for the evaluation of the acute and chronic effects. The study design include clinical trials, observational studies and summary of evidence (systematic reviews and meta-analysis).
News
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Medical and research staff at the Can Ruti Campus, once again among the world’s most prominent in the scientific field
The Can Ruti Campus and the healthcare and research teams of the different institutions that comprise it continue to prove, once again this year, to be a relevant node on a global scale in terms of scientific production and progress.
Contact
(+34) 93 497 88 65 extn. 3710