1. 1.8Drugs, Brain, & Behavior:AbsintheBrian J. Piper,
Ph.D.
2. 1.6Goals History Chemistry Botany Pharmacodynamics
Pharmacokinetics"After the first glass, you see things as you wish
they were.After the second, you see them as they are not. Finally,
yousee things as they really are, which is the most horrible
thingin the world"
3. 5.6History 400 B.C.: wormwood drink used as aherbal remedy
by Hippocrates. 1797: Henri-Louis Pernod opensabsinthe distillery
in Switzerland, laterFrance. 1840s: French soldiers in Algeriadrank
absinthe to prevent malaria. Late 1800s/early 1900s: Peak
ofabsinthe use 1905-1915: Bannings. 1990s- today: resurgence
4. 5.9 Jean Lanfray (1905) Laborer from Vaud, Switzerland Wine
(5 L) + Cognac (6 glasses) + Absinthe (2 glasses) = Murder (3+)
Case was media sensation Fuel for temperance movementAbsinthe is
Death (circa 1900 by Emile Decoeur)By Leal da Camara (1903)
7. Art II1.2 Artist UnknownViktor Oliva: Absinthe DrinkerEdgar
Degas (1876): LAbsintheVan Gogh: Still life with Absinthe
(1887)Pablo Picasso
8. 2.2 Van Gogh (1853-1890) Starry Night (1889)Self-portrait
(1889)
9. Thujone2.4 Poison, causes hallucinations, seizures GABAA and
5-HT3 antagonistLachenmeier et al. Critical Reviews in Food Science
& Nutrition, 46, 365-377.Weisbord et al. (1997) NEJM 337,
825-827.
10. 2.2 Patch-clamp recording Ions: elements with charge(e.g.
Cl-) Channels: regulate flow of ionsinto and out of cell
11. Pharmcodynamics of2.3 Thujone* Serotonin is applied to a
cell witha 5-HT3 receptor* 5-HT inhibits the activity of the cell*
Thujone Blocks the effects of 5-HTDeiml (2004) Neuropharmacology
46, 192-201.
12. Is thujone the cause of absinthism?5.3Absinthe Thujone
(mg/l) Year of analysisFrench (1904)< .011 1994Pernod fils
(circa 1900) 62002Pernod Tarragona (circa 1930) 1.8 2004EU legal
limit 35 mg/l. Lachenmeier (2006) Forensic Science International,
158, 1-8.
13. Wernicke-Korsakoffsyndrome4.5 Symptoms: severe memoryloss,
confabulation, damage to mammillarybodies B1: peas, spinich, liver,
cereal Example 2:20 5:24:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wDcyBXJAZNM
14. 1.1Alcohol and Driving
15. 0.6 QuestionWhich of the following statements about
Absinthe is INCORRECT?A) Absinthe was a popular alcoholic beverage
in the 19th century France, especially among artists and
intellectuals.B) The thujone content in absinthe was higher in the
late 1800s relative to today.C) The way absinthe acts on the brain
is not yet completely understood.D) The acute effects of absinthe
are different from ethanol.
