Evidence map›Paper›PMID 41825934›Full record

ArticleJournal of psychopharmacology (Oxford, England)2026

Pharmacological characterization of 4-F-3-Me-α-PVP: A novel synthetic cathinone with psychostimulant effects and abuse liability in rodents.

Núria Nadal-Gratacós, Stephanie Pain, Sandra Mata, Pol Puigseslloses, Morgane De Macedo, Virginie Lardeux, Fu-Hua Wang, Liselott Källsten, David Pubill, Xavier Berzosa and 5 more

Abstract read
In one paragraph

Article in Journal of psychopharmacology (Oxford, England), 2026. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 1 paper.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
1citing papers in PubMed
–field-weighted citation impact
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

1 citing paper in PubMed.

  1. Article
4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

15 authors.

Núria Nadal-GratacósDepartment of Pharmacology, Toxicology and Therapeutic Chemistry, Pharmacology Section, Faculty of Pharmacy and Food Science and Institute of Biomedicine (IBUB), Universitat de Barcelona, Spain.ORCID 0000-0002-9791-249X
Stephanie PainLaboratoire de Neurosciences Expérimentales et Cliniques, Université de Poitiers, INSERM, France.
Sandra MataChemical Reactions for Innovative Solutions (CRISOL), IQS School of Engineering, Universitat Ramon Llull, Barcelona, Spain.
Pol PuigsesllosesDepartment of Pharmacology, Toxicology and Therapeutic Chemistry, Pharmacology Section, Faculty of Pharmacy and Food Science and Institute of Biomedicine (IBUB), Universitat de Barcelona, Spain.
Morgane De MacedoLaboratoire de Neurosciences Expérimentales et Cliniques, Université de Poitiers, INSERM, France.
Virginie LardeuxLaboratoire de Neurosciences Expérimentales et Cliniques, Université de Poitiers, INSERM, France.
Fu-Hua WangPronexus Analytical AB, Bromma, Stockholm, Sweden.
Liselott KällstenPronexus Analytical AB, Bromma, Stockholm, Sweden.
David PubillDepartment of Pharmacology, Toxicology and Therapeutic Chemistry, Pharmacology Section, Faculty of Pharmacy and Food Science and Institute of Biomedicine (IBUB), Universitat de Barcelona, Spain.
Xavier BerzosaChemical Reactions for Innovative Solutions (CRISOL), IQS School of Engineering, Universitat Ramon Llull, Barcelona, Spain.
Jan KehrPronexus Analytical AB, Bromma, Stockholm, Sweden.
Marcello SolinasLaboratoire de Neurosciences Expérimentales et Cliniques, Université de Poitiers, INSERM, France.ORCID 0000-0002-0664-5964
Elena EscubedoDepartment of Pharmacology, Toxicology and Therapeutic Chemistry, Pharmacology Section, Faculty of Pharmacy and Food Science and Institute of Biomedicine (IBUB), Universitat de Barcelona, Spain.ORCID 0000-0002-5078-366X
Jordi CamarasaDepartment of Pharmacology, Toxicology and Therapeutic Chemistry, Pharmacology Section, Faculty of Pharmacy and Food Science and Institute of Biomedicine (IBUB), Universitat de Barcelona, Spain.
Raul López-ArnauDepartment of Pharmacology, Toxicology and Therapeutic Chemistry, Pharmacology Section, Faculty of Pharmacy and Food Science and Institute of Biomedicine (IBUB), Universitat de Barcelona, Spain.ORCID 0000-0001-8904-7398

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

backgroundThe continual emergence of novel synthetic cathinones poses significant public health concerns due to their unpredictable pharmacological profiles and potential for abuse. Among these, 4-F-3-Me-α-PVP-a newly identified analogue of α-PVP-has recently surfaced on the illicit drug market, yet its biological effects remain uncharacterized.

aimTo provide the first comprehensive pharmacological evaluation of 4-F-3-Me-α-PVP.

methodsIn vitro transporter inhibition was assessed using HEK293 cells expressing human dopamine (DA), norepinephrine, and serotonin transporter (DAT, NET, or SERT). In male rodents, locomotor activity was measured after i.p. (mice) or s.c. (rats) administration. In vivo microdialysis in rats quantified extracellular DA in the nucleus accumbens. Rewarding and reinforcing effects were evaluated using conditioned place preference (CPP) in mice and intravenous self-administration (IVSA) in rats under fixed-ratio and progressive-ratio schedules.

resultsIn vitro assays revealed that 4-F-3-Me-α-PVP acts as a potent DAT and NET inhibitor, with additional, though weaker, activity at SERT. In vivo, 4-F-3-Me-α-PVP significantly increased locomotor activity in male rodents (10 and 30 mg/kg in mice; 3 mg/kg in rats). Importantly, 4-F-3-Me-α-PVP also increased extracellular DA levels in the rat nucleus accumbens (3 mg/kg, s.c.), pointing to its potential for abuse. Behavioral assays further demonstrated rewarding and reinforcing effects in rodents, with significant CPP in mice at all doses tested and dose-dependent IVSA in rats observed under both fixed-ratio and progressive-ratio schedules.

conclusionsCollectively, these findings indicate that 4-F-3-Me-α-PVP possesses substantial psychostimulant and abuse-related effects in rodents, underscoring the need for regulatory vigilance and continued investigation into emerging synthetic cathinones.

Indexed as

AlkaloidsCentral Nervous System StimulantsPentanonesPyrrolidinesSubstance-Related DisordersAnimalsDopamineDopamine Plasma Membrane Transport ProteinsDose-Response Relationship, DrugHEK293 CellsHumansLocomotionMaleMiceMice, Inbred C57BLMicrodialysis1-phenyl-2-(1-pyrrolidinyl)-1-pentanoneAlkaloidscathinoneCentral Nervous System StimulantsDopamineDopamine Plasma Membrane Transport ProteinsNorepinephrine Plasma Membrane Transport ProteinsPentanonesPyrrolidinesSerotonin Plasma Membrane Transport Proteins4-F-3-Me-α-PVPaddictiondopaminemicrodialysisself-administrationsynthetic cathinones

Identifiers

PMID41825934
PMCPMC13490683

What Socratic holds

Textmetadata
LicenceCC BY-NC
Read underepoch 390

Registered trials

None linked

Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the Socratic graph.