New Synthetic Drugs of Abuse
A special issue of Molecules (ISSN 1420-3049). This special issue belongs to the section "Medicinal Chemistry".
Deadline for manuscript submissions: 31 May 2026
Special Issue Editors
Interests: synthesis; analytical methodologies; toxicology; structure–activity relationships; metabolism; biomarkers; elucidation of toxicity mechanisms; drug checking
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals
Interests: new psychoactive substances; analytical chemistry; sample preparation; microextraction techniques; chromatography and hyphenated techniques (GC-MS and LC-MS); environmental and biological analysis; forensic analysis
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals
Special Issue Information
The rapid emergence of new psychoactive substances (NPSs) in recreational drug markets poses urgent challenges for science, healthcare, and regulatory systems. Their structural diversity and unpredictable pharmacological profiles create significant risks for users and complicate detection in forensic and clinical settings. This Special Issue seeks contributions that deepen our molecular understanding of these substances — from their synthesis, characterisation, pharmacology, and toxicology to the tools used for their detection and monitoring. Drug checking services, in particular, play a crucial role in harm reduction, real-time surveillance of emerging compounds, and the translation of molecular insights into public health practice, making them an essential bridge between laboratory science and applied health strategies. This Special Issue welcomes original articles, short communications, and review articles on new synthetic drugs of abuse. The research areas of these contributions may include (but are not limited to) the following: chemical synthesis and structural innovation; pharmacokinetics, pharmacodynamics, and toxicological mechanisms; structure–activity relationships and molecular determinants of pharmacological and toxicological effects; advanced analytical methodologies and biomarkers of exposure; drug checking services as platforms for molecular surveillance, data generation, and harm reduction strategies; computational modelling and artificial intelligence for predicting pharmacological activity and health risks; biological and mental health consequences associated with synthetic drug use; translating molecular insights into public health interventions and evidence-based policies.
Dr. Helena Gaspar
Prof. Nuno da Rosa Neng
Guest Editors
Manuscript Submission Information
Manuscripts should be submitted online at www.mdpi.com by registering and logging in to this website. Once you are registered, click here to go to the submission form. Manuscripts can be submitted until the deadline. All submissions that pass pre-check are peer-reviewed. Accepted papers will be published continuously in the journal (as soon as accepted) and will be listed together on the special issue website. Research articles, review articles as well as short communications are invited. For planned papers, a title and short abstract (about 100 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for announcement on this website.
Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a single-blind peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. Molecules is an international peer-reviewed open access semimonthly journal published by MDPI.
Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 2700 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.
Keywords
- new psychoactive substances (NPS)
- structure–activity relationships
- pharmacokinetics and pharmacodynamics
- toxicological mechanisms
- advanced analytical methodologies
- biomarkers of exposure
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