Yohimbine: A new street drug

✍ Scribed by Christopher H Linden; W Peter Vellman; Barry Rumack

• Book ID: 104313189
• Publisher: Elsevier Science
• Year: 1985
• Tongue: English
• Weight: 288 KB
• Volume: 14
• Category: Article
• ISSN: 1097-6760
• DOI: 10.1016/s0196-0644(85)80249-3

✦ Synopsis

Following the ingestion of an alleged aphrodisiac known as "yo-yo," a 16year-old girl experienced an acute dissociative reaction accompanied by weakness, paresthesias, and mcoordination. Subsequent symptoms included anxiety, headache, nausea, palpitations, and chest pain. Hypertension, tachycardia, tachypnea, diaphoresis, pallor, tremors, and an erythematous rash were noted on physical examination. Serum epinephrine and norepinephrine levels were found to be elevated. Symptoms resolved spontaneously but lasted approximately 36 hours. The ingested substance was identified as yohimbine. The pharmacology of yohimbine and the treatment of yohimbine poisoning are discussed.