title: Methylenedioxymethamphetamine: a potentially neurotoxic amphetamine analogue.
abstract: The amphetamine analogue, methylenedioxymethamphetamine (MDMA) has received considerable attention recently as a novel and increasingly popular psychoactive agent. When administered acutely to rats in high doses, MDMA caused a selective and dramatic decrease in brain concentrations of serotonin and its metabolite, 5-hydroxyindoleacetic acid. The depletion of serotonin and its metabolite persisted for up to at least one week after a single injection of MDMA at approximately four to five times the acute dose reported for humans. These results are discussed in terms of the possible neurotoxic effects of MDMA.
mesh_terms: D015102:3,4-Dihydroxyphenylacetic Acid / Q000378:metabolism; D015104:3,4-Methylenedioxyamphetamine / Q000031:analogs & derivatives / Q000633:toxicity*; D000662:Amphetamines / Q000633:toxicity*; D000818:Animals; D001921:Brain / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000378:metabolism; D004298:Dopamine / Q000378:metabolism; D006719:Homovanillic Acid / Q000378:metabolism; D006897:Hydroxyindoleacetic Acid / Q000378:metabolism; D008297:Male; D018817:N-Methyl-3,4-methylenedioxyamphetamine; D051381:Rats; D011919:Rats, Inbred Strains; D012701:Serotonin / Q000378:metabolism; D013997:Time Factors
chemical_list: D000662:Amphetamines; D015102:3,4-Dihydroxyphenylacetic Acid; D012701:Serotonin; D015104:3,4-Methylenedioxyamphetamine; D006897:Hydroxyindoleacetic Acid; D018817:N-Methyl-3,4-methylenedioxyamphetamine; D004298:Dopamine; D006719:Homovanillic Acid