title: Stereochemistry of the metabolism of MDMA to MDA.
abstract: The chiral derivatizing reagent N-trifluoroacetyl-L-prolyl chloride (LTPC) was used to form diastereomers of 3,4-methylenedioxymethamphetamine (MDMA) and 3,4-methylenedioxyamphetamine (MDA) which were resolved on an achiral gas chromatographic column using a mass spectrometer as a detector. Rats were subcutaneously dosed with 40 mg/kg of (+/-) MDMA.HCl and blood was obtained by decapitation four hours after dosing. Plasma was separated and extracted. The extract was derivatized on-column with LTPC. In addition to the two MDMA isomers, the demethylated metabolites, S(+) and R(-)-MDA were identified. In all experimental groups (male rats, food deprived male rats, female rats, post partum female rats, and mice) dosed with racemic MDMA, higher levels of the S(+) isomer of MDA relative to the R(-) MDA isomer were observed. This may be significant since it has been shown that the S(+) isomer of MDMA is the more neurotoxic isomer of the racemic drug of abuse MDMA.
authors.affiliation: Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology, Medical College of Virginia, Richmond 23298.
authors.forename: R L
authors.initials: RL
authors.lastname: Fitzgerald
authors.forename: R V
authors.initials: RV
authors.lastname: Blanke
authors.forename: J A
authors.initials: JA
authors.lastname: Rosecrans
authors.forename: R A
authors.initials: RA
authors.lastname: Glennon
mesh_terms: D015104:3,4-Methylenedioxyamphetamine / Q000031:analogs & derivatives / Q000097:blood / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000493:pharmacokinetics; D000662:Amphetamines / Q000378:metabolism*; D000818:Animals; D001711:Biotransformation; D005260:Female; D008401:Gas Chromatography-Mass Spectrometry; D007700:Kinetics; D018817:N-Methyl-3,4-methylenedioxyamphetamine; D051381:Rats; D011919:Rats, Inbred Strains; D013237:Stereoisomerism
chemical_list: D000662:Amphetamines; D015104:3,4-Methylenedioxyamphetamine; D018817:N-Methyl-3,4-methylenedioxyamphetamine