An appraisal of the pharmacological and toxicological effects of a single oral administration of 3,4-methylenedioxymethamphetamine (MDMA) in the rat.
This study examined some acute pharmacological and toxicological effects of 3,4 methylenedioxymethamphetamine (MDMA, "Ecstasy") over a range of doses (20, 40, 80, 160 and 320 mg/kg orally) in adult female rats. Deaths were observed from the 40 mg/kg MDMA group onwards. Reductions in body weight change, food and water intake were found in the 80 mg/kg group, whilst food intake alone was reduced in the 20 and 40 mg/kg groups. Significant hyperthermic responses were found over the first 8 hr following MDMA administration which were dose-related. A significant hyperactivity of approximately 9 hr duration was observed in the 20 mg/kg and 40 mg/kg groups, whereas there was evidence of a serotonin syndrome in the higher dosage groups. Thus, acute oral administration of MDMA results in a variety of measurable responses. The cause of death in this study is probably a combination of serotonin syndrome and hyperthermia.
De Souza
I
I
Department of Pharmacology, University College, Galway, Ireland.
Kelly
J P
JP
Harkin
A J
AJ
Leonard
B E
BE
D000284:Administration, Oral; D000818:Animals; D001831:Body Temperature; D004305:Dose-Response Relationship, Drug; D004334:Drug Administration Schedule; D005260:Female; D006213:Hallucinogens / Q000494:pharmacology* / Q000633:toxicity; D018817:N-Methyl-3,4-methylenedioxyamphetamine / Q000494:pharmacology* / Q000633:toxicity; D051381:Rats; D017207:Rats, Sprague-Dawley; D012007:Rectum
D006213:Hallucinogens; D018817:N-Methyl-3,4-methylenedioxyamphetamine