Fatal poisoning with a new phenylethylamine: 4-methylthioamphetamine (4-MTA).
There has been much publicity in the United Kingdom regarding a new phenylethylamine-based compound called 4-methylthioamphetamine (4-MTA), also known as para-methylthioamphetamine (p-MTA), MTA or "Flatliner". Chemically, 4-MTA is an amphetamine derivative and is a non-neurotoxic potent serotonin-releasing agent and reversible inhibitor of rat monoamine oxidase-A. Analysis of postmortem blood and urine specimens in a case implicating 3,4-methylenedioxymethamphetamine revealed the presence of 4-MTA at a concentration of 4.6 mg/L in femoral blood and 87.2 mg/l in the urine. The concentration of 4-MTA in perimortem blood was measured at 4.2 mg/L. This is the first reported case of death involving 4-MTA in the United Kingdom and the first case known to involve 4-MTA only.
Elliott
S P
SP
Regional Laboratory for Toxicology, City Hospital N.H.S. Teaching Trust, Birmingham, United Kingdom.
D000328:Adult; D000662:Amphetamines / Q000378:metabolism / Q000506:poisoning*; D017248:Enzyme Multiplied Immunoassay Technique; D017809:Fatal Outcome; D008401:Gas Chromatography-Mass Spectrometry; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D011041:Poisoning / Q000097:blood* / Q000652:urine*; D017367:Selective Serotonin Reuptake Inhibitors / Q000378:metabolism / Q000506:poisoning*; D015813:Substance Abuse Detection / Q000379:methods
D000662:Amphetamines; D017367:Selective Serotonin Reuptake Inhibitors; C078956:4-methylthioamphetamine