title: Plasma amino acids in ecstasy users.
abstract: Recreational use of the illegal drug "ecstasy" has increased dramatically in recent years. We have measured 33 different plasma amino acids in ecstasy users and controls. Significant differences were found for phosphoserine, glutamate, citrulline, methionine, tyrosine and histidine. Resembling changes in the plasma amino acids have been described in acute transient polymorphous psychosis. Thus, alterations in plasma - methionine and phosphoserine or other amino acids could be involved in the psychical symptoms produced by MDMA.
authors.affiliation: Neurological Department, University Hospital Hamburg Eppendorf, Martinistrasse 52, 20246 Hamburg, Germany. stuerenburg@uke.uni-hamburg.de
authors.forename: Hans Joerg
authors.initials: HJ
authors.lastname: Stuerenburg
authors.forename: K
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Petersen
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Buhmann
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Rosenkranz
authors.forename: T
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Baeumer
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Thomasius
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000596:Amino Acids / Q000097:blood*; D003693:Delirium / Q000097:blood; D006213:Hallucinogens / Q000009:adverse effects*; D006801:Humans; D018817:N-Methyl-3,4-methylenedioxyamphetamine / Q000009:adverse effects*; D019966:Substance-Related Disorders / Q000097:blood*
chemical_list: D000596:Amino Acids; D006213:Hallucinogens; D018817:N-Methyl-3,4-methylenedioxyamphetamine