Amfetamine rate, increased

When metamfetamine and amfebutamone (bupropion) were co-administered to 26 subjects, 20 of whom completed the protocol, there was no evidence of additive cardiovascular effects [32], The subjects received metamfetamine 0,15, and 30 mg intravenously before and after randomization to bupropion 150 mg bd in a modified-release formulation or matched placebo. There was a non-significant trend for amfebutamone to reduce metamfetamine-associated increases in blood pressure and a significant reduction in the metamfetamine-associated increase in heart rate. Amfebutamone reduced the plasma clearance of metamfetamine and the appearance of amfetamine in the plasma. Metamfetamine did not alter the peak and trough concentrations of amfebutamone or its metabolites. These findings are relevant to the potential use of amfebutamone in ameliorating acute abstinence in metamfetamine users. However, the risk of seizures during amfebutamone treatment for metamfetamine abuse has not been estimated. 

Six healthy volunteers learned to recognize the effects of oral D-amfetamine 15 mg and then the effects of a range of doses of D-amfetamine (0, 2.5, 5,10, and 15 mg), alone and after pre-treatment with alprazolam (0 and 0.5 mg), were assessed (36). Amfetamine alone functioned as a discriminative stimulus and produced stimulant-like self-reported drug effects related to dose. Alprazolam alone did not have amfetamine-like discriminative stimulus effects, nor did it increase ratings of sedation or impair performance. Alprazolam pre-treatment significantly attenuated the discriminative stimulus effects of amfetamine, and some of the self-reported drug effects. The authors suggested that... 

Its adrenergic component induces characteristic cardiovascular responses desaibed in Chapter 10. Low to moderate doses increase blood pressure, slow heart rate, relax bronchial muscle and produce a variety of other responses that follow from the body s alerting response. In the CNS, amfetamine is a potent psychomotor stimulant, producing increased alertness, euphoria, excitement, wakefulness, a reduced sense of fatigue, loss of appetite, mood elevation, increased motor and speech activity, and a feeling of power. At chronic and high doses, a number of severe side effects may occur such as tachycardia, anxiety, resdessness, insomnia, tremor and severe arrhythmias. Stereotypical behaviours may also he observed and include purposeless, repetitive acts, paranoia, outbursts of a ession and manifestation of a so-called amfetamine psychosis. 

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