Methamphetamine action

Reduction of phenylacetone in the presence of methylamine rather than ammonia gives methamphetamine (53), an agent similar in action to the primary amine. Alkylation of 53 with benzyl chloride affords the analog, benzphetamine (54). ... 

Figure 11.14 Analysis of amphetamines by GC-NPD following HS-SPME exti action from human hair (a) Normal hair (b) normal hair after addition of amphetamine (1.5 ng) and methamphetamine (16.1 ng) (c) hair of an amphetamine abuser. Peak identification is as follows 1, a-phenethylamine (internal standard) 2, amphetamine 3, methamphetamine 4, N-propyl-/3-phenethyamine (internal standard). Reprinted from Journal of Chronatography, B 707,1. Koide et ai, Determination of amphetamine and methamphetamine in human hair by headspace solid-phase microextraction and gas cliromatography with niti ogen-phosphoms detection, pp. 99 -104, copyright 1998, with permission from Elsevier Science.

I. Koide, O. Noguclii, K. Okada, A. Yokoyama, H. Oda, S. Yamamoto and H. Kataoka, Detemination of amphetamine and methamphetamine in human hak by headspace solid-phase microexti action and gas cliromatogi aphy with niti ogen-phosphorus detection , J. Chromatogr. B707 99-104(1998). 

COMMENT You have presented some evidence that dopamine may be involved in the neurotoxic action of methamphetamine in terms of dopaminergic neurons, and you presented evidence suggesting that it may be involved in not only the dopamine system but also the serotonin system. 

This chapter discusses the responses of these extrapyramidal neuropeptide systems to the amphetamine analogs methamphetamine (METH), methylene dioxyamphetamine (MDA), and methylenedioxymethamphetamine (MDMA). These dmgs were selected for this study because they represent somewhat diverse mechanisms of action. While all three agents are able to enhance extrapyramidal serotonergic activity (Schmidt et al. 1987). only METH has been characterized as a substantial stimulant of the DA system. The effects of MDA and MDMA on extrapyramidal DA systems have not been well elucidated. Thus, evaluating and comparing the responses of the SP, NT, and Dyn extrapyramidal systems to these dmgs will help to determine the nature of the DA responses to METH, MDA, and MDMA administrations. 

ANSWER Yes, 6-hydroxydopamine by itself elevates neurotensin levels. When you combine it with methamphetamine, you do not get any additivity. It is just a 6-hydroxydopamine action. It is a bit complicated to interpret, but it appears that it is still the nigral striatal dopamine pathway that is mediating the methamphetamine effect. 

Higashi, H., Inanaga, K., Nishi, S., Uchimura, N. Enhancement of dopamine actions on rat nucleus accumbens neurones in vitro after methamphetamine pre-treatment. J. Physiol. 408 587, 1989. 

Nguyen, E.C., McCracken, K.A., Liu, Y., Pouw, B., Matsumoto, R.R. Involvement of sigma (sigma) receptors in the acute actions of methamphetamine receptor binding and behavioral studies. Neuropharmacology. 3 00, 2005. 

Crack Cocaine Street Names Freebase. Mexican speedballs (crack w/ methamphetamine), roosten tornado (ovct 40 street slang terms) Use Crack is cocaine that comes in a rock crystal that can be heated and its vapors smoked. The tOTn crack ref s to the crackling sound heard when it is heated Actions CNS stimulant induces euphoria. Highly addictive Effects Acute CV or cerebrovascular emergencies (heart attack or stroke), could result in sudden death. Cocaine-related deaths are often a result of cardiac arrest or seizure followed by resp arrest (see also Cocaine)... 

Each neuron has specific synthetic machinery that enables it to both synthesize and eliminate a specific neurotransmitter. For example, neurons of the sympathetic nervous system employ norepinephrine and epinephrine as their transmitters. Other neurons, particularly in the central nervous system, employ dopamine as their transmitter. Dopamine is a particularly important transmitter for a variety of neuronal functions. Its loss is associated with Parkinson disease, and it is a critical agent in the mediation of pleasure and reward processes. Dopamine, due to its association with pleasurable sensations, is widely implicated in the actions of a number of drugs of abuse, including cocaine, opiates, and methamphetamines. 

The best-known products come from the amphetamine group (see Table 1.12) Dexedrine1 1 (generic name d-amphetamine) and Pervitin 1 (methamphetamine) were particularly used in the 1950s and 1960s as stimulants and also as appetite suppressants, but today play hardly any role in medical practice. Ritalin (methylphenidate) has some relevance its psychostimulant action is said to be weaker than that of amphetamines and it is apparent ) less abused than the latter. Because methylphenidate also possesses mild antidepressant activity, in some countries it is used to combat not only narcolepsy and ADHD but also mild depressions without suicide risk (Satel and Nelson, 1989). 

EXTENSIONS AND COMMENTARY This is one of several candidates for clinical use as a substitute for MDMA, but there will ha ve to be a much broader study of its qualitative action in man. It is clearly not psychedelic at these modest levels, and in in vitro animal studies it was apparently inactive as a serotonin releaser. The warped logic for looking at phentermine analogs was discussed in the comments that concerned MDPH. The initials used here have been chosen with care. MDM should not be used as it has found some currency as an abbreviation for MDMA (Methylene-Dioxy-Methamphetamine). MDMP fits neatly with Methylene-Dioxy-Me-Phentermine. 

Desmethylselegiline is also an irreversible inhibitor of monoamine oxidase B in humans. There is evidence that the 1-stereoisomers of 1-amphetamine and 1-methamphetamine may have some qualitatively different actions from their d-isomer counterparts, which might result in beneficial clinical effects and could complement any beneficial clinical actions of selegiline itself. Food has no effect on the pharmacokinetics of desmethylselegiline, methamphetamine, and amphetamine. At a dose of 10 mg per day, selegiline is devoid of the cheese effect that is, it does not cause hypertension when taken with tyramine-containing foods such as cheese. 

The central nervous system actions that result from taking even small amounts of methamphetamine, on the other hand, include extreme alertness, increased energy, decreased appetite, increased respiration, hyperthermia, and euphoria—generally the effects sought by users. But over time, side effects such as irritability, insomnia, confusion, tremors, convulsions, anxiety, paranoia, and aggressiveness begin to intrude. These symptoms are magnified by lack of sleep. Withdrawal often produces severe depression. 

Methamphetamines indirectly cause side effects to many other areas of the body through their actions on the CNS. Concerning the heart, methamphetamine use can cause an increased and/or irregular heart rate heart pains that a user may believe is a heart attack (and may actually be a heart attack) skipped heart beats, or palpitations high or low blood pressure and the bursting of blood vessels in the heart called an arterial aneurysm. 

Through its action on the dopamine and serotonin neurons in the brain, methamphetamine can cause paranoia, hallucinations, and severe mood disturbances. Methampethamine can also cause stroke through an increase in blood pressure, along with seizures. Other commonly seen side effects include irregular heart rate, damage to small blood vessels in the brain and eyes, and hyperthermia, which is an unregulated increase in the body s temperature. 

Neuronal action potentials (APs), when they arrive to the nerve terminal, stimulate the fusion of the synaptic vesicles with the cellular membrane, and NE is released into the synaptic space. Certain compounds, such as methamphetamines or bupropion, increase NE release via an AP-independent release mechanism (Dong and Blier 2001 Piacentini et al., 2003). 

Methamphetamine at low doses has prominent CNS stimulant effects without significant peripheral actions. Large doses produce a sustained rise in systolic and... 

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