Psychotic Drugs Ecstasy, Etc

Amphetamine, methamphetamine, MDA (3,4-methylenedioxyamphetamine), and MDMA (3,4-methylenedioxy methamphetamine) are examples that have similar structures to catecholamines, as shown in Fig. 17.10. The strnctnral similarity snggests that they may interfere with catecholamines pathways. Amphetamine is known to bind to and block the re-nptake mechanism (i.e., reabsorb the nenrorans-mitter such as dopamine back into the presynaptic cell) and increase the level of the nenrotransmitter in the synapse. Methamphetamine seems to have a similar effect bnt even stronger than that of amphetamine. 

Let ns take a look at the structure of pseudoephedrine, shown also in Fig. 17.10, and then compare it to methamphetamine. You see only a small difference between them. Pseudoephedrine is the major ingredient of across-counter nasal decongestant drugs. Some people discovered that pseudoephedrine can be converted to methamphetamine. As you see from the structures in the figure, all you need to do is, 

known as ecstasy among partygoers, has been found to bind to a serotonin re-uptake mechanism and block it. See Fig. 17.2 for the structure of serotonin. Hence it allows serotonin to remain in the synapse longer than required. If you compare carefully MDMA with serotonin, you will not find much structural similarity between them. This implies that the overall structural similarity may not be a sole factor in determining whether a compound is bound with a physiological receptor site. 

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