Archives of Toxicology
July 2018
R Feio-Azevedo, V M Costa, D J Barbosa et al.
3,4-Methylenedioxymethamphetamine (MDMA or "ecstasy") is a widespread drug of abuse with known neurotoxic properties. The present study aimed to evaluate the differential toxic effects of MDMA in adolescent and aged Wistar rats, using doses pharmacologically comparable to humans. Adolescent (post-natal day 40) (3 × 5 mg/kg, 2 h apart) and aged (mean 20 months old) (2 × 5 mg/kg, 2 h apart) rats...
Cardiovascular toxicology
October 2017
D A Fonseca, A F Guerra, F Carvalho et al.
3,4-Methylenedioxymethamphetamine (MDMA or "ecstasy") is a recreational drug used worldwide for its distinctive psychotropic effects. Although important cardiovascular effects, such as increased blood pressure and heart rate, have also been described, the vascular effects of MDMA and metabolites and their correlation with hyperthermia (major side effect of MDMA) are not yet fully understood and...
Neuroscience
September 26, 2014
T B Nogueira, Silvana Da Costa Araújo, F Carvalho et al.
Amphetamine-type psychostimulants (ATS) are used worldwide by millions of patients for several psychiatric disorders. Amphetamine (AMPH) and "ecstasy" (3,4-methylenedioxymethamphetamine or MDMA) are common drugs of abuse. The impact of chronic ATS exposure to neurons and brain aging is still undisclosed. Current neuronal culture paradigms are designed to access acute ATS toxicity. We report for...
Current Pharmaceutical Biotechnology
August 2010
Sylvia K Shenouda, F Carvalho, Kurt J Varner
The recreational use of 3, 4 methylenedioxymethamphetamine (ecstasy or MDMA) has increased dramatically over the past thirty years due to its ability to increase stamina and produce feelings of emotional closeness and wellbeing. In spite of the popular perception that MDMA is a safe drug, there is a large literature documenting that the drug can produce significant neurotoxicity, especially in...
Neuroscience
January 23, 2009
E Alves, Z Binienda, F Carvalho et al.
3,4-Methylenedioximethamphetamine (MDMA, ecstasy) is a worldwide abused stimulant drug, with persistent neurotoxic effects and high prevalence among adolescents. The massive release of 5-HT from pre-synaptic storage vesicles induced by MDMA followed by monoamine oxidase B (MAO-B) metabolism, significantly increases oxidative stress at the mitochondrial level. l-Carnitine and its ester,...
Neuroscience
March 3, 2008
A R Alvaro, J Martins, A C Costa et al.
Ecstasy (3,4-methylenedioxymethamphetamine; MDMA) has potent CNS stimulant effects. Besides the acute effects of MDMA, such as psychomotor activation, euphoria, decreased appetite, and hyperthermia, long-term damage of dopaminergic and serotonergic nerve terminals in multiple brain areas have also been reported. Although some studies have demonstrated that considerable amounts of MDMA reach the...
Neuroscience
June 8, 2007
J P Capela, Carla Macedo, P S Branco et al.
3,4-Methylenedioxymethamphetamine (MDMA or "ecstasy"), is a widely abused, psychoactive recreational drug that is known to induce neurotoxic effects. Human and rat hepatic metabolism of MDMA involves N-demethylation to 3,4-methylenedioxyamphetamine (MDA), which is also a drug of abuse. MDMA and MDA are O-demethylenated to N-methyl-alpha-methyldopamine (N-Me-alpha-MeDA) and alpha-methyldopamine...
Neuroscience
2006
J P Capela, Karsten Ruscher, M Lautenschlager et al.
Studies on 3,4-methylenedioxymethamphetamine ("ecstasy")-induced neurotoxicity mainly focus on damage of serotonergic terminals. Less attention has been given to neuronal cell death produced by 3,4-methylenedioxymethamphetamine and other amphetamines in areas including the cortex, striatum and thalamus. In the present study we investigated 3,4-methylenedioxymethamphetamine-induced neurotoxicity...