MDMA (ecstasy) can cause dangerously high body temperature (hyperthermia). New evidence suggests that alpha1 and beta3-adrenergic receptors play a role in this effect. The drug carvedilol, which blocks these receptors, may be a promising candidate for treating psychostimulant-induced hyperthermia and its complications, such as rhabdomyolysis. Further research into such therapies is warranted.
In male rats, the drug MDMA (Ecstasy) caused a rapid and large increase in body temperature, which was significantly reduced by blocking two types of receptors: α₁-adrenoreceptors and β₃-adrenoreceptors. MDMA also raised levels of creatine kinase (a marker of muscle breakdown, peaking at 4 hours) and increased blood urea nitrogen and serum creatinine (markers of kidney function) at 4 hours. These effects were prevented by giving a combination of the α₁ antagonist prazosin and the β₃ antagonist SR59230A. The findings indicate that both receptor types are critically involved in MDMA-induced hyperthermia and the resulting muscle damage.
Hyperthermia from the drug MDMA can be life-threatening. The gut microbiome's production of bile acids appears to play a key role. In rats, MDMA caused a significant rise in body temperature and reduced serum concentrations of three bile acids (cholic acid, chenodeoxycholic acid, and deoxycholic acid) 60 minutes after treatment. Pretreatment with antibiotics depleted bile acids and reversed the hyperthermia to hypothermia. Antibiotic-treated rats also showed distinct gut bacterial communities with reduced diversity and fewer bacterial genes related to bile acid metabolism. The findings suggest that gut bacterial bile acids might be essential for MDMA-induced hyperthermia.
MDMA (Ecstasy, Molly, or X) can cause life-threatening hyperthermia. In rats, removing the adrenal glands reduced the temperature increase after MDMA, and giving norepinephrine or corticosterone partially restored it. MDMA also changed the gut microbiome, altering the balance of bacterial groups like Firmicutes, Bacteroidetes, Actinobacteria, Verrucomicrobia, and Proteobacteria. These results indicate a link between the adrenal system, gut bacteria, and MDMA-induced hyperthermia.