A straightforward one-pot electrochemical synthesis of bis-catechol-thioether metabolites of MDMA (ecstasy), 2,5-bis(glutathion-S-yl)-N-methyl-α-methyldopamine and 2,5-bis(N-acetylcystein-S-yl)-N-methyl-α-methyldopamine, in acceptable yields and high degree of purity (99%), is described under environmentally friendly conditions. The undeniable benefits of this method, which uses...
The purpose of the present study was to determine if trihydroxymethamphetamine (THMA), a metabolite of methylenedioxymethamphetamine (MDMA, "ecstasy"), or its thioether conjugate, 6-(N-acetylcystein-S-yl)-2,4,5-trihydroxymethamphetamine (6-NAC-THMA), play a role in the lasting effects of MDMA on brain serotonin (5-HT) neurons. To this end, novel high-yield syntheses of THMA and 6-NAC-THMA were...
The mechanism by which the recreational drug (+/-)-3,4-methylenedioxymethamphetamine (MDMA) destroys brain serotonin (5-HT) axon terminals is not understood. Recent studies have implicated MDMA metabolites, but their precise role remains unclear. To further evaluate the relative importance of metabolites versus the parent compound in neurotoxicity, we explored the relationship between...