The Complications of 'Ecstasy' (MDMA)
JAMA March 18, 1988 DOI: 10.1001/jama.1988.03720110019021 (opens in new tab)
Study at a glance
AI-extracted from the abstract| Characteristics | Case report Peer reviewed |
|---|---|
| Sample size | 1 |
| Population | A single human subject |
| Interventions | 3 4-methylenedioxymethamphetamine (MDMA) |
| Dose | 100 to 150 mg |
| Topics | MDMA |
| Keywords | Drug Anesthesia Pharmacology |
| Citations | 91 |
| Key findings | A 100 to 150 mg dose of MDMA produced nearly fatal toxicity with blood levels of 6500 and 7000 ng/mL, whereas similar doses previously used by psychiatrists had not been reported to cause toxic effects. |
Abstract
To the Editor. —Drs Brown and Osterloh,1in a recent letter inTHE JOURNAL, reported a nearly fatal toxic reaction to 3,4-methylenedioxymethamphetamine (MDMA). The estimated dose of MDMA administered was 100 to 150 mg and the blood levels, measured at one and two hours after hospital admission, were 6500 and 7000 ng/mL, respectively. Before MDMA became a Schedule 1 drug on July 1, 1985,2it was used in doses of 100 to 150 mg by some psychiatrists who claimed that it was effective as a psychotropic catalyst and a sensory disinhibitor; at these doses, no toxic effects were reported. (The experiment was performed on March 12, 1985, before the scheduling of MDMA and was carried out by one of us [J.A.] in partial requirement for the degree of Doctor of Physiology.) At that time, we carried out a controlled study of MDMA metabolism and disposition in a single