Methoxetamine--a novel recreational drug with potent hallucinogenic properties.

Methoxetamine is a novel psychoactive substance structurally similar to ketamine but with longer duration and greater intensity. Marketed as a legal and bladder-friendly alternative to ketamine, it carries significant health risks and can cause fatal intoxication. This review surveys current knowledge on its metabolism, pharmacology, prevalence, patterns of use, and detection methods. The authors conclude that more research is needed to fully understand its short- and long-term effects and interactions with other drugs.

Study at a glance

Abstract

Methoxetamine is one of the constantly growing group of novel psychoactive substances that has emerged in recent years. The compound belongs to the arylcyclohexylamine class, which is used for its recreational and psychedelic effects. Methoxetamine is a structural analogue of ketamine, with a much longer duration of action and intensity of effects, and has been extensively advertised as its 'legal' and 'bladder friendly' alternative. This review surveys the current state of knowledge regarding the metabolism, pharmacology, prevalence and pattern of methoxetamine use, and analytical methods of its detection. Consumption of methoxetamine bears a significant health risk and may even lead to fatal intoxication. A significant amount of research is still needed in order to fully quantify the short- and long-term effects of methoxetamine and its interaction with other drugs of abuse.