Behavioral and developmental effects of two 3,4-methylenedioxymethamphetamine (MDMA) derivatives.
Drug and Alcohol Dependence December 1, 1994 DOI: 10.1016/0376-8716(94)90141-4 (opens in new tab)
Study at a glance
AI-extracted from the abstract| Characteristics | Animal experimental study Peer reviewed |
|---|---|
| Population | MDMA-trained rats and chicken embryos |
| Interventions | MDMA MDM1EA HMDMA |
| Dose | 30-60 mg/kg HMDMA |
| Topics | MDMA |
| Key findings | The highest doses of MDM1EA and HMDMA partially substituted for MDMA in drug discrimination, and 30-60 mg/kg HMDMA evoked clonic seizures in rats. In chicken embryos, MDMA had no effect on body, brain, or liver weight, whereas the highest MDM1EA dose decreased body weight, the two lowest HMDMA doses increased body weight, and all HMDMA doses decreased relative liver weight. The authors suggest the related compounds share some stimulus properties with MDMA and may share abuse liability, and that both produced adverse developmental effects while MDMA did not. |
Abstract
The effects of 3,4-methylenedioxymethamphetamine (MDMA or 'ecstacy') and two structurally related compounds, N-methyl-1-(3,4-methylenedioxyphenyl)-1-ethanamine (MDM1EA) and N-methyl-1-(3,4-methylenedioxyphenyl)-3-butanamine (HMDMA) were examined in two preparations: (i) a drug discrimination procedure in MDMA-trained rats and (ii) the chicken embryo, for determination of the direct effects of these compounds on the developing organism. The highest doses of MDM1EA and HMDMA partially substituted for MDMA, whereas higher (30-60 mg/kg) doses of HMDMA evoked clonic seizures in a separate group of rats. In chicken embryos MDMA had no effect on body, brain or liver weight, while the highest dose of MDM1EA decreased body weight and the 2 lowest doses of HMDMA increased body weight. All doses of HMDMA decreased liver weight (expressed as % body weight) when compared with contemporaneous water-treated controls. Taken together, the results of these experiments suggest that structurally related compounds share some stimulus properties with MDMA and may therefore share abuse liability. Furthermore, both MDMA-related compounds produced adverse effects on the developing organism, whereas MDMA did not.
Comparable studies
Other preclinical and animal studies on MDMA, most cited first.
Citations in the library
Cited by 3
- Neurobehavioral outcomes of infants exposed to MDMA (Ecstasy) and other recreational drugs during pregnancy Neurotoxicology and Teratology March 5, 2012
- A developmental comparison of the neurobehavioral effects of ecstasy (MDMA) Neurotoxicology and Teratology October 21, 2006
- Developmental effects of 3,4-methylenedioxymethamphetamine: a review. Behavioural Pharmacology March 2008
Cites 3
- Studies of MDMA-Induced Neurotoxicity in Nonhuman Primates: A Basis for Evaluating Long-Term Effects in Humans PsycEXTRA Dataset 1989
- Toxicity and deaths from 3,4-methylenedioxymethamphetamine ("ecstasy"). The Lancet August 15, 1992
- Stimulus effects of N-monoethyl-1-(3,4-methylenedioxyphenyl)-2-aminopropane (MDE) and N-hydroxy-1-(3,4-methylenedioxyphenyl)-2-aminopropane (N-OH MDA) in rats trained to discriminate MDMA from saline. Pharmacology, Biochemistry, and Behavior August 1989