4-Methylmethamphetamine
4-Methylmethamphetamine, also known as mephedrine, is a putative stimulant and entactogen drug of the amphetamine family. It acts as a serotonin–norepinephrine–dopamine releasing agent. The drug is the β-deketo analogue of mephedrone and the N-methyl analogue of 4-methylamphetamine.
Pharmacology
Pharmacodynamics
4-MMA acts as a potent and well-balanced serotonin–norepinephrine–dopamine releasing agent. It induces hyperlocomotion and stereotypy as well as hyperthermia in mice, similarly to methcathinone.
In contrast to methamphetamine and methcathinone, 4-MMA appears to produce minimal dopaminergic neurotoxicity in mice. Conversely, mephedrone shows no dopaminergic neurotoxicity at all in mice. It was theorized that 4-methyl and β-keto substitutions on amphetamines may result in loss of activity at the vesicular monoamine transporter 2, loss of elevations of cytosolic dopamine concentrations, and consequent loss of dopaminergic neurotoxic potential. Accordingly, the dopaminergic neurotoxicity of 4-MMA was greatly enhanced by the dopamine precursor levodopa, the monoamine oxidase inhibitor pargyline, and methamphetamine, all of which are known to increase the cytosolic pool of dopamine. However, in contrast to 4-MMA, the dopaminergic neurotoxicity of methcathinone was enhanced only by levodopa and of mephedrone was enhanced only by methamphetamine.