Ecstasy

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Ecstasy

• By Dave Cass

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Names

• Chemical Name
• 3, 4-methylenedioxymethamphetamine
• MDMA
• Street Names
• Ecstasy
• XTC
• Adam XTC
• E
• Love Doves

3
History

• Called the modern Designer Drug
• First synthesised in 1914 by Merck Chemical Co.
• Appetite suspressant, never licensed.
• Reappeared in1970s in animal testing of
  hallucinogenic drugs
• Used in psychotherapy with humans.
• Biochemist Alex Shulgrin and Pihkal
• Became popular among illicit drugs
• in 1980s
• - Rave modern music dance scene
• First reported deaths and action against
• ecstasy in 1990s

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Chemical Structure

• Chemical structure similar to methamphetamines
  and amphetamines
• Two isomers R (-) and S ()
• Many other structurally similar drugs synthesized

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Laboratory Detection

• Immunoassay Methods
• Urine Test
• Detects methamphetamines and amphetamines
• Gas Chromatography
• Detects Ecstasy in low levels in any specimen

• Evidential testing by police
• and customs officers
• Field Labratories
• Testing at Raves for purity in
• Netherlands and Australia

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Ecstasy Abuse

• Suggested 2 million doses per week in UK
• Imported from Holland and Belgium
• Costs anywhere from 10-50 a tablet
• Less than 100 deaths in UK in 1990s
• No deaths related to adultered forms of the drug,
  only the amount of MDMA consumed

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Pharmacological Effects

• Effects still poorly understood, no clinical
  trials performed
• Acts as both a stimulant and hallucinogen
• Users report positives
• Increased energy, loss of appetite, lack of
  aggression, empathy, increased sexual enjoyment
• Best enjoyed while listening to loud rhythmic
  music
• Negative effects reported
• inability to urinate, dry mouth, headache,
  bruxism, poor concentration, sweating, muscle
  aches, clenching, and spasms.

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Pharmacological Action

• Effects release of neurotransmitters in brain
• Seratonin
• Dopamine
• Complex Cardiovascular and Neuroendocrine effects
• Increased blood pressure, heart rate, pupil
  diameter, and body temperature

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Metabolism and Excretion

• Metabolic Pathway
• MDMA ? demethylated ? MDA ? converted to methoxy
  compounds (-OCH3) ? conjugation to form sulphate
  and glucuronide ? excreted through urine.
• Drug is water soluble and fully absorbed into
  blood in 2-3 hours. Halflife ranges from 3-10
  hours.

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Acute Toxicity

• Causes of Death
• Heat Stroke, Cerebral Oedema, Heart Rhythm
  Disturbance, Stroke, Fulminant Liver Failure

Chronic Toxicity

• Neuropsychiatric problems
• suicide, depression, anxiety, hostility,
  psychosis, confusional states, memory
  disturbances
• Damage to seratonergic neural structures
• Post-mortem levels of seratonin in one user was
  decreased by 80 percent.

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The End