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Comparisons between Mephedrone and Methampetamine

Public//Enemy

Public//Enemy

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Sep 14, 2005
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Anyone can give me some information on the structural similarities and the effects when its injested into the body and how it breaks down.

if anyone can help :)
 
Well, both are fruits. ;)

However, it is my understanding that substituted phenethylamines that lack substitution at the beta-methyl (eg, meth-amp) do not metabolize into the ephedrine derivatives that give substances like mephedrone unique toxicity.

ebola
 
If you have bought 'Mephedrone' then you should know the structual differences?

Starting point: p-ephedrine - Instead of reducing the beta-hyrdoxy group, it is instead oxidised to methcathinone.

At the 4 position on the Benzene ring is attached a methyl group (CH3).

4-Methylmethcathinone.

Methamphetamine does not have the 4-Methyl addition on the benzene ring but retains its simple skeleton on the attached hydrocarbon chain.
 
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Subjectively, 'Mephedrone' or 4-MMC is much softer than its cousin Methamphetamine.
 
Meth is neurotoxic (rather long term), and permits extreme abuse, because it's a very strong CNS stimulant, with a high ceiling and a more favorable ratio of PNS:CNS than a lot of other stimulants.

4MMC is probably more fun (i wouln't touch either of them), because it has empathogen effects as well (strong serotonin release, as is typical of para-substituted amphetamines and cathinones). It is shorter in duration. It is probably nowhere near as functional (in terms of "hey i could use this to get some chores done").
It is also way the fuck more toxic physically, even on a short term. People who go on 1+ gram binges (and sometimes only taking smaller doses) report their knees turning blue due to vasoconstriction and breaking out in a rash. It is believed that this results from the 4-methyl-ephedrine, which is the main metabolite, and has a biological halflife 2-3 times longer than meph itself - it's a strong PNS stimulant and vasoconstrictor, but (being an ephedrine) has little desirable CNS effect.
Doses are also around an order of magnitude higher by weight vs meth (not that this means much).
It is also probably neurotoxic al la MDMA (anything that releases DA and 5HT will be, though DARIs (many cathinones are DARIs) are somewhat protective in this regard)
 
By 'softer' I mean, subjectively much less of a physical push than methamphetamine.

Quote: -
" Doses are also around an order of magnitude higher by weight vs meth (not that this means much). "

I'd tend to agree on that to a certain extent from personal experience. But the compounds are still quite subjectively different. Although I have not experienced refined methamphetamine HCl in some years.
 
Mike E said:
Interesting.... In what respect?
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Mephedrone has fucked up my heart, this is from abuse mind you. Methamphetamine, though I haven't used, I wouldn't expect to have brought me from perfectly healthy to slightly fearful of permanent heart damage in 10 months of 1-2 times a week use. Given it up for New Year's and I know I'm sticking to it as IMO I have no other option medically/physically. Mentally I could go on for a lot longer, but physically I feel right and properly damaged from it.
 
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Well, I've only ever had a single oral dose of mephedrone of 200 mg, w/ a redose of 50 mg, and I found the jitteriness and increase in heart-rate and blood pressure alarming and distracting.

I have never felt that level of physical push from methamphetamine.

ebola
 
By 'softer' I mean, subjectively much less of a physical push than methamphetamine.
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Oh. I found the exact opposite.
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I've also found the exact opposite to be true, albeit with only a few experiences with low-moderate doses of mephedrone, and generally low, therapeutic-range dosages of methamphetamine, which in many ways are not really comparable in effects to the popular recreational/tweaker methamphetamine dosages.

At 5-10mg, it's a rather clean psychostimulant compared to dextroamphetamine -- not surprising, since even after adjusting for meth's greater potency, meth is more central and has a weaker comparative affinity for nor/adrenergic release. Too bad there's still the worry of serotonin-release neurotoxicity.

Yep, still crossing fingers for the widespread appearance of fencamfamine.
 
Rock and Roll! said:
Pharmacologically:

Methamphetamine is a potent, selective, and almost equipotent norepinephrine and dopamine releasing agent. Mephedrone on the other hand is a combined and about equipotent serotonin, norepinephrine, and dopamine reuptake inhibitor/releasing agent, being approximately half as effective as a releaser relative to reuptake inhibitor compared to non-beta-keto- amphetamines (this is the trend with pretty much all of the cathinones). This results in the cathinones being more reuptake inhibitor-like and therefore crappier in comparison to other amphetamines (compare SSRIs vs MDMA and methylphenidate vs methamphetamine as examples), but also with reduced neurotoxic potential.
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You should note that this is all speculative (albeit with some merit to such speculation). Given that bk-mdma and even bk-ma tend to act overwhelmingly as releasers, not reupuptake inhibitors, we'd need receptor affinity data on bk-4m-ma to be sure. It could be due to direct adrenergic agonism and/or metabolism into ephedrine that bk-ma is shittier than the parent compound, for example. Of course, no one can argue with another's subjective experiences, so your description thereof must stand. :)

ebola
 
ebola? said:
You should note that this is all speculative (albeit with some merit to such speculation). Given that bk-mdma and even bk-ma tend to act overwhelmingly as releasers, not reupuptake inhibitors, we'd need receptor affinity data on bk-4m-ma to be sure. It could be due to direct adrenergic agonism and/or metabolism into ephedrine that bk-ma is shittier than the parent compound, for example. Of course, no one can argue with another's subjective experiences, so your description thereof must stand. :)

ebola
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good point- though people seem to either tolerate one type or the other- for examply releasers leave ME with a worse comedown, cause more paranoia and psychosis like behaviour, but then again if you just take more of one type or the other its difficult to gage.

for me personally reuptake inhibitors-cocaine, methylphenidate feel far more benign that releasers- amphetamine, mdma, 4fmp, BK-mdma, which in turn feel too rough with long comedowns lasting days/weeks (from one dose of amphetamine).

the recovery for me from reuptake inhibitors is about a tenth of the time than the releasers and is much lighter during the short time period it takes
 
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