• Neuroscience & Pharmacology Discussion Welcome Guest
    Posting Rules Bluelight Rules
    Recent Journal Articles Chemistry Mega-Thread
    FREE Chemistry Databases! Self-Education Guide

  • N&PD Moderators: Skorpio

Historical Question: MDMA and SSRIs?

H

hamhurricane

Bluelighter
Joined
Feb 12, 2007
Messages
1,032
Location
Riding A White Swan
I have heard it suggested a number of times that SSRIs were somehow modeled or "reverse engineered" on the effects of MDMA. I'm looking over the literature and MDMA was first tested by Shulgin and co. around 1968, whereas the first SSRI Zimelidine was patented in 1974 - so chronologically its not out of the question (although I'm aware that TCAs and MAOIs both effect the serotonin system and predate MDMA)

Does anyone know when the serotonergic nature of MDMA was first realized? and is it possibile that SSRIs were in any way modeled on the effects of MDMA?
 
No, it isn't possible. As I recall, the SSRIs were derived from diphenhydramine. Fluoxetine was derived from it (though looking at the two, you wouldn't think so). Zimelidine may have been the first to market, but the first studied was fluoxetine, I think.

This was before MDMA though.
 
The first SSRI's were synthed from dramamine. Dipenhydramine was found to have SRI effects in vivo I believe....

edit: should read thread before posting....:)
 
I have the paper of D. Wong describing the discovery of fluoxetine in particular, but other NRIs also. Clearly they are all from a compound related to dramamine although it is not actually benzhydryl. It is called LY86032 and it is a secondary amine.

People should also know that it was various antipsychotic compounds already on the market that led to the discovery of imipramine in the 1950's as an "antidepressant" drug. Then it was probably clomipramine that led to the desire to make SSRIs. That was the first drug that was predominantly a serotonergic reuptake inhibitor, even though it is obviously a TCA.

Clearly all the amphetamine based monoaminergic compounds were around before the advent of the man-made reuptake inhibitors, MAOIs, etc.

With regard to your question though, I am not convinced to what extent it is correct to call the phenomena "reverse engineering"
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Top