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Chemical and physical data | |
Formula | C16H19N |
Molar mass | 225.335 g·mol−1 |
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Ephenidine (also known as NEDPA and EPE) is a dissociative anesthetic that has been sold online as a designer drug. [1] [2] It is illegal in some countries as a structural isomer of the banned opioid drug lefetamine, but has been sold in countries where it is not yet banned. [3] [4]
Ephenidine and related diarylethylamines have been studied in vitro as treatments for neurotoxic injuries, and are antagonists of the NMDA receptor (Ki = 66.4 nM for ephenidine). [5] [6] [7] [8] [9] Ephenidine also possesses weaker affinity for dopamine and norepinephrine transporters (379 nM and 841 nM, respectively) as well as σ1R (629 nM) and σ2R (722 nM) binding sites. [10]
Ephenidine's metabolic pathway consists of N-oxidation, N-dealkylation, mono- and bis-hydroxylation of the benzyl ring, and hydroxylation of the phenyl ring only after N-dealkylation. The dihydroxy metabolites were conjugated by methylation of one hydroxy group, and hydroxy metabolites by glucuronidation or sulfation. [3] [11]
Ephenidine reacts with reagent testing kits to give a semi-unique array of colors which can be used to aid its identification.
Reagent | Reaction color |
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Marquis | Orange > Brown |
Mandelin | Green |
Liebermann | Deep red > Brown (fast) |
Froehde | Light Yellow |
Sweden's public health agency suggested that ephenidine be classified as a hazardous substance on 1 June, 2015. Due to that suggestion, ephenidine became a scheduled substance, in Sweden, as of 18 August, 2015. [13]
In 2016, Canada added MT-45 and "its salts, derivatives, isomers and analogues" to the Schedule I controlled substance list, and explicitly included ephenidine. [14] Possession without legal authority can result in maximum 7 years imprisonment.