Clinical data | |
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Trade names | Vicks VapoInhaler, Everclear Inhaler, others |
Other names | Levomethamphetamine; Levodesoxyephedrine |
Routes of administration | Medical: Intranasal Recreational: By mouth, intravenous, insufflation, inhalation, suppository |
Drug class | Norepinephrine releasing agent |
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Pharmacokinetic data | |
Bioavailability | Oral: ~100% [2] [3] |
Metabolism | Liver (CYP2D6) [4] [5] |
Metabolites | Levoamphetamine [2] [6] [3] |
Elimination half-life | 10–15 hours [2] [6] [3] |
Excretion | Urine (41–49% unchanged, 2–3% as levoamphetamine) [2] [6] [3] |
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CompTox Dashboard (EPA) | |
ECHA InfoCard | 100.046.974 |
Chemical and physical data | |
Formula | C10H15N |
Molar mass | 149.237 g·mol−1 |
3D model (JSmol) | |
Chirality | Levorotatory enantiomer |
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Levmetamfetamine, also known as l-desoxyephedrine or levomethamphetamine, and commonly sold under the brand name Vicks VapoInhaler among others, is an optical isomer of methamphetamine primarily used as a topical nasal decongestant. [2] It is used to treat nasal congestion from allergies and the common cold. [7] It was first used medically as decongestant beginning in 1958 and has been used for such purposes, primarily in the United States, since then. [8]
Levmetamfetamine is used to treat nasal congestion related to the common cold and allergic rhinitis. It is available in the form of an inhaler containing 50 mg total per inhaler and delivering between 0.04 and 0.15 mg of the drug per inhalation. [2] Inhalers with a total of 113 mg levmetamfetamine were previously marketed in the United States, but the total amount was eventually reduced to 50 mg. [2]
When the nasal decongestant is taken in excess, levmetamfetamine has potential side effects. These would be similar to those of other decongestants.
Levmetamfetamine acts as a selective norepinephrine releasing agent. [9] [10] [11] [6] The potencies of levmetamfetamine, levoamphetamine, dextromethamphetamine, and dextroamphetamine in terms of norepinephrine release in vitro and in vivo in rats are all similar. [12] [13] [14] [15] [10]
Conversely, whereas dextromethamphetamine and dextroamphetamine are relatively balanced releasers of dopamine and norepinephrine in vitro, levmetamfetamine is about 15- to 20-fold less potent in inducing dopamine release relative to norepinephrine release. [10] [11] [6] [9] [14] Moreover, whereas levoamphetamine is about 3- to 5-fold less potent in terms of dopamine release than dextroamphetamine in vivo, levmetamfetamine is dramatically less potent than dextromethamphetamine and substantially less potent than levoamphetamine in this regard. [13] [12] [15]
Compound | 5-HT | NE | DA | Type | Class | Ref |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Amphetamine | ND | ND | ND | NDRA | Amphetamine | ND |
D-Amphetamine | 698–1765 | 6.6–7.2 | 5.8–24.8 | NDRA | Amphetamine | [9] [17] |
L-Amphetamine | ND | ND | ND | NRA | Amphetamine | ND |
Ephedrine | ND | ND | ND | NDRA | Cathinol | ND |
D-Ephedrine | >10000 | 43.1–72.4 | 236–1350 | NDRA | Cathinol | [9] |
L-Ephedrine | >10000 | 218 | 2104 | NRA | Cathinol | [9] [18] |
Methamphetamine | ND | ND | ND | NDRA | Amphetamine | ND |
D-Methamphetamine | 736–1291.7 | 12.3–13.8 | 8.5–24.5 | NDRA | Amphetamine | [9] [19] |
L-Methamphetamine | 4640 | 28.5 | 416 | NRA | Amphetamine | [9] |
Pseudoephedrine | ND | ND | ND | NDRA | Cathinol | ND |
D-Pseudoephedrine | >10000 | 4092 | 9125 | NDRA | Cathinol | [18] |
L-Pseudoephedrine | >10000 | 224 | 1988 | NRA | Cathinol | [18] |
Note: The smaller the value, the more strongly the substance releases the neurotransmitter. | ||||||
In accordance with the findings of catecholamine release studies, levmetamfetamine is 2- to 10-fold or more less potent than dextromethamphetamine in terms of psychostimulant-like effects in rodents. [20] [21] [22] For comparison, levoamphetamine is only 1- to 4-fold less potent than dextroamphetamine in its stimulating and reinforcing effects in monkeys and humans. [12] [23]
The effects of levmetamfetamine are qualitatively distinct relative to those of racemic methamphetamine and dextromethamphetamine and it does not possess the same potential for euphoria or addiction that these drugs possesses. [2] [22] [24] [6] [15] In clinical studies, levmetamfetamine at oral doses of 1 to 10 mg has been found not to affect subjective drug responses, heart rate, blood pressure, core temperature, electrocardiography, respiration rate, oxygen saturation, or other clinical parameters. [2] [3] As such, doses of levmetamfetamine of less than or equal to 10 mg have no significant physiological or subjective effects. [2] [3] However, higher doses of levmetamfetamine, for instance 0.25 to 0.5 mg/kg (mean doses of ~18–37 mg) intravenously, have been reported to produce significant pharmacological effects, including increased heart rate and blood pressure, increased respiration rate, and subjective effects like intoxication and drug liking. [2] [6] On the other hand, in contrast to dextromethamphetamine, levmetamfetamine also produces subjective "bad" or aversive drug effects. [11] [6] Among the physiological effects of levmetamfetamine is vasoconstriction, which makes it useful for nasal decongestion. [25]
For comparison to levmetamfetamine, 5 to 60 mg oral doses of the related drug levoamphetamine have been used clinically and have been reported to produce significant pharmacological effects, for instance on wakefulness and mood. [26] [27] [28] [23] [note 1]
In addition to its norepinephrine-releasing activity, levmetamfetamine is also an agonist of the trace amine-associated receptor 1 (TAAR1). [29] [30] [31] Levmetamfetamine has also been found to act as a catecholaminergic activity enhancer (CAE), notably at much lower concentrations than its catecholamine releasing activity. [32] [33] [34] [35] [36] It is 1- to 10-fold less potent than selegiline but is 3- to 5-fold more potent than dextromethamphetamine in this action. [33] [34] [35] The CAE effects of such agents may be mediated by TAAR1 agonism. [37] [36]
The bioavailability of levmetamfetamine is approximately 100%. [2] [3] The peak levels of levmetamfetamine range from 3.3 to 31.4 ng/mL with single oral doses of 1 to 10 mg and from 65.4 to 125.9 ng/mL with single intravenous doses of 0.25 to 0.5 mg/kg. [2] [6] [38] The area-under-the-curve (AUC) levels of levmetamfetamine range from 73.0 to 694.7 ng⋅h/mL with single oral doses of 1 to 10 mg and from 1,190.7 to 2,368.1 mg/kg with single intravenous doses of 0.25 to 0.5 mg/kg. [2] [6] [38]
The volume of distribution of levmetamfetamine is 288.5 to 315.5 L or 4.15 to 4.17 L/kg. [2] [6] [3]
The pharmacokinetics of levmetamfetamine generated as a metabolite from selegiline have been found to be significantly different in CYP2D6 poor metabolizers versus extensive metabolizers. [4] [5] Area-under-the-curve (AUC) levels of levmetamfetamine were 46% higher and its elimination half-life was 33% longer in CYP2D6 poor metabolizers compared to extensive metabolizers. [4] [5] These findings suggest that CYP2D6 may be significantly involved in the metabolism of levmetamfetamine. [4] [5]
Levmetamfetamine is metabolized into levoamphetamine in small amounts. [2] [6] [3]
Levmetamfetamine is excreted in urine 40.8 to 49.0% as unchanged levmetamfetamine and 2.1 to 3.3% as levoamphetamine. [2] [6] [3]
The mean elimination half-life of levmetamfetamine ranges between 10.2 and 15.0 hours. [2] [6] For comparison, the elimination half-life of dextromethamphetamine was around 10.2 to 10.7 hours in the same studies. [2] [6] The clearance of levmetamfetamine is 15.5 to 19.1 L/h or 0.221 L/h⋅kg. [2] [6] [3]
With selegiline at an oral dose of 10 mg, levmetamfetamine and levoamphetamine are eliminated in urine and recovery of levmetamfetamine is 20 to 60% (or about 2–6 mg) while that of levoamphetamine is 9 to 30% (or about 1–3 mg). [39]
Levmetamfetamine, also known as L-α,N-dimethyl-β-phenylethylamine or as L-N-methylamphetamine, is a substituted phenethylamine and amphetamine. [2] [40] It is the levorotatory enantiomer of methamphetamine. [2] Racemic methamphetamine contains two optical isomers in equal amounts, dextromethamphetamine (the dextrorotatory enantiomer) and levmetamfetamine. [2]
Levmetamfetamine can register on urine drug tests as either methamphetamine, amphetamine, or both, depending on the subject's metabolism and dosage. Levmetamfetamine metabolizes completely into levoamphetamine after a period of time. [41]
Methamphetamine, a racemic mixture of dextromethamphetamine and levmetamfetamine, was first discovered and synthesized in 1919. [42] [43] Methamphetamine was first introduced for medical use in 1938 in oral form under the brand name Pervitin in Germany. [42] [43] Over-the-counter nasal decongestant inhalers containing enantiopure levmetamfetamine, originally labeled with the chemical name l-desoxyephedrine, were first introduced in 1958 under the brand name Vicks Inhaler. [8] [44] [45] By 1995, the brand name was changed to Vicks Vapor Inhaler. [46] [47] In 1998, the United States Food and Drug Administration (FDA) required that the chemical name on the labeling be changed from l-desoxyephedrine to levmetamfetamine. [48]
As of 2006, there were no studies demonstrating "drug liking" scores of oral levmetamfetamine that are similar to racemic methamphetamine or dextromethamphetamine in either recreational users or medicinal users. [6] In any case, misuse of levmetamfetamine at high doses has been reported. [49] [50] [51] [52]
In recent years, tighter controls in Mexico on certain methamphetamine precursors like ephedrine and pseudoephedrine has led to a greater percentage of illicit methamphetamine from Mexican drug cartels consisting of a higher ratio of levmetamfetamine to dextromethamphetamine within batches of racemic methamphetamine. [53]
The manufacturing of levmetamfetamine products for therapeutic use is done according to government regulations and pharmacopeia monographs. The most recent change in Food and Drug Administration regulations for levmetamfetamine inhalers was in 1994, with the adoption of a final monograph. [54]
Amphetamine is a central nervous system (CNS) stimulant that is used in the treatment of attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), narcolepsy, and obesity. Amphetamine was discovered as a chemical in 1887 by Lazăr Edeleanu, and then as a drug in the late 1920s. It exists as two enantiomers: levoamphetamine and dextroamphetamine. Amphetamine properly refers to a specific chemical, the racemic free base, which is equal parts of the two enantiomers in their pure amine forms. The term is frequently used informally to refer to any combination of the enantiomers, or to either of them alone. Historically, it has been used to treat nasal congestion and depression. Amphetamine is also used as an athletic performance enhancer and cognitive enhancer, and recreationally as an aphrodisiac and euphoriant. It is a prescription drug in many countries, and unauthorized possession and distribution of amphetamine are often tightly controlled due to the significant health risks associated with recreational use.
Stimulants are a class of drugs that increase the activity of the brain. They are used for various purposes, such as enhancing alertness, attention, motivation, cognition, mood, and physical performance. Some of the most common stimulants are caffeine, nicotine, amphetamines, cocaine, methylphenidate, and modafinil.
Pseudoephedrine, sold under the brand name Sudafed among others, is a sympathomimetic medication which is used as a decongestant to treat nasal congestion. It has also been used off-label for certain other indications, like treatment of low blood pressure. At higher doses, it may produce various additional effects, including psychostimulant, appetite suppressant, and performance-enhancing effects. In relation to this, non-medical use of pseudoephedrine has been encountered. The medication is taken by mouth.
Ephedrine is a central nervous system (CNS) stimulant and sympathomimetic agent that is often used to prevent low blood pressure during anesthesia. It has also been used for asthma, narcolepsy, and obesity but is not the preferred treatment. It is of unclear benefit in nasal congestion. It can be taken by mouth or by injection into a muscle, vein, or just under the skin. Onset with intravenous use is fast, while injection into a muscle can take 20 minutes, and by mouth can take an hour for effect. When given by injection, it lasts about an hour, and when taken by mouth, it can last up to four hours.
Dextroamphetamine (INN:dexamfetamine) is a potent central nervous system (CNS) stimulant and enantiomer of amphetamine that is prescribed for the treatment of attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) and narcolepsy. It is also used as an athletic performance and cognitive enhancer, and recreationally as an aphrodisiac and euphoriant. Dextroamphetamine is generally regarded as the prototypical stimulant.
Phenylpropanolamine (PPA), sold under many brand names, is a sympathomimetic agent which is used as a decongestant and appetite suppressant. It was previously commonly used in prescription and over-the-counter cough and cold preparations. The medication is taken by mouth.
Adderall and Mydayis are trade names for a combination drug containing four salts of amphetamine. The mixture is composed of equal parts racemic amphetamine and dextroamphetamine, which produces a (3:1) ratio between dextroamphetamine and levoamphetamine, the two enantiomers of amphetamine. Both enantiomers are stimulants, but differ enough to give Adderall an effects profile distinct from those of racemic amphetamine or dextroamphetamine, which are marketed as Evekeo and Dexedrine/Zenzedi, respectively. Adderall is used in the treatment of attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) and narcolepsy. It is also used illicitly as an athletic performance enhancer, cognitive enhancer, appetite suppressant, and recreationally as a euphoriant. It is a central nervous system (CNS) stimulant of the phenethylamine class.
Selegiline, also known as L-deprenyl and sold under the brand names Eldepryl, Zelapar, and Emsam among others, is a medication which is used in the treatment of Parkinson's disease and major depressive disorder. It has also been studied for a variety of other indications, but has not been formally approved for any other use. The medication in the form licensed for depression has modest effectiveness for this condition that is similar to that of other antidepressants. Selegiline is provided as a swallowed tablet or capsule or an orally disintegrating tablet (ODT) for Parkinson's disease and as a patch applied to skin for depression.
Phenylephrine, sold under the brand names Neosynephrine and Sudafed PE among numerous others, is a medication used as a decongestant for uncomplicated nasal congestion, used to dilate the pupil, used to increase blood pressure, and used to relieve hemorrhoids. It can be taken by mouth, as a nasal spray, given by injection into a vein or muscle, applied to the skin, or as a rectal suppository.
4-Methylaminorex is a stimulant drug of the 2-amino-5-aryloxazoline class that was first synthesized in 1960 by McNeil Laboratories. It is also known by its street name "U4Euh" ("Euphoria"). It is banned in many countries as a stimulant.
Pargyline, sold under the brand name Eutonyl among others, is a monoamine oxidase inhibitor (MAOI) medication which has been used to treat hypertension but is no longer marketed. It has also been studied as an antidepressant, but was never licensed for use in the treatment of depression. The drug is taken by mouth.
Lisdexamfetamine, sold under the brand names Vyvanse and Elvanse among others, is a stimulant medication that is used to treat attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) in children and adults and for moderate-to-severe binge eating disorder in adults. Lisdexamfetamine is taken by mouth. Its effects generally begin within two hours and last for up to 14 hours.
Methamphetamine is a potent central nervous system (CNS) stimulant that is mainly used as a recreational or performance-enhancing drug and less commonly as a second-line treatment for attention deficit hyperactivity disorder and obesity. It has also been researched as a potential treatment for traumatic brain injury. Methamphetamine was discovered in 1893 and exists as two enantiomers: levo-methamphetamine and dextro-methamphetamine. Methamphetamine properly refers to a specific chemical substance, the racemic free base, which is an equal mixture of levomethamphetamine and dextromethamphetamine in their pure amine forms, but the hydrochloride salt, commonly called crystal meth, is widely used. Methamphetamine is rarely prescribed over concerns involving its potential for recreational use as an aphrodisiac and euphoriant, among other concerns, as well as the availability of safer substitute drugs with comparable treatment efficacy such as Adderall and Vyvanse. Dextromethamphetamine is a stronger CNS stimulant than levomethamphetamine.
1-Phenyl-2-propylaminopentane is an experimental drug related to selegiline which acts as a catecholaminergic activity enhancer (CAE).
Levoamphetamine is a stimulant medication which is used in the treatment of certain medical conditions. It was previously marketed by itself under the brand name Cydril, but is now available only in combination with dextroamphetamine in varying ratios under brand names like Adderall and Evekeo. The drug is known to increase wakefulness and concentration in association with decreased appetite and fatigue. Pharmaceuticals that contain levoamphetamine are currently indicated and prescribed for the treatment of attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), obesity, and narcolepsy in some countries. Levoamphetamine is taken by mouth.
A monoamine releasing agent (MRA), or simply monoamine releaser, is a drug that induces the release of a monoamine neurotransmitter from the presynaptic neuron into the synapse, leading to an increase in the extracellular concentrations of the neurotransmitter. Many drugs induce their effects in the body and/or brain via the release of monoamine neurotransmitters, e.g., trace amines, many substituted amphetamines, and related compounds.
A norepinephrine releasing agent (NRA), also known as an adrenergic releasing agent, is a catecholaminergic type of drug that induces the release of norepinephrine (noradrenaline) and epinephrine (adrenaline) from the pre-synaptic neuron into the synapse. This in turn leads to increased extracellular concentrations of norepinephrine and epinephrine therefore an increase in adrenergic neurotransmission.
Monoaminergic activity enhancers (MAE), also known as catecholaminergic/serotonergic activity enhancers (CAE/SAE), are a class of compounds that enhance the action potential-evoked release of monoamine neurotransmitters in the nervous system. MAEs are distinct from monoamine releasing agents (MRAs) like amphetamine and fenfluramine in that they do not induce the release of monoamines from synaptic vesicles but rather potentiate only nerve impulse propagation-mediated monoamine release. That is, MAEs increase the amounts of monoamine neurotransmitters released by neurons per electrical impulse.
Desmethylselegiline (DMS), also known as norselegiline or as N-propargyl-L-amphetamine, is an active metabolite of selegiline, a medication used in the treatment of Parkinson's disease and depression.
The pharmacology of selegiline pertains to the pharmacodynamic and pharmacokinetic properties of the antiparkinsonian and antidepressant selegiline (L-deprenyl). Selegiline is available in a few different forms, including oral tablets and capsules, orally disintegrating tablets (ODTs), and transdermal patches. These forms have differing pharmacological properties.
The stereoisomers of methamphetamine produce markedly different dopamine, norepinephrine, and serotonin responses in various brain regions in rats.41,42 d-Methamphetamine (2 mg/kg) is more potent in releasing caudate dopamine than l-methamphetamine (12 and 18 mg/kg). By use of in vitro uptake and release assays, d-methamphetamine (50% effective concentration [EC50], 24.5 ± 2.1 nmol/L) was 17 times more potent in releasing dopamine than l-methamphetamine (EC50, 416 ± 20 nmol/L) and significantly more potent in blocking dopamine uptake (inhibition constant [Ki ], 114 ± 11 nm versus 4840 ± 178 nm).12,13
The Vicks® Inhaler initially contained only aromatics, but in 1958. Vicks added l-methamphetamine. The package labeling used the alternative chemical term, l-desoxyephedrine. Thus, prior to 1958, it contained nothing psychoactive and had no association with drug abuse.
In the present experiments, two monoamine releasers, l-MA and PAL-329, were shown to produce cocaine-like discriminative-stimulus effects in monkeys, suggesting that they meet the above criteria. One of these compounds, l-MA, also has been shown to serve as a positive reinforcer in rodents (Yokel and Pickens 1973) and monkeys (Winger et al 1994), further confirming the overlap with behavioral effects of cocaine. Both compounds also exhibit an approximately 15-fold greater potency in releasing NE than DA, which may be therapeutically advantageous. For example, the subjective effects of l-MA in human studies are similar in some respects to those of d-MA. However, the subjective effects of the two isomers also differ in potentially important ways. While both l-MA and d-MA produce subjective ratings of "drug liking" and "good effects" in experienced stimulant users, only lMA produces concomitant ratings of bad or aversive drug effects (Mendelson et al 2006), a factor which may limit its abuse liability.
When considered with neurochemical data that l-MA is similarly potent in releasing norepinephrine (NE) but 15- to 20-fold less potent in releasing dopamine (DA), as compared to d-MA (Kuczenski et al., 1995; Melega et al., 1999), l-MA may appear to carry lower abuse liability than d-MA.
Consistent with our past results, in response to 2 mg/kg D-AMPH, mean caudate extracellular DA increased approximately 15-fold to a peak concentration of 688 ± 121 nM during the initial 20 min interval, then returned to baseline over the next 3 hr. Similarly, in response to 2 mg/kg D-METH, DA increased to a peak concentration of 648 ± 71 nM during the initial 20 min interval and then declined toward baseline. In contrast, in response to both 6 mg/kg L-AMPH and 12 mg/kg L-METH, peak DA concentrations (508 ± 51 and 287 ± 49 nM, respectively) were delayed to the second 20 min interval, before returning toward baseline. [...] Similar to our previous results, 2 mg/kg D-AMPH increased NE to a maximum of 29.3 ± 3.1 nM, about 20-fold over baseline, during the second 20 min interval. L-AMPH (6 mg/kg) produced a comparable effect, increasing NE concentrations to 32.0 ± 8.9 nM. In contrast, D-METH promoted an increase in NE to 12.0 ± 1.2 nM which was significantly lower than all other groups, whereas L-METH promoted an increase to 64.8 ± 4.9 nM, which was significantly higher than all other groups.
There have been no studies directly comparing the pharmacodynamics and pharmacokinetics of the methamphetamine enantiomers in mice. It is often suggested that dmethamphetamine exerts more potent physiological and pharmacological effects than l-methamphetamine does, and that the stimulating effects exerted by l-methamphetamine on the central nervous system are 2–10 times less potent than those of d-methamphetamine (Mendelson et al. 2006). The results of the present study indicated that psychostimulant effects induced by l-methamphetamine are lower than those elicited by one-tenth the dose of d-methamphetamine. In addition, plasma pharmacokinetic parameters and striatal concentrations of methamphetamine following administration of l-methamphetamine at 10 mg/ kg (which did not induce psychomotor activity) were approximately 11 and 16 times as high, respectively, as those following administration of 1 mg/kg d-methamphetamine. Despite the fact that there are differentiable psycho-stimulating effects between two enantiomers, no significant difference in plasma pharmacokinetic parameters was detected at 1 mg/kg.
[...] the 2:1 ratio of d- and l-AMP effects on euphoric mood is very similar to the ratios (1.3:1 to 2.1:1) which have been reported for the efficacy of amphetamine isomers on other classes of behavior in man—for example, the activation of psychosis and the treatment of hyperkinetic children (see Table 1). [...] Table 1. Some previous studies comparing effects of d-amphetamine, l-amphetamine, and methylphenidate in man. [...]
Topical Nasal Decongestants: Most topical nasal decongestants also carry the warning against unsupervised use with hypertension. This includes oxymetazoline (e.g., Afrin), phenylephrine (e.g., Neo-Synephrine), naphazoline (e.g., Privine), and l-desoxyephedrine/levomethamphetamine. When hypertensive patients request a nasal decongestant, the pharmacist can recommend several alternatives. Propylhexedrine (e.g., Benzedrex Inhaler) is not required to carry a warning against unsupervised use with hypertension and may be effective. Another option is the nasal strip (e.g., Breathe Right). When properly applied, the strip can open the nostrils slightly, and perhaps sufficiently to allow the patient to breathe without use of a pharmacologically active ingredient.
A comparison of dextroamphetamine and levoamphetamine revealed that the dextrorotatory isomer was the more potent in elevating mood in normal subjects, being at least twice as potent as the levo form.35 [...] Narcolepsy was one of the first conditions to be treated successfully with amphetamine3 and remains one of the few (some would say the only) clinical indications for its use. While the required oral dose of dextroamphetamine (Dexedrine®) ranges from 5 to 120 mg/day, most patients respond to 10 mg two to four times daily. [...] The closely related compound methylphenidate (Ritalin®), 20 mg two to four times daily, has been shown to be as effective as dextroamphetamine but with less likelihood of causing side effects.61 The same is true of levoamphetamine.62 [...] Nevertheless, as amphetamine has an action on dopaminergic pathways it was considered worthwhile to examine the effects of amphetamine under controlled conditions.95 Twenty patients, all on other anti-Parkinsonian drugs, were studied. There was some subjective improvement in a proportion (less than half) of the patients when they received either dextroamphetamine or levoamphetamine, but there was little objective improvement. The authors remarked that amphetamine was unlikely to have worked anyway in Parkinson's disease as it acts mainly by releasing dopamine and noradrenaline from presynaptic neurons; as the underlying pathology involves a reduction of presynaptic dopamine, there would be insufficient dopamine for amphetamine to release.
Intriguingly, d- and l-amphetamine, methamphetamine, 3,4-methylenedioxymethamphetamine (MDMA), and other closely related compounds are also able to activate TAAR1 receptors in vitro as evidenced by cAMP stimulation in human embryonic kidney cells.
Japanese chemist Akira Ogata first synthesized methamphetamine in 1919 using ephedrine as a precursor. [...] In 1959 the S. Pfeiffer Company began producing Valo inhalers that contained 150-200 mg of methamphetamine.4,5 [...] Temmler Pharmaceutical Company introduced Pervitin in 1938 to the European market. Pervitin was available as 3 mg tablets that physicians could provide for the German military units.
In 1919, Japanese chemist Akira Ogata, as part of his effort to prove the structure of ephedrine, reported the synthesis of the closely related compound we now call methamphetamine, and this result was described in the Western literature (Amatsu & Kubota, 1913; Lee, 2011; Ogata, 1920). [...] As a result, when competitors began to consider emulating SKF's success in the late 1930s, they turned to methamphetamine, which had nearly indistinguishable effects but—because its synthesis together with its pharmacological characteristics was published before 1920—was free from patent encumbrance. [...] In any event, by 1940 Benzedrine Sulfate had achieved medical acclaim and quickly growing sales as an antidepressant effective for milder forms of the condition, both in the United States and the United Kingdom. In Germany, the Temmler drug firm quickly copied SKF, marketing methamphetamine (again, unprotected by patents) tablets under the Pervitin brand, with claims that it restored "joy in work" in cases of mild depression around 1938 (Rasmussen, 2006; Steinkamp, 2006).
Vicks Inhaler (Vick)—Contains l-desoxyephedrine, [menthol], camphor, methyl salicylate, and bromyl acetate.
Methamphetamine, also known as desoxyephedrine, is available as an inhalant (VICKS INHALER). The volatile base of methamphetamine is mixed with menthol, camphor, methyl salicylate, oil of sassafras and bornylacetate, which add to the customer acceptibility of the inhalant. The nasal decongestant effect of methamphetamine has been demonstrated in the experimental animal (Aviado et al., 1959). The other pharmacologic features of methamphetamine are discussed under its use as a vasopressor drug (Section VIII) and an anorexigenic drug (Section XV).
Product & Manufacturer or Supplier: Vicks Vapor Inhaler, Procter & Gamble. Dosage Form: nasal inhaler. Sympathomimetic Agent: levodesoxyephedrine, 50 mg/inhaler. Preservative: None. Other Ingredients: bornyl acetate • camphor • lavender oil • menthol.
Vicks Vapor Inhaler (VIKS): Generic Ingredient: l-Desoxyephedrine. Type of Drug: Topical decongestant. Used for: Temporary relief of nasal congestion due to colds and allergies. General Information: Vicks Vapor Inhaler contains l-desoxyephedrine, which acts as a topical decongestant by narrowing or constricting blood vessels in the nose. This action reduces the blood supplied to the nose and decreases the swelling of nasal mucous membranes. [...]
Rules & Regulations Dep't of Health & Human Services, 61 Fed. Reg. 9,570 (Mar. 8, 1996) (codified at 21 C.F.R pt. 321). Vicks® Vapor Inhaler uses this active ingredient. For a time, the active ingredient was labeled "l-desoxyephedrine," which is simply another name for lmeth. Id. The FDA later changed the labeling requirement to "levmetamfetamine." Rules & Regulations Dep't of Health & Human Services, 63 Fed. Reg. 40,647 (July 30, 1998) (codified at 21 C.F.R. pts. 310 and 321).
The 64-inhalation condition produced a small (change score of ~6) increase in "Good Drug Effect" suggesting a low potential for abuse even though occurrences of inhaler abuse is reported in the literature [1,18,19]. Larger doses of intravenous lmethamphetamine are psychoactive and may have some abuse potential in methamphetamine users [16].