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Other names | MPA; N-Methylthiopropamine; Methiopropamine; Methedrene; Syndrax |
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Formula | C8H13NS |
Molar mass | 155.26 g·mol−1 |
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Methiopropamine (MPA), also known as N-methylthiopropamine, is an organic compound structurally related to methamphetamine. [2] Originally reported in 1942, the molecule consists of a thiophene group with an alkyl amine substituent at the 2-position. [2] [3] It appeared for public sale in the United Kingdom in December 2010 as a "research chemical" or "legal high", recently branded as Blow. [4] It has limited popularity as a recreational stimulant. [2] [5] [ unreliable source? ]
Methiopropamine functions as a norepinephrine–dopamine reuptake inhibitor (NDRI) that is approximately 1.85 times more selective for norepinephrine than dopamine. It is approximately one-third as potent as dextroamphetamine as a norepinephrine reuptake inhibitor and one-fifth as much as a dopamine reuptake inhibitor. It displays negligible activity as a serotonin reuptake inhibitor. [6] [7]
Methiopropamine has the potential for significant acute toxicity with cardiovascular, gastrointestinal, and psychotic symptoms. [8]
For N-alkyl amphetamines, deamination and N-dealkylation are the major elimination pathways and renal excretion is a minor one. [9]
Methiopropamine is metabolized into active thiopropamine, 4-hydroxymethiopropamine and thiophene S-oxides. [10] [11] These N-demethylated metabolites are further deaminated by the cytochrome P450 enzyme CYP2C19 in the liver transforming them into inactive 1-(thiophen-2-yl)-2-propan-2-one which can be seen as a phenylacetone derivative. [12] [13]
Thiophene-2-carboxylic acid is the final major metabolic product. It is very hydrophilic and is excreted in urine. Methiopropamine and especially thiopropamine are also excreted renally, unchanged.
There is a four-step synthesis of methiopropamine. It begins with (thiophen-2-yl)magnesium bromide, which is reacted with propylene oxide, yielding 1-(thiophen-2-yl)-2-hydroxypropane which is reacted with phosphorus tribromide, yielding 1-(thiophen-2-yl)-2-bromopropane which is finally reacted with methylamine, yielding 1-(thiophen-2-yl)-2-methylaminopropane. [14]
As of October 2015 MPA is a controlled substance in China. [15]
Methiopropamine is illegal in Finland, it is scheduled in "government decree on narcotic substances, preparations and plants". [16]
Methiopropamine is explicitly illegal in Germany. [ citation needed ]
Following the ban on ethylphenidate, authorities noticed an increase in methiopropamine use by injecting users. The ACMD suggested it be banned on 18 November 2015 [17] as it had similar effects to ethylphenidate. The government enacted a temporary drug control order a week later which came into force on 27 November 2015. [18] Though ordinarily the TCDO would only last 1 year, the ACMD reported that since its invocation prevalence of MPA had significantly decreased, and that it had been challenging to collect information about the drug. As a result of this, they requested that the TCDO be extended a further year. [19]
Methiopropanine was made a Class B controlled drug under the Misuse of Drugs Act 1971 (as amended) (Amendment)(No.2) Order 2017 [SI 2017/1114], this came into effect on the 27th of November 2017.
Methiopropamine is scheduled at the federal level in the United States. [20] The DEA had planned to place methiopropamine in Schedule I of Controlled Substances and was accepting public comments until October 4, 2021. Later, the compound was placed in Schedule I. [21]
Methiopropamine is a Schedule I controlled substance in the state of Florida making it illegal to buy, sell, or possess in Florida. [22]
Methiopropamine is a "controlled substance" and therefore an "illegal drug" to import, possess or sell/traffic in without express authority of the relevant government agency. [ citation needed ]