A Comparison of Acute Pharmacological Effects of Methylone and MDMA Administration in Humans and Oral Fluid Concentrations as Biomarkers of Exposure
Biology August 17, 2021 Lourdes Poyatos, Esther Papaseit, Eulàlia Olesti et al. 26 citations
Methylone, a synthetic cathinone and beta-keto analogue of MDMA, produces acute subjective and physiological effects similar to MDMA but less intense. In an observational-naturalistic study of 14 healthy poly-drug users who self-administered oral doses (methylone 100-300 mg, mean 187.5 mg; MDMA 75-100 mg, mean 87.5 mg), methylone showed a prototypical psychostimulant and empathogenic profile. Oral fluid concentrations of both substances peaked at 2 hours, with MDMA levels matching those from controlled studies. The findings indicate that methylone's abuse potential is comparable to MDMA's in recreational users.