New designer phenethylamines 2C-C and 2C-P have abuse potential and induce neurotoxicity in rodents.
Archives of toxicology April 1, 2021 Young-Jung Kim, Shi-Xun Ma, Kwang-Hyun Hur et al. 10 citations
The drugs 2C-C and 2C-P, members of the 2C family of phenethylamines, show abuse potential and neurotoxic effects at high doses in animal models. In mice, both drugs produced conditioned place preference in a dose-dependent manner and increased self-administration in rats, indicating abuse potential. High doses decreased locomotor activity, rota-rod performance, and scores on memory tests (Y-maze, novel object recognition, passive avoidance). The drugs altered expression of D1 and D2 dopamine receptors, the dopamine transporter, and its phosphorylated form in the nucleus accumbens and medial prefrontal cortex, and increased c-Fos-positive cells in the nucleus accumbens. High doses also activated microglia, suggesting neuroinflammation in the striatum.