The molecular mechanism of "ecstasy" [3,4-methylenedioxy-methamphetamine (MDMA)]: serotonin transporters are targets for MDMA-induced serotonin release.
Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences March 1, 1992 Gary Rudnick, S C Wall 533 citations
MDMA (ecstasy) acts on serotonin transporters in both the plasma membrane and secretory vesicles. In plasma membrane vesicles from human platelets, MDMA inhibits serotonin transport and imipramine binding by directly interacting with the sodium-dependent serotonin transporter, and it stimulates serotonin efflux in a stereo-specific, sodium-dependent, and imipramine-sensitive manner via transporter-mediated exchange. In vesicles from bovine adrenal chromaffin granules containing the vesicular biogenic amine transporter, MDMA inhibits ATP-dependent serotonin accumulation and stimulates efflux by dissipating the transmembrane pH difference and directly interacting with the vesicular transporter.