Ethanol increases the distribution of MDMA to the rat brain: possible implications in the ethanol-induced potentiation of the psychostimulant effects of MDMA
The International Journal of Neuropsychopharmacology December 2, 2008 Sami Ben Hamida, A. Tracqui, Anne Pereira de Vasconcelos et al. 27 citations
Taking the club drug ecstasy (MDMA) together with alcohol (ethanol) increases the drug's levels in the blood and brain, which may explain why alcohol amplifies MDMA's stimulant effects. In rats, alcohol raised MDMA concentrations in the blood, hippocampus, frontal cortex, and striatum within 15 to 60 minutes after injection, without changing the proportion converted to its active metabolite MDA. MDMA and MDA accumulated more in the striatum and cortex than in the hippocampus. These higher brain and blood levels suggest that combining alcohol with MDMA could increase the risk of neurotoxicity and potential for abuse.