Nonneurotoxic tetralin and indan analogs of 3,4-(methylenedioxy)amphetamine (MDA)
Journal of Medicinal Chemistry February 1, 1990 David E. Nichols, William K. Brewster, Michael P. Johnson et al. 83 citations
Four cyclic analogues of the psychoactive compound MDA were tested in rats trained to discriminate either LSD or MDMA from saline. None of the methylenedioxy compounds caused LSD-like effects, but two of them (3a and 3b) fully substituted for MDMA, indicating similar acute behavioral effects. However, unlike MDA, neither 3a nor 3b reduced serotonin or its metabolite levels in the cortex or hippocampus, nor did they decrease serotonin transporter binding sites after a single 40 mg/kg dose. These results suggest that 3a and 3b share MDMA-like acute behavioral properties but lack the serotonin neurotoxicity associated with MDA.