Variability in content and dissolution profiles of MDMA tablets collected in the UK between 2001 and 2018 – A potential risk to users?
Drug Testing and Analysis April 22, 2019 Lewis Couchman, Anca Frinculescu, Catarina Sobreira et al. 35 citations
MDMA (Ecstasy) tablets collected in the UK between 2001 and 2018 show increasing MDMA content over time, with median free-base content exceeding 100 mg for the first time in 2018. Analysis of 412 tablets revealed dramatic within-batch content variability, with differences up to 136 mg. Dissolution testing on 247 tablets showed that tablets can be categorized as fast-, intermediate-, or slow-releasing, but no tablet characteristics predicted dissolution classification, meaning users cannot know a tablet's release profile beforehand. Within-batch variation in dissolution rate was also observed. Rapid assessment of MDMA content alone does not account for variability in remaining tablets in a batch or dissolution profiles. High-content, slow-releasing tablets may cause delayed or prolonged toxicity, increasing risk of re-dosing if absorption is delayed.