Discriminative stimulus effects of the optical isomers of 3,4-methylenedioxyamphetamine (MDA)
Behavioural Pharmacology October 1, 1992 Jonathan M. Broadbent, J. B. Appel, E. K. Michael et al. 18 citations
In rats trained to distinguish either the left- or right-handed form (isomer) of the drug MDA from saline, both isomers served as reliable cues at specific doses. The two isomers substituted for each other, and both were fully substituted by the related drug MDMA. The hallucinogens LSD and DOM substituted only for the left-handed isomer, while stimulants like amphetamine and cocaine did not produce MDA-like effects. The left-handed isomer's cue was blocked by a serotonin receptor antagonist, but dopamine blockers had no effect. Neither MDA isomer fully substituted for LSD or amphetamine cues, suggesting the left-handed isomer has more hallucinogen-like and serotonin-mediated effects, while both lack strong amphetamine-like properties.