Brandt, SD (2014) 4‐Methylethcathinone (4‐MEC). Critical Review Report. Agenda item 4.15. (R/S)-2‐(Ethylamino)‐1‐(4‐methylphenyl) propan‐1‐one (4‐methyl‐N‐ethylcathinone, 4‐MEC). Expert Committee on Drug Dependence. Thirty‐sixth Meeting. Geneva, 16‐20 June 2014 (World Health Organization). Technical Report. World Health Organization (WHO).

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Abstract

(R/S)- 2-(Ethylamino)-1-(4-methylphenyl)propan-1-one, also known as 4-methylethcathinone or 4-MEC, has emerged in recent years as a recreational psychostimulant. Its synthesis was first published in 2010 as part of an analytical confirmation related to test purchases from online retailers. The first official notification submitted to the European Monitoring Centre for Drugs and Drug Addiction (EMCDDA) by a European member state was 2010. Since then, it has been detected across the globe as a reflection of modern forms of trade within a globalised world. As was the case with many other emerging substances with psychoactive properties, commonly used terms include "legal highs", "bath salts" or "new psychoactive substances" (NPS) in the attempt to highlight the fact that many, if not most, did not originally fall under any legislative control and that detailed data on both pre-clinical and clinical levels were normally less well explored. 4-MEC appears to be among the most seized cathinone representatives. Currently, the available pre-clinical in-vitro data are limited but it is suspected that further studies may be underway. So far, 4-MEC was found to inhibit dopamine, norepinephrine and serotonin uptake transporters with equal potency. In addition, first evaluations have shown that it may also function as a serotonin releasing agent but not dopamine and norepinephrine. Further studies are needed to assess abuse liability and dependence potential.

Item Type:	Monograph (Technical Report)
Subjects:	Q Science > QD Chemistry R Medicine > RM Therapeutics. Pharmacology
Divisions:	Pharmacy & Biomolecular Sciences
Publisher:	World Health Organization (WHO)
Date Deposited:	23 Oct 2017 10:25
Last Modified:	24 Jan 2022 11:13
URI:	https://researchonline.ljmu.ac.uk/id/eprint/7402

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