The psychopharmacology of MDMA
Loading...
Date
2010
Authors
Journal Title
Journal ISSN
Volume Title
Publisher
National Drug and Alcohol Research Centre
Abstract
The psychoactive drug 3,4-methylenedioxymethamphetamine (MDMA, Ecstasy, E, XTC) has an interesting history and a fascinating pharmacology. As discussed in Chapter 2, MDMA was first synthesised in 1912 and patented by the company E. Merck in 1914. Although commonly thought to have been designed as an appetite suppressant, the original patent bears no record of this and simply states that MDMA was deemed to contain primary constituents for therapeutically active compounds. The first reported pharmacological study involving MDMA occurred in 1927 although it was of limited scope and basic toxicology studies were not undertaken until the 1950s. Toxicology studies by Merck in 1952 provided little insight into the pharmacology of MDMA focusing on its effects on flies. Further studies at the University of Michigan, supported by the US Army, reported LD values for five different species, the lowest LD value being found in dogs, the highest in mice.
As mentioned in Chapters 3 and 13, the first systematic use of MDMA was as an adjunct to insight-oriented psychotherapy4, with administration of MDMA producing an easily controllable altered state of consciousness with positive emotional and sensual overtones. The colloquial term for MDMA changed from “Empathy” as had been used by therapists in the 1970s, to “Ecstasy”, emphasising the drug’s euphoric effects. Heavy media attention in 1985 sensationalised Ecstasy’s euphoric effects. Despite this surge in popularity, the settings in which Ecstasy was used in the middle of the 1980’s typically involved two individuals or a small and intimate group5. This was soon to change with the emergence of the “rave” scene.
In 1986, MDMA became a Schedule 1 drug in the USA, deemed to possess no recognised therapeutic value despite claims to the contrary. By the 1990s, ecstasy had became intrinsically linked to the club and rave culture, with use by groups of young people attending all-night dance parties where vigorous dancing occurred to highly repetitive and hypnotic “techno” music. This was thought to have originated in Europe in the late 1980s. Patterns of use in Australia largely mimicked those seen abroad, with dance parties, private parties and nightclubs listed as the most popular venues for use. Its popularity has continued to grow, and the contexts of use broadened. © 2010 NDARC
Description
Keywords
Drugs, Drug abuse, Health hazards, Pharmacology, Mice, Therapeutic doses, Side effects
Citation
Thompson, M. R., Callaghan, P. D. & McGregor, I. S. (2010). The psychopharmacology of MDMA. In Degenhardt, L. & Hall, W. (eds), The health and psychological effects of "ecstasy (MDMA) use", (NDARC Monograph No. 62, pp. 47-80). Sydney: National Drug and Alcohol Research Centre.