Methylone
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| Other names | 3,4-Methylenedioxy-N-methylcathinone; 3,4-Methylenedioxymethcathinone; MDMC; MDMCAT; β-Keto-MDMA; βk-MDMA; M1; TSND-201; TSND201; MeONE; EASE; EMM; Explosion |
| Routes of administration | Common: oral, insufflation Uncommon: IV or IM injection, rectal |
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| Pharmacokinetic data | |
| Onset of action | 0.5 hours |
| Elimination half-life | 5.8–6.9 hours |
| Duration of action | 2.5–3.0 hours |
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| Chemical and physical data | |
| Formula | C11H13NO3 |
| Molar mass | 207.229 g·mol−1 |
| 3D model (JSmol) | |
| Solubility in water | 357 mg/mL (20 °C) |
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Methylone, also known as 3,4-methylenedioxy-N-methylcathinone (MDMC), is an entactogen and stimulant drug of the amphetamine, cathinone, and benzodioxole families related to 3,4-methylenedioxymethamphetamine (MDMA; "ecstasy"). It is the β-keto or cathinone analogue of MDMA. Methylone is usually taken orally, but is also used by other routes.
The drug acts as a serotonin–norepinephrine–dopamine releasing agent (SNDRA). It has much less activity at the vesicular monoamine transporter 2 (VMAT2) than MDMA and may have less serotonergic neurotoxicity. In contrast to certain other entactogens like MDMA, methylone does not appear to be a significant agonist of the serotonin 5-HT2 receptors. Methylone is similar in its effects to MDMA, producing entactogenic effects and euphoria, but has a reputation of being gentler than MDMA and only lasts about half as long. Side effects of methylone include tachycardia, hangover, and insomnia. It may have reduced negative after-effects compared to MDMA. Methylone's onset is about 0.5 hours and its duration is about 2 to 3 hours.
Methylone was first synthesized by Peyton Jacob III and Alexander Shulgin in the mid-1990s and was first described in the literature in 1996. It was patented by Jacob and Shulgin as a potential antidepressant and antiparkinsonian agent, but was never developed or marketed for such uses. Methylone was encountered as a designer and recreational drug by 2004 and has become a controlled substance in many countries. Similarly to MDMA, it is being developed for the treatment of post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD).