Substituted cathinone

Substituted cathinones, or simply cathinones, which include some stimulants and entactogens, are derivatives of cathinone. They feature a phenethylamine core with an alkyl group attached to the alpha carbon, and a ketone group attached to the beta carbon, along with additional substitutions. Cathinone occurs naturally in the plant khat whose leaves are chewed as a recreational drug.

Substituted cathinones act as monoamine releasing agents and/or monoamine reuptake inhibitors, including of norepinephrine, dopamine, and/or serotonin. In contrast to substituted amphetamines, most substituted cathinones do not act as agonists of the human trace amine-associated receptor 1 (TAAR1). This may potentiate their stimulating and addictive effects. In addition, β-keto-substituted phenethylamines, such as βk-2C-B, appear to show dramatically reduced potency and efficacy as serotonin 5-HT2A receptor agonists compared to their non-β-keto-substituted counterparts.

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