4-Methylthiomethamphetamine (4-MTMA; code name PAL-1063), also known as ''N''-methyl-4-methylthioamphetamine (NMMTA), is a

monoamine releasing agent A monoamine releasing agent (MRA), or simply monoamine releaser, is a drug that induces the release of one or more monoamine neurotransmitters from the presynaptic neuron into the synapse, leading to an increase in the extracellular concentrati ...

(MRA) of the

amphetamine Amphetamine (contracted from Alpha and beta carbon, alpha-methylphenethylamine, methylphenethylamine) is a central nervous system (CNS) stimulant that is used in the treatment of attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), narcolepsy, an ...

family related to

4-methylthioamphetamine 4-Methylthioamphetamine (4-MTA), also known as ''para''-methylthioamphetamine (MTA), is a designer drug of the substituted amphetamine class developed in the 1990s by a team led by David E. Nichols, an American pharmacologist and medical chemist ...

(4-MTA) and ''N'',''N''-dimethyl-4-methylthioamphetamine (DMMTA or 4-MTDMA). Much less is known about 4-MTMA compared to 4-MTA. 4-MTMA is known to act as a potent

serotonin releasing agent A serotonin releasing agent (SRA) is a type of drug that induces the release of serotonin into the neuronal synaptic cleft. A selective serotonin releasing agent (SSRA) is an SRA with less significant or no efficacy in producing neurotransmitter ...

(SRA). Its value for induction of serotonin release in rat brain

synaptosome A synaptosome is an isolated synaptic terminal from a neuron. Synaptosomes are obtained by mild homogenization of nervous tissue under isotonic conditions and subsequent fractionation using differential and density gradient centrifugation. Liquid ...

s was 21nM, whereas

norepinephrine Norepinephrine (NE), also called noradrenaline (NA) or noradrenalin, is an organic compound, organic chemical in the catecholamine family that functions in the brain and human body, body as a hormone, neurotransmitter and neuromodulator. The ...

and

dopamine Dopamine (DA, a contraction of 3,4-dihydroxyphenethylamine) is a neuromodulatory molecule that plays several important roles in cells. It is an organic chemical of the catecholamine and phenethylamine families. It is an amine synthesized ...

release were not reported. In addition to its MRA activity, like 4-MTA, the drug has been found to act as a potent reversible

enzyme inhibitor An enzyme inhibitor is a molecule that binds to an enzyme and blocks its Enzyme activity, activity. Enzymes are proteins that speed up chemical reactions necessary for life, in which Substrate (biochemistry), substrate molecules are converted ...

monoamine oxidase A Monoamine oxidase A, also known as MAO-A, is an enzyme ( E.C. 1.4.3.4) that in humans is encoded by the ''MAOA'' gene. This gene is one of two neighboring gene family members that encode mitochondrial enzymes which catalyze the oxidative dea ...

(MAO-A). It is about one-third as potent as 4-MTA as an MAO-A inhibitor. Its value for MAO-A inhibition is 0.89nM, whereas the values of 4-MTA are 0.13nM for (+)-4-MTA and 2.04nM for (–)-4-MTA. Neither 4-MTA nor 4-MTMA inhibited

monoamine oxidase B Monoamine oxidase B (MAO-B) is an enzyme that in humans is encoded by the ''MAOB'' gene. The protein encoded by this gene belongs to the flavin monoamine oxidase family. It is an enzyme located in the outer mitochondrial membrane. It catalyzes ...

(MAO-B). Potent

monoamine oxidase inhibition Monoamine oxidase inhibitors (MAOIs) are a class of drugs that inhibit the activity of one or both monoamine oxidase enzymes: monoamine oxidase A (MAO-A) and monoamine oxidase B (MAO-B). They are best known as effective antidepressants, especia ...

by amphetamines has been associated with dangerous and sometimes fatal

toxicity Toxicity is the degree to which a chemical substance or a particular mixture of substances can damage an organism. Toxicity can refer to the effect on a whole organism, such as an animal, bacteria, bacterium, or plant, as well as the effect o ...

in humans. In animal

drug discrimination Drug discrimination (DD) is a technique in behavioral neuroscience used to evaluate the discriminative stimulus properties or interoceptive cues of psychoactive drugs. In drug discrimination, a subject is trained on a training drug, and then i ...

tests, 4-MTA and 4-MTMA were found to generalize to

MDMA 3,4-Methylenedioxymethamphetamine (MDMA), commonly known as ecstasy (tablet form), and molly (crystal form), is an empathogen–entactogenic drug with stimulant and minor Psychedelic drug, psychedelic properties. In studies, it has been used ...

. 4-MTA substituted for the

serotonergic agent A serotonergic substance, medication, or receptor protein is one that affects neurotransmission pathways that involve serotonin, as follows: * Serotonergic drugs ** Serotonin receptor agonists ** Serotonin receptor antagonists ** Serotonin reupta ...

PMMA, whereas 4-MTMA did not. 4-MTA did not substitute for the

serotonergic psychedelic Psychedelics are a subclass of hallucinogenic drugs whose primary effect is to trigger non-ordinary mental states (known as psychedelic experiences or "trips") and a perceived "expansion of consciousness". Also referred to as classic halluci ...

DOM, whereas 4-MTMA was not assessed in DOM-trained animals. Neither 4-MTA nor 4-MTMA substituted for the

psychostimulant Stimulants (also known as central nervous system stimulants, or psychostimulants, or colloquially as uppers) are a class of drugs that increase alertness. They are used for various purposes, such as enhancing attention, motivation, cognition ...

dextroamphetamine Dextroamphetamine (international nonproprietary name, INN: dexamfetamine) is a potent central nervous system (CNS) stimulant and enantiomer of amphetamine that is used in the treatment of attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) and narc ...

cocaine Cocaine is a tropane alkaloid and central nervous system stimulant, derived primarily from the leaves of two South American coca plants, ''Erythroxylum coca'' and ''Erythroxylum novogranatense, E. novogranatense'', which are cultivated a ...

. It was concluded that 4-MTA and 4-MTMA show mainly MDMA-like effects in rodents. 4-MTMA had not been identified as an

illicit drug The prohibition of drugs through sumptuary legislation or religious law is a common means of attempting to prevent the recreational use of certain intoxicating substances. An area has a prohibition of drugs when its government uses the forc ...

or drug of misuse by 2004. However, it is said to have been encountered as a novel

designer drug A designer drug is a structural or functional analog of a controlled substance that has been designed to mimic the pharmacological effects of the original drug, while avoiding classification as illegal and/or detection in standard drug tests. ...

by 2015.

References

Designer drugs Entactogens Methamphetamines Monoamine oxidase inhibitors Serotonin releasing agents Thioethers {{Psychoactive-stub