Comment · Thu, November 22, 2012
MDMA Neurotoxicity Part 1 (Metabolites)
Original post in this thread
MisterYouAreSoDumb · 77 points
This is probably going to be the first in a series of discussions I start about MDMA. There's just too much information for one post. Therefore, I am going to start with one that is very interesting to me: MDMA's metabolites and their role in neurotoxicity. I pre-appologise for the length and terminology used.
_________________________________________________
First off, let's discuss how MDMA is metabolized. The human cytochrome CYP450 is responsible for the metabolism of MDMA. The primary enzyme responsible is CYP2D6, using O-demethylation. This process adds two hydrogen atoms to the two open oxygen atoms in MDMA to create HHMA. Let's look at the structure for a minute.
________________________________________________
MDMA is 3,4-methylenedioxy-N-methylamphetamine
HHMA is 3,4-dihydroxy-N-methylamphetamine
So your CYP2D6 enzyme added two hydrogen atoms to the methylenedioxy structure to create a dihydroxy structure. Once it's been o-demethylated to HHMA, it is no longer active like MDMA is. HHMA can then be 0-methylated further to HMMA, or 4-hydroxy-3-methoxy-N-methylamphetamine. Here is an image to help you visualize this process.
This is…
What they were answering
Dial595Escape · 1 points
What about alcohol? And what are the possible implication of the dommages a neurotoxic substance can do to you? I see a lot of discussion around here on weither or not some drugs might be damageable, but not at which point...
u/MisterYouAreSoDumb
Alcohol can be neurotoxic as well. Not to your serotonin system, but to your GABA and NMDA systems.
At which point is a complex answer. It's going to be different for everyone. But why just accept neurotoxicity, however small it may be, if I am giving you step to completely prevent it?