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        Mephedrone (4-methylmethcathinone; 'meow meow') : chemical, pharmacological and clinical issues

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        Author
        Schifano, Fabrizio
        Albanese, Antonio
        Fergus, Suzanne
        Stair, Jacqueline
        Deluca, Paolo
        Corazza, Ornella
        Davey, Zoe
        Corkery, John
        Siemann, Holger
        Scherbaum, Norbert
        Farre', Magi'
        Torrens, Marta
        Demetrovics, Zsolt
        Ghodse, A. Hamid
        ReDNet Res Grp, Psychonaut Web Mapping
        Attention
        2299/16594
        Abstract
        Recently, those substances deriving from the active ingredient of the Khat plant, cathinone, have been rising in popularity. Indeed, 4-methylmethcathinone (mephedrone; 'meow meow' and others) has been seen by some as a cheaper alternative to other classified recreational drugs.We aimed here at providing a state-of-the-art review on mephedrone history and prevalence of misuse, chemistry, pharmacology, legal status, product market appearance, clinical/management and related fatalities.Because of the limited evidence, some of the information here presented has been obtained from user reports/drug user-orientated web sites. The most common routes for mephedrone recreational use include insufflation and oral ingestion. It elicits stimulant and empathogenic effects similar to amphetamine, methylamphetamine, cocaine and MDMA. Due to its sympathomimetic actions, mephedrone may be associated with a number of both physical and psychopathological side effects. Recent preliminary analysis of recent UK data carried out in 48 related cases have provided positive results for the presence of mephedrone at postmortem.Within the UK, diffusion of mephedrone may have been associated with an unprecedented combination of a particularly aggressive online marketing policy and a decreasing availability/purity of both ecstasy and cocaine. Mephedrone has been recently classified in both the UK and in a number of other countries as a measure to control its availability. Following this, a few other research psychoactives have recently entered the online market as yet unregulated substances that may substitute for mephedrone. Only international collaborative efforts may be able to tackle the phenomenon of the regular offer of novel psychoactive drugs
        Publication date
        2011
        Published in
        Psychopharmacology
        Published version
        https://doi.org/10.1007/s00213-010-2070-x
        Other links
        http://hdl.handle.net/2299/16594
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