meth brands

Molecular formula: C10H15N

Methamphetamine enters the brain and triggers a cascading release of norepinephrine, dopamine and serotonin. To a lesser extent methamphetamine acts as a dopaminergic and adrenergic reuptake inhibitor and in high concentrations as a monamine oxidase inhibitor (MAOI). The mechanism of action involved in producing the beneficial behavioral changes seen in hyperkinetic children receiving methamphetamine is unknown. Appears to exert most or all of its effect in the CNS by causing release of biogenic amines, especialy norepinephrine and dopamine, from storage sites in nerve terminals. It may also slow down catecholamine metabolism by inhibiting monoamine oxidase. The toxic effects of methamphetamine on dopamine and serotonergic neurons have recently been linked to the endogenous formation of c-hydroxy dopamine and 5, 7 dihydrotryptamine, respectively. The ability of methamphetamine to both release dopamine and serotonin as well as to inhibit monoamine oxidase activity leads to the non-enzymatic oxidation of dopamine and serotonin. Methamphetamine induced neuronal damage is mediated by the production of free radicals. This drug causes a long lasting depletion of dopamine and serotonin in the striatum and that pre-treatment alteration of this effect by four different antioxidants, as well as an inhibitor of superoxidase dismutase, indicate that oxygen free radicals have a role in methamphetamine induced neurotoxicity.

Source: PubChem (NCBI) · compound 10836