A powerful stimulant of the central nervous system, which causes wakefulness and alertness, elevates mood, increases self-confidence, loquaciousness, and the performance of simple mental tasks, and improves physical performance. Initially, it decreases appetite. It is widely abused to increase energy and alertness, but tolerance often develops after repeated use. Its effects are followed by mental depression and fatigue. It was once used clinically as a slimming aid, but therapeutic use is now restricted to the treatment of narcolepsy because of the problems of addiction and tolerance. It is also used to treat children with attention-deficit-hyperactivity disorder (ADHD). Prolonged use may result in paranoia or clinical psychosis. As a drug of abuse it is called speed; it is illegally manufactured as a powder which can be sniffed (snorted) or injected. Amphetamine sulphate was formerly available medically under the trade name Benzedrine. It is now available only as dexamphetamine sulphate, an isomer, under the proprietary name Dexedrine.
Amphetamine (alpha-methyl-phenethylamine), also known as speed or crank, is a stimulant, and club drug, used to diminish the appetite, control weight, and treat disorders including narcolepsy and attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder.
Illicit production and use of amphetamines occurs on a widescale basis in several European nations, typically in the form of amphetamine sulfate synthesized from phenylpropanolamine. In addition, because of the widespread use of amphetamines as a treatment for narcolepsy and ADD/ADHD, prescription amphetamines are subject to diversion and are one of the most frequently-abused drugs in high schools and colleges.
History
Amphetamine was synthesized in 1887 by Lazar Edeleanu at the University of Berlin. No medical use was found for Amphetamine until the 1920s, when it was introduced in most of the world in the form of the pharmaceutical Benzedrine. After decades of reports of abuse, the FDA banned Benzedrine inhalers, and limited amphetamines to prescription use in 1959, but illegal use became common. The related compound amphetamine was first synthesized in Germany.
Toxicity
Patients with acute toxicity from amphetamines may have symptoms of psychosis, disorientation, temporary symptoms associated with schizophrenia, aggression, delusions, lock-jaw, diarrhea, palpitations, arrhythmia, syncope, hyperpyrexia, and hyperreflexia progressing to convulsions and coma. Patients with chronic use of amphetamines develop a rapid tolerance to the drug and may have to increase the dose to reach the desired effect and eventually develop addiction. A urine drug screen can be performed to determine the presence of amphetamines.
Chemistry
Amphetamine was first synthesized in 1887 by the Romanian chemist Lazăr Edeleanu at the University of Berlin, who called it "phenylisopropylamine". Amphetamine is the parent compound of its own structural class, comprising a broad range of psychoactive derivatives, e.g., MDMA (Ecstasy) and the N-methylated form, methamphetamine. Attention disorders are often treated using Adderall or generic-equivalent formulations of mixed amphetamine salts that contain both d/l-amphetamine and d-amphetamine in the sulfate and saccharate forms mixed to a final ratio of 3 parts d-amphetamine to 1 part l-amphetamine.
Pharmacology
Dextroamphetamine, the eutomer of amphetamine, exhibits its mode of peripheral action via release and reuptake inhibition of the monoamine neurotransmitters acetylcholine (ACh) and histamine (H), but not glutamate.
Application range
Amphetamine is a synthetic drug with strong stimulant effects. Amphetamine is also used illegally to take advantage of these effects.
Medicinal use
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Indicated for: Diet suppressant ADD ADHD Narcolepsy Treatment-resistant depression
Recreational uses:
Other uses: |
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Contraindications: CNS Stimulants MAOI use |
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Side effects: Dizziness Tachycardia Sweating Decrease in appetite/weight loss Euphoria followed by depression Insomnia Anger Aggressiveness Hostility
Cardiovascular: BronchodilatorEar, nose, and throat: DecongestantEye: Mydriasis (Pupil dilation)Gastrointestinal: DiarrhoeaMusculoskeletal: Muscle aches/crampsNeurological: Dopamine Agonist Norepinephrine AgonistRespiratory: Bronchodilator |
Along with methylphenidate (Ritalin, Concerta, etc.), amphetamine is one of the standard treatments for ADHD. The ADHD medication Adderall is composed of four different amphetamine salts, and Adderall XR is a timed release formulation of these same salt forms. However, amphetamines last longer in the body than methylphenidate (Ritalin, Concerta, etc.), and tend to have stronger side-effects on appetite and sleep.
Amphetamines are also a standard treatment for narcolepsy as well as other sleeping disorders.
Amphetamines are sometimes used to augment anti-depressant therapy in treatment-resistant depression.
Effects of use
Amphetamines release stores of norepinephrine and dopamine from nerve endings by converting the respective molecular transporters into open channels. Amphetamine also releases stores of serotonin from synaptic vesicles. Like methylphenidate (Ritalin), amphetamines also prevent the monoamine transporters for dopamine and norepinephrine from recycling them (called reuptake inhibition), which leads to increased amounts of dopamine and norepinephrine in synaptic clefts.
These combined effects rapidly increase the concentrations of the respective neurotransmitters in the synaptic cleft, which promotes nerve impulse transmission in neurons that have those receptors. Chronic and/or extensively-continuous use can lead to amphetamine psychosis, which causes delusions and paranoia, but this is uncommon when taken as prescribed. Amphetamine is highly-psychologically addictive, and, with chronic use, tolerance develops very quickly. This commonly leads chronic users to re-dose amphetamine frequently, explaining tolerance and increasing the possibility of addiction.
Addiction
Tolerance is developed rapidly in amphetamine use, therefore increasing the amount of the drug that is needed to satisfy the addiction. Many abusers will repeat the amphetamine cycle by taking more of the drug during the withdrawal. Chronic users of amphetamines may resort to drug injection to experience the full effect of the drug in a faster and more intense way, with the added risks of bacterial and viral tranmission, vein damage and higher risk of overdose.
Legal issues
In the United Kingdom, amphetamines are regarded as Class B drugs. In the United States, amphetamine and methamphetamine are Schedule II controlled drugs, classified as a CNS (Central Nervous System) Stimulant.Internationally, amphetamine is a Schedule II drug under the Convention on Psychotropic Substances. Blues-Rock band Canned Heat wrote a song, on the album Boogie With Canned Heat called Amphetamine Annie, about a girl who takes speed regularly. Rock and roll band Everclear wrote a song called Amphetamine, about a girl named Amphetamine. Alternative Rock band The Smashing Pumpkins mention Amphetamine in a song titled "Annie Dog" from the album "Adore". Rock and Roll band The Sisters of Mercy were (in)famous for the constant references to amphetamine throughout their career. Industrial Rock band Marilyn Manson mention Amphetamines in a song titled "Rock is Dead". Punk rock band Toys That Kill have a song entitled Amphetamine St. off their album The Citizen Abortion. Alternative Metal band Seether mention Amphetamine in a song titled "I'm The One" from the album "Karma And Effect". Indie Rock singer-songwriter Elliott Smith mentions Amphetamine use in a song titled "St. Ides Heaven" from his self titled album. Indie Rock band Elle Milano has a song named "Amphetamine Skyrocket" from the Elle Milano EP called "Swearing's For Art Students".
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