A fatal paramethoxymethamphetamine intoxication
by
Becker J, Neis P, Rohrich J, Zorntlein S.
Institute for Legal Medicine,
Johannes Gutenberg University,
Am Pulverturm 3, 55131,
Mainz, Germany
Leg Med (Tokyo). 2003 Mar;5 Suppl:S138-41

ABSTRACT

During the last years in Germany a marked increase in the use of amphetamines such as 3,4-methylenedioxymethamphetamine (MDMA, ecstasy) has been observed. The use of these recreational drugs is especially common among young people participating in rave parties. Occasionally ring-methoxylated phenethylamine derivatives like paramethoxymethamphetamine (PMMA) or paramethoxyamphetamine (PMA) are found in street drugs offered as ecstasy. These compounds exhibit a higher toxicity than the methylenedioxyamphetamine derivatives. We report on the death of a 22-year-old man after the ingestion of ecstasy pills containing PMMA and PMA. The PMMA concentration in femoral blood was 0.85 mg/l. Besides PMA (0.61 mg/l), amphetamine (0.21 mg/l), benzoylecgonine (<0.01 mg/l) and ethanol (0.46 per thousand ) were found in the blood. The case reflects the well-known fact that street drugs offered as ecstasy pills contain not necessarily MDMA but frequently differ in composition even if they have the same logo. Users of these pills therefore always take the risk of consuming pills with dangerous life-threatening ingredients. In many laboratories paramethoxyamphetamines are not detectable in routine analytical procedures. If the cause of an intoxication cannot be discovered by analytical routine methods, rarely occurring designer drugs such as PMA or PMMA should also be kept in mind.

PMMA
MDMA
History
Serotonin
Dopamine
MDMA/MDE
Entactogens
Empathogens
Drugs and reward
Phenylalkylamines
Protect and survive
PMMA (from PIHKAL)
Ecstasy and tryptophan
PMA and PMMA poisoning
Ecstasy and serotonin synthesis
MDMA, MBDB, fenfluramine, and MMAI

Refs
and further reading

HOME
HedWeb
Nootropics
cocaine.wiki
Future Opioids
BLTC Research
MDMA/Ecstasy
Superhapiness?
Utopian Surgery?
The Abolitionist Project
The Hedonistic Imperative
The Reproductive Revolution
Critique of Huxley's Brave New World

The Good Drug Guide
The Responsible Parent's Guide
To Healthy Mood Boosters For All The Family