MDAI, also known as 5,6-methylenedioxy-2-aminoindane, is an entactogendrug of the 2-aminoindane group which is related to MDMA and produces similar subjective effects.[4][5][6][1]
MDAI and other similar drugs have been widely used in scientific research, as they are able to replicate many of the effects of MDMA, but without causing the serotonergic neurotoxicity associated with MDMA and certain related drugs. No tests have been performed on cardiovascular toxicity.[12][13][14][15][16][17][18]
Recreational drug
MDAI has been advertised as a designer drug. It started to be sold online from around 2007, but reached peak popularity between about 2010 to 2012, after bans on mephedrone came into effect in various countries. Many internet-sourced products claimed to be MDAI have been shown to contain mephedrone or other substituted cathinone derivatives, while generally containing no MDAI. The number of internet searches for MDAI has been considerably higher in the United Kingdom compared to Germany and the United States.[11] MDAI is only non-neurotoxic in isolation but may become neurotoxic when mixed with other drugs.[19] Three deaths were linked to MDAI use in the UK during 2011–2012, all involving symptoms consistent with serotonin syndrome. Two of these also involved other drugs while one death appeared to be from MDAI alone.[7]
The family of drugs typified by MDMA produce their effects through multiple mechanisms of action in the body, and consequently produce three distinct cues which animals can be trained to respond to: a stimulant cue typified by drugs such as methamphetamine, a psychedelic cue typified by drugs such as LSD and DOM, and an "entactogen-like" cue which is produced by drugs such as MDAI and MBDB. These drugs cause drug-appropriate responses in animals trained to recognize the effects of MDMA, but do not produce responses in animals trained selectively to respond to stimulants or hallucinogens. Because these compounds selectively release serotonin in the brain but have little effect on dopamine or noradrenaline levels, they can produce empathogenic effects but without any stimulant action, instead being somewhat sedating.[28][29][30][31][32][33][34]
A 2024 study compared the effects of MDAI and MDMA in humans.[1] It found that MDAI produced comparable and very similar subjective effects to those of MDMA.[1] This included pleasurable drug effects, drug liking, stimulation, happiness, openness, trust, and closeness.[1] In addition, it included sense of well-being, emotional excitation, and extroversion, but not general activity or concentration, a profile of effects described as similar to that of MDMA.[1] Other effects included a blissful state, experience of unity, and changed meaning of percepts, also described as comparable to MDMA.[1] The effects of MDAI were slightly greater than those of 75mg MDMA and slightly lower than those of 125mg MDMA.[1] At the employed dose of 3.0mg/kg, with 125mg MDMA corresponding to 1.9mg/kg, it was estimated that MDAI had about 60% of MDMA's potency in producing comparable psychoactive effects (hence, roughly 200mg MDAI would be similar to 125mg MDMA).[1] Aside from subject effects, MDAI also increased blood pressure, cortisol levels, and prolactin levels similarly to MDMA.[1] Conversely, it did not increase heart rate or body temperature.[1]
Neurotoxicity
MDAI shows substantially lower serotonergic neurotoxicity than MDMA in animals and has been described as a "non-neurotoxic" analogue of MDMA.[7][8][9] However, MDAI still shows weak serotonergic neurotoxicity both alone and particularly in combination with amphetamine in animals.[7][8][9] As such, MDAI does not appear to be a fully non-neurotoxic alternative to MDMA.[7][8][9]
Toxicity
Very high doses can be fatal in rats with a 50% fatality rate for those subcutaneously injected with 28 mg/kg of MDAI. This is a result of the way serotonin release interferes with thermoregulation.[35]
Pharmacokinetics
The duration of MDAI in humans appears to be similar to that of MDMA at 2 to 5hours[4] or up to around 6hours.[1]
Chemistry
MDAI in powder form.
The chemical structure of MDAI is indirectly derived from that of the illicit drug MDA, but the α-methyl group of the alkylaminoamphetamine side chain has been bound back to the benzene nucleus to form an indane ring system, which changes its pharmacological properties substantially.
MDAI can be produced from 3-(3,4-methylenedioxyphenyl)propionic acid[12] which is converted to the acid chloride and then heated to produce 5,6-methylenedioxy-1-indanone. Treatment of the indanone with amyl nitrite in methanol with HCl afforded the hydroxyimino ketone. This is reduced to the 2-aminoindan following a modification of Nichols' earlier method from a paper discussing DOM analogues,[36] using a Pd/C catalyst in glacial acetic acid with catalytic H2SO4.
Society and culture
Legal Status
China
As of October 2015 MDAI is a controlled substance in China.[37]
Denmark
MDAI is illegal in Denmark as of September 2015.[38]
Finland
Scheduled in the "government decree on psychoactive substances banned from the consumer market".[39]
Switzerland
As of December 2011 MDAI is a controlled substance in Switzerland.[40]
^ abSainsbury PD, Kicman AT, Archer RP, King LA, Braithwaite RA (2011). "Aminoindanes--the next wave of 'legal highs'?". Drug Testing and Analysis. 3 (7–8). Wiley: 479–482. doi:10.1002/dta.318. PMID21748859.
^ abcdefCorkery JM, Elliott S, Schifano F, Corazza O, Ghodse AH (July 2013). "MDAI (5,6-methylenedioxy-2-aminoindane; 6,7-dihydro-5H-cyclopenta[f][1,3]benzodioxol-6-amine; 'sparkle'; 'mindy') toxicity: a brief overview and update". Human Psychopharmacology. 28 (4): 345–355. doi:10.1002/hup.2298. PMID23881883. S2CID12322724.
^ abcdJohnson MP, Huang XM, Nichols DE (December 1991). "Serotonin neurotoxicity in rats after combined treatment with a dopaminergic agent followed by a nonneurotoxic 3,4-methylenedioxymethamphetamine (MDMA) analogue". Pharmacol Biochem Behav. 40 (4): 915–922. doi:10.1016/0091-3057(91)90106-c. PMID1726189.
^ abJohnson MP, Conarty PF, Nichols DE (July 1991). "[3H]monoamine releasing and uptake inhibition properties of 3,4-methylenedioxymethamphetamine and p-chloroamphetamine analogues". European Journal of Pharmacology. 200 (1): 9–16. doi:10.1016/0014-2999(91)90659-e. PMID1685125.
^ abGallagher CT, Assi S, Stair JL, Fergus S, Corazza O, Corkery JM, et al. (March 2012). "5,6-Methylenedioxy-2-aminoindane: from laboratory curiosity to 'legal high'". Human Psychopharmacology. 27 (2): 106–112. doi:10.1002/hup.1255. PMID22389075. S2CID205924978.
^ abNichols DE, Brewster WK, Johnson MP, Oberlender R, Riggs RM (February 1990). "Nonneurotoxic tetralin and indan analogues of 3,4-(methylenedioxy)amphetamine (MDA)". Journal of Medicinal Chemistry. 33 (2): 703–10. doi:10.1021/jm00164a037. PMID1967651.
^Johnson MP, Frescas SP, Oberlender R, Nichols DE (May 1991). "Synthesis and pharmacological examination of 1-(3-methoxy-4-methylphenyl)-2-aminopropane and 5-methoxy-6-methyl-2-aminoindan: similarities to 3,4-(methylenedioxy)methamphetamine (MDMA)". Journal of Medicinal Chemistry. 34 (5): 1662–8. doi:10.1021/jm00109a020. PMID1674539.
^Johnson MP, Huang XM, Nichols DE (December 1991). "Serotonin neurotoxicity in rats after combined treatment with a dopaminergic agent followed by a nonneurotoxic 3,4-methylenedioxymethamphetamine (MDMA) analogue". Pharmacology, Biochemistry, and Behavior. 40 (4): 915–22. doi:10.1016/0091-3057(91)90106-c. PMID1726189. S2CID7199902.
^Sprague JE, Johnson MP, Schmidt CJ, Nichols DE (October 1996). "Studies on the mechanism of p-chloroamphetamine neurotoxicity". Biochemical Pharmacology. 52 (8): 1271–7. doi:10.1016/0006-2952(96)00482-0. PMID8937435.
^Cozzi NV, Frescas S, Marona-Lewicka D, Huang X, Nichols DE (March 1998). "Indan analogs of fenfluramine and norfenfluramine have reduced neurotoxic potential". Pharmacology, Biochemistry, and Behavior. 59 (3): 709–15. doi:10.1016/s0091-3057(97)00557-1. PMID9512076. S2CID41048219.
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^Pitts EG, Curry DW, Hampshire KN, Young MB, Howell LL (February 2018). "(±)-MDMA and its enantiomers: potential therapeutic advantages of R(-)-MDMA". Psychopharmacology. 235 (2): 377–392. doi:10.1007/s00213-017-4812-5. PMID29248945.
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