Designer Drugs

This chapter briefly looks at what are referred to as designer drugs. These are completely synthetic drugs with the goal to mimic effects of natural products. Cathinone is a natural product contained in the leaves of the khat plant (Catha edulis). It can exist as two enantiomers with the S enantiomer being more active than the R enantiomer. The normal dosage of 100-200 g of leaves has been reported to give effects similar to 5 mg of amphetamine. In animals, cathinone substitutes for amphetamine and can have reinforcing effects similar to cocaine. The use of “bath salts” or “plant food” became popular as a “legal” drug. They contain a mixture of the cathinone analogs mephedrone and methylone. The effect of the drugs is said to be similar to 3,4-methylenedioxy-methamphetamine (MDMA).