From: [j m t 0165] at [u.cc.utah.edu] (Jon Taylor)
Newsgroups: alt.drugs
Subject: Second revision of my MDMA FAQ
Date: 7 Jan 1994 15:51:38 -0700
Ding Ding. Round Two... this thing is actually pretty close to
finished (except for the inclusion from time to time of little bits o' info
as I run across them, of course). Thanks to all who gave me info.
Changes in this revision:
-Spell checked it, finally |->
-Fixed the two errors in the synthesis (glad I found out about that. *BOOM*!)
-Added info about SSRI antidepressants and their interaction with MDMA
-Added info about alcohol worsening MDMA dehydration
-Fix a bunch of miscellaneous grammar errors and the like (still not perfect)
/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\
MDMA Frequently Asked Questions List
Written By: Jon M. Taylor ([j m t 0165] at [u.cc.utah.edu])
Last Updated: 1-7-94
Table of Contents:
==================
I. Introduction
-Disclaimer
-Credits
II. Overview
-General (What it is, what it looks like, what it costs, where it's found,
methods of ingestion, legal status)
-Dosage and effects (description of the effects)
-Contraindications and overdose information
-How to have a good time
III. Chemistry
-General (Chemical abbreviation, full name, structural diagram)
-Synthesis information
IV. Miscellany
-Rumor Control
-Analogues and related compounds
===============================================================================
I. Introduction
===============
Disclaimer:
-----------
This file is an attempt to codify the large amount of information about
MDMA that is floating around on the net in various stages of organization into
one easy-to-read document. Ideally, everything that anyone would want to know
about MDMA would be included in this document. In practice, there will always
be some useful bit of information that I either forgot to include or didn't
know about. If you find anything that you feel should be added, changed,
deleted, or properly accredited, let me know.
This FAQ list is provided for informational purposes ONLY. I do not
advocate the use of anything described in this document, and accept NO
responsibility for any harm that might occur as a result of acting on any of
the information contained here. I have made every effort to ensure the
validity of the information contained in this document, but I cannot guarantee
100% accuracy. Read at your own risk.
Credits:
--------
Many people on the net have provided, knowingly or not, much of the
information that went into making this FAQ list. In particular, the largest
contributors were:
David Honig ([d--on--g] at [ics.uci.edu]), assembler of the first proto-FAQ for
MDMA,
Lamont Granquist ([lamon t g] at [cs.washington.edu]), provider of the ASCII
molecular diagram and all-around useful information source, and
Chris Klausemier (?), manager of the current ALT.DRUGS ftp site, where I
got most of the info that went into this FAQ,
===============================================================================
II. Overview
General:
--------
MDMA (also commonly known as Ecstacy, X, E, XTC, Adam, etc.) is a drug.
In it's pure form, it is a white crystalline powder. It usually either seen in
powder or capsule form. Common methods of ingestion are swallowing or
snorting, although it can be smoked or injected as well. Currently, MDMA is
DEA schedule I, and is illegal to manufacture, possess or sell.
Dosage and Effects:
-------------------
An average dose of MDMA is around 100-150 milligrams (orally). If it is
eaten, the effects will manifest themselves at about 45 minutes after
ingestion; snorting, smoking or injecting it produce instantaneous effects.
Physical effects last about 8 hours. Mental effects last much longer, trailing
off over a period of 1-2 days.
The physical effects of MDMA are pretty much the same as the physical
effects of amphetamines. These include hyperexcitability, extreme nervousness,
accelerated heartbeat, sweating, dizziness, restlessness, insomnia, tooth
grinding and incessant talking.
The mental effects include enactogenesis (a feeling that everything is
good, right or "makes sense"), empathogenesis (a feeling of emotional closeness
to others coupled with a breakdown of communication barriers), mild visual
hallucinations similar to those generated by a small amount of LSD, and an
enhancement and distortion of the senses.
Contraindications and overdose information:
------------------------------------------
MDMA is a fairly safe drug, as long as you keep track of what your body is
telling you. The euphoria that it induces can make it easy to ignore bodily
distress signals, so be very watchful for things like dehydration, muscle
cramping, dizziness, exhaustion or overexertion. An MDMA overdose is
characterized by panic attacks, severe muscle cramping, fainting, and in an
extreme situation seizures or coma. If experiencing any of these symptoms, sit
down, rest, and drink some water or a gatorade-type sports drink. People with
a history of high blood pressure, heart trouble, stroke or hypersensitivity to
drugs should not use MDMA, or should at the very least start with a much lower
than average dose. Also, MDMA *should not ever* be combined with Monoamine
Oxidase Inhibitors (MAOIs). These are usually found in prescribed
antidepressants, but if you are taking ANY prescription medication you should
first check the label to see if it is a MAOI before combining it with MDMA.
Also be aware that some antidepressants (most notably Prozac and Zoloft) can
inhibit some of the effects of MDMA.
Combining MDMA and other recreational drugs is a popular activity. Here
is a chart of commonly encountered drugs and some of their reactions when
combined with MDMA:
Drug | Reaction Information
===============================================================================
Marijuana | No dangerous reactions.
--------------|----------------------------------------------------------------
LSD or other | No dangerous reactions.
hallucinogens |
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Amphetamines | Amphetamine overdosage probability is dramatically increased.
| strongly discouraged.
--------------|----------------------------------------------------------------
Cocaine | Same as Amphetamines.
--------------|----------------------------------------------------------------
Heroin or | No dangerous reaction, but the stimulant effect of the MDMA may
other opiates | mask this drug's sedative effect and increase OD likelihood.
--------------|----------------------------------------------------------------
Tobacco | No dangerous reactions.
--------------|----------------------------------------------------------------
Alcohol | Same as Heroin, also can dangerously exacerbate the dehydration
| that MDMA normally causes. Not recommended.
--------------|----------------------------------------------------------------
Note that this chart does not cover cross-reactions of mental effects.
This will be covered in the next section on "How to have a good time".
How to have a good time:
------------------------
MDMA is used by different people for different things. Because the drug
has such a wide range of effects, it can add to almost any activity. Here are
some of the more common activities than people take MDMA and engage in.
By far the most common setting for an MDMA trip is a rave. A rave is a
dance club, usually primitive and set in places like warehouses or garages, in
which the music is primarily of a type known as 'spin'. Spin is basically
techno music that is played extremely fast and without stopping. Ravers
usually dance for long periods of time, an activity in which the amphetamine-
like effects of MDMA play a large part. Raves are also a place where people
who want to be around lots of others who are also on MDMA can go. The whole
atmosphere of a Rave is designed around the MDMA experience, so they can be
very fun places to go.
Since MDMA can catalyze a broad range of psychotherapeutic mental effects
(surfacing of repressed memories, dealing with emotional problems, etc.),
MDMAers sometimes will trip by themselves and spend the experience thinking
about their problems. It has been said that "one hit of X [MDMA] is worth 3
months of conventional psychotherapy". Whether that is an exaggeration or not,
MDMA has been praised by many psychotherapists as a very effective means of
dealing with personal issues. People who favor this MDMA experience often will
want to talk to other people they are close to in order to discuss some of
their personal issues that the MDMA has made them more aware of.
MDMA is also sometimes used for some of the same things that amphetamines
are used for, typically activities that require concentration, motivation,
creativity or energy. Doing homework, studying, playing video games, dieting,
writing, and driving long distances are just some of the many activities that
the stimulant effects of MDMA can make easier or more enjoyable. Warning -
some of these activities could be hazardous if taken to an extreme. Always
listen to what your body is telling you and use your better judgement.
The sensory distortion of MDMA can make sensual activities very enjoyable.
Touching can become such an intensely pleasurable sensation that close personal
contact (sexual or otherwise) can be very fun, especially when coupled with
MDMA's empathogenic effects. Hugging someone and running your hands over them
are such a common thing to see people on MDMA doing that it is known to some as
the 'Hug Drug'. Eating and drinking, smelling flowers and even going to the
bathroom can become very entertaining on MDMA.
The above are just some of the many activities that can be enjoyed more
fully while on MDMA. Use your imagination, and many others will occur to you.
MDMA can also be mixed with other drugs for a different experience. The
health hazards of each of these combinations were discussed in the section on
contraindications. Here are the mental effects: (not that this is based on
subjective information. Personal reactions may differ.)
Drug | Information
===============================================================================
Marijuana | Fun, but can cloud the mental effects of the MDMA. Have to
| smoke more before you notice it.
--------------|----------------------------------------------------------------
LSD or other | Can go very well together. LSD and MDMA is commonly known as
hallucinogens | "candyflipping". Never tried it.
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Amphetamines | You're already speeding. Why bother? Health risks noted in
| contraindications section. NOTE: I have been told that the
| duration of the mental effects of MDMA can be extended using
| amphetamines after coming down off the MDMA. Never tried it.
--------------|----------------------------------------------------------------
Cocaine | Same as Amphetamines.
--------------|----------------------------------------------------------------
Heroin or | Haven't tried it or heard from anyone who has.
other opiates |
--------------|----------------------------------------------------------------
Tobacco | Tastes REALLY good |->. Easy to smoke way too many cigs.
--------------|----------------------------------------------------------------
Alcohol | Sometimes helps if the amphetamine-like effects get too harsh.
| Other than that, MDMA is better than alcohol for every reason
| you'd drink (social lubricant and all that).
--------------|----------------------------------------------------------------
===============================================================================
III. Chemistry
==============
General
-------
MDMA is (3,4-Methylenedioxymethamphetamine). The structure of the
molecule (insofar as it can be rendered using ASCII) is this:
O /\ /\ NHCH3
/ \ / \ / \ /
/ | | |
CH2 | | CH3
\ | |
\ / \ /
O \/
Synthesis:
----------
NOTE: This is the simplest synthesis I have run across. If you can't
understand this, give up on trying it. Oil of sassafras (from which safrole,
the primary precursor in this synthesis, is extracted) can be purchased at many
health food or herbal-type stores, and can also be extracted from sassafras
itself fairly simply.
Manufacture of "Ecstacy"
from Chemical Abstracts 52, 11965 (1958)
Safrole, an allyl benzene, occurs naturally in oil of sassafras, about 70%. Can
be extracted with simple distillation. It is converted to isosafrole (a
propenyl benzene) by adding equal weight of KOH flakes and absolute ethanol and
heating on steam bath or refluxing for 24 hours; dried and evaporated in vacuum
or added with two time its volume in water and extracted with ether or
methylene chloride and dried, evaporated in vacuum. Hexane is used for
recrystalization.
This formula is exemplified for MDA (3,4-Methylenedioxy-phenylisopropylamine);
substituting N-methyl formamide results in MDMA or N-methyl MDA (Ecstacy).
To a cooled mixture of 34 g 30% H2O2 and 150 g formic acid, add dropwise a
solution of 32.4 g (0.2M) isosafrole in 120 ml acetone, (keep temperature below
30 degrees).
Let stand twelve hours and evacuate in vacuum. Add 60 ml methanol and 360 g
15% sulfuric acid to the residue and heat on a water bath three hours. Cool,
extract with ether or benzene and evaporate in vacuum the extract to give 20 g
3,4,-methylenedioxybenzylmethyl ketone.
Add 23 g of above ketone to 65 g formamide and heat at 190 degrees for five
hours. Cool, add 100 ml H2o, extract with benzene and evaporate in vacuum the
extract. Add 8 ml methanol and 75 ml 15% HCL to residue, heat on water bath
two hours and evaporate in vacuum (or basify with KOH and extract the oil with
benzene and dry, evaporate in vacuum) to get 11.7 g MDA.
The above occurs as a yellowish brown oil; this is active orally, but somewhat
inconvenient; to convert to powder (salt) form, reflux in Hydrochloric acid and
evaporate.
===============================================================================
IV. Miscellany
==============
Rumor Control
-------------
There is a lot of misinformation out there about MDMA. Here are some
commonly heard rumors and what the facts are about each one of them.
Rumor #1: MDMA drains your spinal fluid, ruins your back, etc.
Untrue. A spinal tap, which lots of MDMA users who had tests run on them
had done to them DO drain the spinal fluid temporarily. The actual drug
itself, however, does not. The amphetamine-like effects may cause soreness or
cramping of various muscles, but this is no more serious than normal back
strain.
Rumor #2: MDMA causes brain damage, parkinson's disease, etc.
Untrue, at least in the sense that most people view brain damage (gross
noticeable symptoms). There is some controversy over whether MDMA causes some
neuronal damage (see rumor #3), but MDMA definitely does NOT cause parkinson's
disease or any noticeable form of gross brain damage. This rumor got started
because of a mix-up by a journalist between MDMA and MPTP (which is a product
of an error in the manufacture of a synthetic opiate, and has *no* relation at
all to MDMA).
Rumor #3: MDMA causes bursting of the axons on 5-HT uptake neurons.
The jury is still out on this one. The 5-HT (serotonin) uptake neurons
are the receptor sites that MDMA bonds to in the brain, and experiments done on
lab rats seem to suggest that the axons at those sites may become damaged as a
result of MDMA use. However, no noticeable symptoms have been observed as a
result of this in either rats or humans, and a common prescription weight-loss
drug (fenfleuramine) produces 3 times the amount of the same kind of damage and
has never been linked to any form of brain dysfunction. Even if it DOES occur,
however, there is a possibility that this "damage" actually stimulates the
(re?)growth of the 5-HT axons and causes development in the 5-HT system which
normally stops in adolescence. It is, therefore, possible that this "damage"
is actually the mechanism of action of the psychotherapeutic effects of MDMA.
If you're really paranoid, there is evidence that most of this "damage" may be
prevented by taking some Prozac or Zoloft (see the section on contraindictions)
about 3 hours after taking the MDMA. However, this might dampen some of the
mental effects as well.
Analogues and related compounds:
------------------------------
MDMA has several chemical "cousins" which have different effects. Here
are descriptions of some of the more common ones:
MDA (3,4-methylenedioxyamphetamine):
MDA was popular for a while during the 70s, when it was known as the 'Love
Drug' (a nickname sometimes associated with MDMA as well). It is similar to
MDMA in its effects, but is more like LSD in that it also give the user full-on
visual hallucinations and is much more mentally disorienting.
MDE (N-ethyl-MDA):
Commonly called "Eve" (if MDMA is "Adam", MDE is "Eve", get it?), MDE can
be described as MDMA without any amphetamine-like effects.
MMDA (3-methoxy-4,5-MDA):
Not sure on this one, but it is probably similar to MDA.
===============================================================================
End of FAQ.
From: [j m t 0165] at [u.cc.utah.edu] (Jon Taylor)
Newsgroups: alt.drugs
Subject: Latest version of MDMA FAQ
Date: 9 Jan 1994 19:39:23 -0700
MDMA Frequently Asked Questions List
Written By: Jon M. Taylor ([j m t 0165] at [u.cc.utah.edu])
Last Updated: 1-9-94
Changes since last update:
- Added history of MDMA
- Replaced strucural diagram with a better-looking one
- Re-wrote the section on raves
- Added average price info
Table of Contents:
==================
I. Introduction
- Disclaimer
- Credits
II. Overview
- General (What it is, what it looks like, what it costs, where it's found,
methods of ingestion, legal status, history)
- Dosage and effects (description of the effects)
- Contraindications and overdose information
- How to have a good time
III. Chemistry
- General (Chemical abbreviation, full name, structural diagram)
- Synthesis information
IV. Miscellany
- Rumor Control
- Analogues and related compounds
===============================================================================
I. Introduction
===============
Disclaimer:
-----------
This file is an attempt to codify the large amount of information about
MDMA that is floating around on the net in various stages of organization into
one easy-to-read document. Ideally, everything that anyone would want to know
about MDMA would be included in this document. In practice, there will always
be some useful bit of information that I either forgot to include or didn't
know about. If you find anything that you feel should be added, changed,
deleted, or properly accredited, let me know.
This FAQ list is provided for informational purposes ONLY. I do not
advocate the use of anything described in this document, and accept NO
responsibility for any harm that might occur as a result of acting on any of
the information contained here. I have made every effort to ensure the
validity of the information contained in this document, but I cannot guarantee
100% accuracy. Read at your own risk.
Credits:
--------
Many people on the net have provided, knowingly or not, much of the
information that went into making this FAQ list. In particular, the largest
contributors were:
David Honig ([d--on--g] at [ics.uci.edu]), assembler of the first proto-FAQ for
MDMA,
Lamont Granquist ([lamon t g] at [cs.washington.edu]), provider of the ASCII
molecular diagram and all-around useful information source, and
Chris Klausemier (?), manager of the current ALT.DRUGS ftp site, where I
got most of the info that went into this FAQ,
===============================================================================
II. Overview
General:
--------
MDMA (also commonly known as Ecstacy, X, E, XTC, Adam, etc.) is a drug.
In it's pure form, it is a white crystalline powder. It usually either seen in
powder or capsule form. Average cost ranges from $10-$30 a hit. Common
methods of ingestion are swallowing or snorting, although it can be smoked or
injected as well. Currently, MDMA is DEA schedule I, and is illegal to
manufacture, possess or sell.
MDA, an analog of MDMA, was first synthesized in 1917 by the Parke-Davis
company as an appetite supressant. Because of the "adverse" mental effects of
the drug, it was not marketed and the patent expired. The drug first surfaced
as a recreational drug in the late 1960s, and MDMA followed soon thereafter.
Dosage and Effects:
-------------------
An average dose of MDMA is around 100-150 milligrams (orally). If it is
eaten, the effects will manifest themselves at about 45 minutes after
ingestion; snorting, smoking or injecting it produce instantaneous effects.
Physical effects last about 8 hours. Mental effects last much longer, trailing
off over a period of 1-2 days.
The physical effects of MDMA are pretty much the same as the physical
effects of amphetamines. These include hyperexcitability, extreme nervousness,
accelerated heartbeat, sweating, dizziness, restlessness, insomnia, tooth
grinding and incessant talking.
The mental effects include enactogenesis (a feeling that everything is
good, right or "makes sense"), empathogenesis (a feeling of emotional closeness
to others coupled with a breakdown of communication barriers), mild visual
hallucinations similar to those generated by a small amount of LSD, and an
enhancement and distortion of the senses.
Contraindications and overdose information:
------------------------------------------
MDMA is a fairly safe drug, as long as you keep track of what your body is
telling you. The euphoria that it induces can make it easy to ignore bodily
distress signals, so be very watchful for things like dehydration, muscle
cramping, dizziness, exhaustion or overexertion. An MDMA overdose is
characterized by panic attacks, severe muscle cramping, fainting, and in an
extreme situation seizures or coma. If experiencing any of these symptoms, sit
down, rest, and drink some water or a gatorade-type sports drink. People with
a history of high blood pressure, heart trouble, stroke or hypersensitivity to
drugs should not use MDMA, or should at the very least start with a much lower
than average dose. Also, MDMA *should not ever* be combined with Monoamine
Oxidase Inhibitors (MAOIs). These are usually found in prescribed
antidepressants, but if you are taking ANY prescription medication you should
first check the label to see if it is a MAOI before combining it with MDMA.
Also be aware that some antidepressants (most notably Prozac and Zoloft) can
inhibit some of the effects of MDMA.
Combining MDMA and other recreational drugs is a popular activity. Here
is a chart of commonly encountered drugs and some of their reactions when
combined with MDMA:
Drug | Reaction Information
===============================================================================
Marijuana | No dangerous reactions.
--------------|----------------------------------------------------------------
LSD or other | No dangerous reactions.
hallucinogens |
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Amphetamines | Amphetamine overdosage probability is dramatically increased.
| strongly discouraged.
--------------|----------------------------------------------------------------
Cocaine | Same as Amphetamines.
--------------|----------------------------------------------------------------
Heroin or | No dangerous reaction, but the stimulant effect of the MDMA may
other opiates | mask this drug's sedative effect and increase OD likelihood.
--------------|----------------------------------------------------------------
Tobacco | No dangerous reactions.
--------------|----------------------------------------------------------------
Alcohol | Same as Heroin, also can dangerously exacerbate the dehydration
| that MDMA normally causes. Not recommended.
--------------|----------------------------------------------------------------
Note that this chart does not cover cross-reactions of mental effects.
This will be covered in the next section on "How to have a good time".
How to have a good time:
------------------------
MDMA is used by different people for different things. Because the drug
has such a wide range of effects, it can add to almost any activity. Here are
some of the more common activities than people take MDMA and engage in.
One of the most common setting for an MDMA trip is a rave, which is a type
of dance club. Ravers on MDMA usually dance for long periods of time, an
activity in which the amphetamine-like effects of MDMA play a large part.
Raves are also a place where people who want to be around lots of others who
are also on MDMA can go. The whole atmosphere of a Rave is condusive to
enjoying the MDMA experience, so they can be very fun places to go. For more
info on raves, subscribe to the newsgroup ALT.RAVE or FTP the ALT.RAVE FAQ from
TECHNO.STANFORD.EDU.
Since MDMA can catalyze a broad range of psychotherapeutic mental effects
(surfacing of repressed memories, dealing with emotional problems, etc.),
MDMAers sometimes will trip by themselves and spend the experience thinking
about their problems. It has been said that "one hit of X [MDMA] is worth 3
months of conventional psychotherapy". Whether that is an exaggeration or not,
MDMA has been praised by many psychotherapists as a very effective means of
dealing with personal issues. People who favor this MDMA experience often will
want to talk to other people they are close to in order to discuss some of
their personal issues that the MDMA has made them more aware of.
MDMA is also sometimes used for some of the same things that amphetamines
are used for, typically activities that require concentration, motivation,
creativity or energy. Doing homework, studying, playing video games, dieting,
writing, and driving long distances are just some of the many activities that
the stimulant effects of MDMA can make easier or more enjoyable. Warning -
some of these activities could be hazardous if taken to an extreme. Always
listen to what your body is telling you and use your better judgement.
The sensory distortion of MDMA can make sensual activities very enjoyable.
Touching can become such an intensely pleasurable sensation that close personal
contact (sexual or otherwise) can be very fun, especially when coupled with
MDMA's empathogenic effects. Hugging someone and running your hands over them
are such a common thing to see people on MDMA doing that it is known to some as
the 'Hug Drug'. Eating and drinking, smelling flowers and even going to the
bathroom can become very entertaining on MDMA.
The above are just some of the many activities that can be enjoyed more
fully while on MDMA. Use your imagination, and many others will occur to you.
MDMA can also be mixed with other drugs for a different experience. The
health hazards of each of these combinations were discussed in the section on
contraindications. Here are the mental effects: (not that this is based on
subjective information. Personal reactions may differ.)
Drug | Information
===============================================================================
Marijuana | Fun, but can cloud the mental effects of the MDMA. Have to
| smoke more before you notice it.
--------------|----------------------------------------------------------------
LSD or other | Can go very well together. LSD and MDMA is commonly known as
hallucinogens | "candyflipping". Never tried it.
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Amphetamines | You're already speeding. Why bother? Health risks noted in
| contraindications section. NOTE: I have been told that the
| duration of the mental effects of MDMA can be extended using
| amphetamines after coming down off the MDMA. Never tried it.
--------------|----------------------------------------------------------------
Cocaine | Same as Amphetamines.
--------------|----------------------------------------------------------------
Heroin or | Haven't tried it or heard from anyone who has.
other opiates |
--------------|----------------------------------------------------------------
Tobacco | Tastes REALLY good |->. Easy to smoke way too many cigs.
--------------|----------------------------------------------------------------
Alcohol | Sometimes helps if the amphetamine-like effects get too harsh.
| Other than that, MDMA is better than alcohol for every reason
| you'd drink (social lubricant and all that).
--------------|----------------------------------------------------------------
===============================================================================
III. Chemistry
==============
General
-------
MDMA is (3,4-Methylenedioxymethamphetamine). The structure of the
molecule (insofar as it can be rendered using ASCII) is this:
From: Chemical & Engineering News. September 9, 1985.
"3,4-methylenedioxymethamphetamine (MDMA)....
H H
\ /
C
/ \
O O
\ /
-----
// \\
'< >`
\ /
=====
\
/
H C--<
3 \
NHCH
3
Synthesis:
----------
NOTE: This is the simplest synthesis I have run across. It was taken from
_Psychedelic Chemistry_ by Michael Valentine Smith. Be aware that this
synthesis in the book had two typos that I have fixed here, one of which will
cause an *explosion* if followed. If you can't understand this, give up on
trying it. Oil of sassafras (from which safrole, the primary precursor in this
synthesis, is extracted) can be purchased at many health food or herbal-type
stores, and can also be extracted from sassafras itself fairly simply.
Manufacture of "Ecstacy"
from Chemical Abstracts 52, 11965 (1958)
Safrole, an allyl benzene, occurs naturally in oil of sassafras, about 70%. Can
be extracted with simple distillation. It is converted to isosafrole (a
propenyl benzene) by adding equal weight of KOH flakes and absolute ethanol and
heating on steam bath or refluxing for 24 hours; dried and evaporated in vacuum
or added with two time its volume in water and extracted with ether or
methylene chloride and dried, evaporated in vacuum. Hexane is used for
recrystalization.
This formula is exemplified for MDA (3,4-Methylenedioxy-phenylisopropylamine);
substituting N-methyl formamide results in MDMA or N-methyl MDA (Ecstacy).
To a cooled mixture of 34 g 30% H2O2 and 150 g formic acid, add dropwise a
solution of 32.4 g (0.2M) isosafrole in 120 ml acetone, (keep temperature below
30 degrees).
Let stand twelve hours and evacuate in vacuum. Add 60 ml methanol and 360 g
15% sulfuric acid to the residue and heat on a water bath three hours. Cool,
extract with ether or benzene and evaporate in vacuum the extract to give 20 g
3,4,-methylenedioxybenzylmethyl ketone.
Add 23 g of above ketone to 65 g formamide and heat at 190 degrees for five
hours. Cool, add 100 ml H2o, extract with benzene and evaporate in vacuum the
extract. Add 8 ml methanol and 75 ml 15% HCL to residue, heat on water bath
two hours and evaporate in vacuum (or basify with KOH and extract the oil with
benzene and dry, evaporate in vacuum) to get 11.7 g MDA.
The above occurs as a yellowish brown oil; this is active orally, but somewhat
inconvenient; to convert to powder (salt) form, reflux in Hydrochloric acid and
evaporate.
===============================================================================
IV. Miscellany
==============
Rumor Control
-------------
There is a lot of misinformation out there about MDMA. Here are some
commonly heard rumors and what the facts are about each one of them.
Rumor #1: MDMA drains your spinal fluid, ruins your back, etc.
Untrue. A spinal tap, which lots of MDMA users who had tests run on them
had done to them DO drain the spinal fluid temporarily. The actual drug
itself, however, does not. The amphetamine-like effects may cause soreness or
cramping of various muscles, but this is no more serious than normal back
strain.
Rumor #2: MDMA causes brain damage, parkinson's disease, etc.
Untrue, at least in the sense that most people view brain damage (gross
noticeable symptoms). There is some controversy over whether MDMA causes some
neuronal damage (see rumor #3), but MDMA definitely does NOT cause parkinson's
disease or any noticeable form of gross brain damage. This rumor got started
because of a mix-up by a journalist between MDMA and MPTP (which is a product
of an error in the manufacture of a synthetic opiate, and has *no* relation at
all to MDMA).
Rumor #3: MDMA causes bursting of the axons on 5-HT uptake neurons.
The jury is still out on this one. The 5-HT (serotonin) uptake neurons
are the receptor sites that MDMA bonds to in the brain, and experiments done on
lab rats seem to suggest that the axons at those sites may become damaged as a
result of MDMA use. However, no noticeable symptoms have been observed as a
result of this in either rats or humans, and a common prescription weight-loss
drug (fenfleuramine) produces 3 times the amount of the same kind of damage and
has never been linked to any form of brain dysfunction. Even if it DOES occur,
however, there is a possibility that this "damage" actually stimulates the
(re?)growth of the 5-HT axons and causes development in the 5-HT system which
normally stops in adolescence. It is, therefore, possible that this "damage"
is actually the mechanism of action of the psychotherapeutic effects of MDMA.
If you're really paranoid, most of this "damage" may be prevented by taking
some Prozac or Zoloft (see the section on contraindictions) about 3 hours after
taking the MDMA.
Analogues and related compounds:
------------------------------
MDMA has several chemical "cousins" which have different effects. Here
are descriptions of some of the more common ones:
MDA (3,4-methylenedioxyamphetamine):
MDA was popular for a while during the 70s, when it was known as the 'Love
Drug' (a nickname sometimes associated with MDMA as well). It is similar to
MDMA in its effects, but is more like LSD in that it also give the user full-on
visual hallucinations and is much more mentally disorienting.
MDE (N-ethyl-MDA):
Commonly called "Eve" (if MDMA is "Adam", MDE is "Eve", get it?), MDE can
be described as MDMA without any amphetamine-like effects.
MMDA (3-methoxy-4,5-MDA):
Not sure on this one, but it is probably similar to MDA.
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End of FAQ.