Abstract
The recreational use of 3, 4 methylenedioxymethamphetamine (ecstasy or MDMA) has increased dramatically over the past thirty years due to its ability to increase stamina and produce feelings of emotional closeness and wellbeing. In spite of the popular perception that MDMA is a safe drug, there is a large literature documenting that the drug can produce significant neurotoxicity, especially in serotonergic and catecholaminergic systems. There are also experimental and clinical data which document that MDMA can alter cardiovascular function and produce cardiac toxicity, including rhythm disturbances, infarction and sudden death. This manuscript will review the literature documenting the cardiovascular responses elicited by MDMA in humans and experimental animals and will examine the underlying mechanisms mediating these responses. We will also review the available clinical, autopsy and experimental data linking MDMA with cardiac toxicity. Most available data indicate that oxidative stress plays an important role in the cardiotoxic actions of MDMA. Moreover, new data indicates that redox active metabolites of MDMA may play especially important roles in MDMA induced toxicity.
Keywords: Blood pressure, cardiac toxicity, heart, 3,4 methylenedioxymethamphetamine, MDMA, oxidative stress
Current Pharmaceutical Biotechnology
Title: The Cardiovascular and Cardiac Actions of Ecstasy and its Metabolites
Volume: 11 Issue: 5
Author(s): S.K. Shenouda, F. Carvalho and K.J. Varner
Affiliation:
Keywords: Blood pressure, cardiac toxicity, heart, 3,4 methylenedioxymethamphetamine, MDMA, oxidative stress
Abstract: The recreational use of 3, 4 methylenedioxymethamphetamine (ecstasy or MDMA) has increased dramatically over the past thirty years due to its ability to increase stamina and produce feelings of emotional closeness and wellbeing. In spite of the popular perception that MDMA is a safe drug, there is a large literature documenting that the drug can produce significant neurotoxicity, especially in serotonergic and catecholaminergic systems. There are also experimental and clinical data which document that MDMA can alter cardiovascular function and produce cardiac toxicity, including rhythm disturbances, infarction and sudden death. This manuscript will review the literature documenting the cardiovascular responses elicited by MDMA in humans and experimental animals and will examine the underlying mechanisms mediating these responses. We will also review the available clinical, autopsy and experimental data linking MDMA with cardiac toxicity. Most available data indicate that oxidative stress plays an important role in the cardiotoxic actions of MDMA. Moreover, new data indicates that redox active metabolites of MDMA may play especially important roles in MDMA induced toxicity.
Export Options
About this article
Cite this article as:
Shenouda S.K., Carvalho F. and Varner K.J., The Cardiovascular and Cardiac Actions of Ecstasy and its Metabolites, Current Pharmaceutical Biotechnology 2010; 11 (5) . https://dx.doi.org/10.2174/138920110791591526
DOI https://dx.doi.org/10.2174/138920110791591526 |
Print ISSN 1389-2010 |
Publisher Name Bentham Science Publisher |
Online ISSN 1873-4316 |
Call for Papers in Thematic Issues
Artificial Intelligence in Bioinformatics
Bioinformatics is an interdisciplinary field that analyzes and explores biological data. This field combines biology and information system. Artificial Intelligence (AI) has attracted great attention as it tries to replicate human intelligence. It has become common technology for analyzing and solving complex data and problems and encompasses sub-fields of machine ...read more
- Author Guidelines
- Graphical Abstracts
- Fabricating and Stating False Information
- Research Misconduct
- Post Publication Discussions and Corrections
- Publishing Ethics and Rectitude
- Increase Visibility of Your Article
- Archiving Policies
- Peer Review Workflow
- Order Your Article Before Print
- Promote Your Article
- Manuscript Transfer Facility
- Editorial Policies
- Allegations from Whistleblowers
Related Articles
-
Ectodomain Shedding of ACE and ACE2 as Regulators of Their Protein Functions
Current Enzyme Inhibition Calcium Handling and Arrhythmogenesis
Medicinal Chemistry Mitochondrial Dysfunction and Targeted Drugs: A Focus on Diabetes
Current Pharmaceutical Design Prospects of Non-Coding Elements in Genomic DNA Based Gene Therapy
Current Gene Therapy Crosstalk between Oxidative and Nitrosative Stress and Arterial Stiffness
Current Vascular Pharmacology Markers of Atherosclerotic Disease: What do they Mean? Current Opinion and Future Trends
Current Pharmaceutical Design Understanding Abnormal c-JNK/p38MAPK Signaling in Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis: Potential Drug Targets and Influences on Neurological Disorders
CNS & Neurological Disorders - Drug Targets Evaluation of the Antioxidant and Antidiabetic Potential of the Poly Herbal Formulation: Identification of Bioactive Factors
Cardiovascular & Hematological Agents in Medicinal Chemistry Antioxidants in the Practice of Medicine; What Should the Clinician Know?
Cardiovascular & Hematological Disorders-Drug Targets Metformin and Anti-Cancer Therapeutics: Hopes for a More Enhanced Armamentarium Against Human Neoplasias?
Current Medicinal Chemistry Oxidative and Inflammatory Events in Prion Diseases: Can They Be Therapeutic Targets?
Current Aging Science Small Transthyretin (TTR) Ligands as Possible Therapeutic Agents in TTR Amyloidoses
Current Drug Targets - CNS & Neurological Disorders Lifestyle Changes and Surgical Treatment for Hypertension in the Elderly
Cardiovascular & Hematological Agents in Medicinal Chemistry Bioenergetics and Mitochondrial Dysfunction in Aging: Recent Insights for a Therapeutical Approach
Current Pharmaceutical Design PPARγ Activation Improves the Molecular and Functional Components of Ito Remodeling by Angiotensin II
Current Pharmaceutical Design Therapeutic Management of COVID-19 Patients: Clinical Manifestation and Limitations
Current Pharmaceutical Design Cardiac Amyloid - A Hidden Contributor to Cardiac Dysfunction Following Cardiac Surgery: Case Report and Literature Review
Current Cardiology Reviews Current Status of Anti-Picornavirus Therapies
Current Pharmaceutical Design Value of Carnitine Therapy in Kidney Dialysis Patients and Effects on Cardiac Function from Human and Animal Studies
Current Drug Targets Progression of Renal Dysfunction in Patients with Cardiovascular Disease
Current Cardiology Reviews