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- From: u9264582@wumpus.cc.uow.edu.au (The RadioDog)
- Newsgroups: alt.drugs
- Subject: FWD : Analysis of current `extasy'
- Date: 1 Feb 1994 09:54:42 +1100
- Message-ID: <2ik27i$4ro@wumpus.cc.uow.edu.au>
-
- Forwarded from the Ausrave mailing list
-
- ______________________________________________________________
- An Analysis of "Hearts", a Tablet Illicitly Sold as "Ecstasy".
- ______________________________________________________________
-
- Introduction:
-
- In recent months, observers have noticed an increase in the availablility
- of tablets sold illicitly as "ecstasy", supposedly methylenedioxy
- methamphetamine (MDMA), in Sydney. One form which has often been reported
- is known as "Hearts", and appears as a white tablet about 0.5cm in
- diameter, with a heart shaped emblem imprinted. A large number of these
- tablets were made available close to New Years Eve. Some experienced
- users claimed that the effect of the tablets was "smacky", i.e.
- they thought that it contained heroin in addition to MDMA.
-
- Up until a few months ago, in the Netherlands, the MDMA analogue
- N-ethyl methylenedioxyamphetamine (MDE, MDEA, Eve) was legal and
- freely available. With the banning of this substance, it would seem
- reasonable that the newly illicit stockpiles should have been distributed
- around the world. In recent years, quality MDMA has been rare in
- Sydney, and sales of adulterated or forged samples have correspondingly
- been rife. However, there have been persistant rumours of recent
- "ecstasy" supplies having their origin in the Netherlands, and indeed
- this has been used as a marketing point; people tending to believe
- that if it is imported, it is more likely to contain MDMA. All this
- suggests a possible link between recent "ecstasy" in supplies Sydney
- and Dutch MDE, so it is of great interest to analyse a sample of the drug.
-
- Experimental:
-
- 0.0398g of powdered "heart" tablet was suspended in 20ml H2O. The
- supernatant was placed in a separating funnel with 20ml CH2Cl2, and
- the residue re-extracted with ca.10ml H2O. To the combined extracts
- in the funnel were added 2ml 25% NH3. After shaking, the CH2Cl2
- layer was separated, and a further three CH2Cl2 extracts of
- approximately equal volume were taken. These four extracts were
- combined, and evaporated under vacuum to yield 0.0121g of basic
- extract as a pale yellow oil. TLC on silica using butanol/acetic acid/
- water (4:1:1) gave a single ninhydrin positive spot (violet, rf 0.55),
- indicating the probable presence of only one major component.
- The H1 NMR spectrum of the sample was taken, and found to
- correspond identically with an authentic sample of pure MDE
- having been worked up in the same manner. There was no evidence
- to suggest the presence of MDMA, or other amphetamines.
-
- Conclusion:
-
- The tablets known as "hearts" and sold as "ecstasy" have been found
- to contain at least 36% N-ethyl methylenedioxy amphetamine (MDE)
- (calculated as the hydrochloride salt). No other active substances
- were found. It is quite possible that the sample had its origin in
- the Netherlands.
-
- ___________________________________________________________________
-
- Subjective differences between MDE and MDMA:
-
- While the effects of these two substances are sufficiently similar
- to make differentiation difficult, there are some significant subjective
- differences. MDE is somewhat less potent than MDMA, a typical dose
- being in the range 100-160mg (as opposed to 80-140mg). At large
- doses, MDE may resemble MDA (methylenedioxy amphetamine), although its
- psychedelic effects are less; it is a "stoning" intoxicant, and in
- particular can make walking or dancing difficult. Large doses of MDMA
- can have a similar effect, although it seems that somewhat more can be
- used without incurring the almost drunken intoxication. In smaller
- amounts, MDE greatly resembles MDMA, although the physical and
- tactile effects are generally perceived as being prevalent.
- The emotional opening and empathic effects for which MDMA is
- famous, although present, do not seem to be as pronounced.
- As a substance of abuse at raves, MDE has the possible advantage
- over MDMA that the user is less likely to embarass him/herself
- in public through inappropriate empathy. On the other hand,
- MDE is more likely to temporarily incapacitate the user at normal
- doses.
-
-
- --
- "Enjoy moderation in moderation"
-
- -----
-
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-
- u9264582@wumpus.cc.uow.edu.au - University of Wollongong, Australia
-
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-