Cathinone

Encyclopedia : C : CA : CAT : Cathinone

Indicated for:

Recreational uses:

Yes, used by chewing the leaves of the Khat plant to produce stimulant effects.

Unethical uses:

Other uses:

Contraindications:

Side effects:

Severe:

Atypical sensations:

Cardiovascular:

Ear, nose, and throat:

May cause temporary tinnitis (ringing in the ears)

Endocrinal:

Eye:

Gastrointestinal:

Hematological:

Musculoskeletal:

Neurological:

Psychological:

Respiratory:

Skin:

Urogenital and reproductive:

Miscellaneous:

Cathinone (β-keto amphetamine) is a monoamine alkaloid found in the shrub Catha edulis (Khat). Closely related to ephedrine, cathine and other amphetamines, it is probably the main contributor to the stimulant effect of Catha edulis. Cathinone differs from many other amphetamines in that its structure is a ketone. Other amphetamines to share this structure include the antidepressant bupropion and the stimulant methcathinone, among others.

Internationally, cathinone is a Schedule I drug under the Convention on Psychotropic Substances.[List of psychotropic substances under international control] Circa 1993, the DEA added cathinone to the Controlled Substances Act's Schedule I in order to fulfill the requirements of international law.[erowid]

The commerce of Khat is legal in Oman, Yemen, and the Horn of Africa.

Chemistry

Cathinone is structurally related to methcathinone, much like how amphetamine is related to methamphetamine. Cathinone differs from amphetamine by possessing a ketone oxygenatom (C=O) on the β (beta) position of the side chain. The corresponding alcohol compound cathine is a less powerful stimulant. The biophysiological conversion from cathinone to cathine is to blame for the depotentiation of Khat leaves over time; Fresh leaves have a greater ratio of cathinone to cathine than dried ones, therefore holding a more psychoactive potential.

Cathinone can be extracted from Catha edulis, or synthesized from α-bromo propiophenone (which is easily made from propiophenone).

References

External links

For a full list of external links to MSDSs, spectroscopic data, commercial chemicals suppliers etc. for this compound, see [Chemical sources].

Amphetamines (N06BA) - [http://encycl.opentopia.com/ edit]
no ATC code:

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