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Discriminative stimulus properties of alpha-ethyltryptamine optical isomers
S S Hong1, R Young, R A Glennon
1Department of Medicinal Chemistry, School of Pharmacy, Virginia Commonwealth University, 410 N. 12th Street, Box 980540 VCU, 554A Smith Building, Richmond, VA 23298, USA.
Pharmacology, Biochemistry, and Behavior
|November 10, 2001
Summary
Stereochemistry determines alpha-Ethyltryptamine
Area of Science:
- Pharmacology
- Neuroscience
- Medicinal Chemistry
Background:
- Alpha-Ethyltryptamine (alpha-ET) exhibits stimulant and hallucinogenic properties.
- Previous studies used racemic alpha-ET, limiting understanding of isomer-specific effects.
- Psychoactive phenylalkylamines can produce distinct stimulus effects (amphetamine-, DOM-, or PMMA-like) that may be stereoselective.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the stereoselective stimulus effects of alpha-ET isomers.
- To determine if (-)alpha-ET and (+)alpha-ET produce distinct pharmacological profiles.
- To compare the stimulus generalization of alpha-ET isomers to amphetamine, DOM, PMMA, and MDMA.
Main Methods:
- Rats were trained to discriminate (+)amphetamine, DOM, PMMA, or MDMA from saline vehicle.
- The stimulus generalization of (-)alpha-ET and (+)alpha-ET was assessed in these trained rats.
- Dose-response curves were generated to determine ED(50) values for drug-appropriate responding.
Main Results:
- (-)alpha-ET substituted for (+)amphetamine, while (+)alpha-ET did not.
- (+)alpha-ET substituted for DOM, while (-)alpha-ET showed limited substitution.
- Both (-)alpha-ET and (+)alpha-ET substituted for PMMA and MDMA at comparable doses.
Conclusions:
- The stimulant (amphetamine-like) effects of alpha-ET are primarily mediated by the (-)isomer.
- The hallucinogenic (DOM-like) effects of alpha-ET are primarily mediated by the (+)isomer.
- Both alpha-ET isomers produce similar MDMA/PMMA-like effects, suggesting a shared mechanism or receptor interaction.