Sympathomimetic toxicity in a case of analytically confirmed recreational use of naphyrone (naphthylpyrovalerone)
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Published on: February 5, 2018
Adrian Derungs1, Simeon Schietzel, Markus R Meyer
1Division of Clinical Pharmacology and Toxicology, University Hospital Basel, Basel, Switzerland.
Context:
Naphyrone (naphthylpyrovalerone) is a cathinone derivative and recreational drug related to mephedrone.
Case:
We report a 31-year-old man who ingested a dose of naphyrone (100 mg), which produced acute sympathomimetic toxicity with restlessness, insomnia, anxiety, and hallucinations lasting for 2 days. Naphyrone was detected in the patient's plasma by gas chromatography with mass spectrometry at concentrations of 0.03 and 0.02 mg/L, 40 and 60 h after drug intake, respectively.
Discussion:
Based on the present case report and user web-reports, as well as on the chemical structure and pharmacological characteristics, naphyrone produces stimulant-like psychotropic effects and sympathomimetic toxicity.
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