Amphetamine-type medicines: a review of pharmacokinetics, pharmacodynamics, and toxicological aspects

Amphetamine-like drugs are sympathomimetic agents with marked central and peripheral stimulant properties. Despite the street illegal drugs such as amphetamine and ecstasy, some amphetamine-like compounds are also legally marketed under medical prescription in the treatment of attention deficit-hyperactivity disorder (methylphenidate) and obesity/overweight (fenproporex and diethylpropione). However, similar with what happens with their illicit analogues, therapeutic amphetamine-like drugs also share important toxicological risks. Although methylphenidate is considered the first choice in the treatment of attention deficit-hyperactivity disorder, its high popularity among teenagers and children is raising concern in the medical community. Regarding weight-loss purposes, the use of amphetamine-like compounds are very controversial, though. Thus, the present review will address pharmacokinetic, pharmacodynamic, and toxicological aspects of amphetamine-like compounds used with therapeutic aims.