Designer drugs are structural or functional analogues of controlled substances that are designed to mimic the pharmacological effects of the parent drug while avoiding detection or classification as illegal. Many of the older designer drugs (research chemicals) are structural analogues of psychoactive tryptamines or phenethylamines but there are many other chemically unrelated new psychoactive substances that can be considered part of the designer drug group.[1][2][3][4] Designer drugs can also include substances that are not psychoactive in effect, such as analogues of controlled anabolic steroids and other performance and image enhancing drugs (PIEDs), including nootropics, weight loss drugs and erectile dysfunction medications. The pharmaceutical activities of these compounds might not be predictable based strictly upon structural examination. Many of the substances have common effects while structurally different or different effects while structurally similar due to SAR paradox. As a result of no real official naming for some of these compounds, as well as regional naming, this can all lead to potentially hazardous mix ups for users.[5] The following list is not exhaustive.
- ^ "EMCDDA–Europol 2013 Annual Report on the information exchange, risk assessment and control of new psychoactive substances (implementation of Council Decision 2005/387/JHA)". EMCDDA. July 2014. Retrieved 8 August 2014.
- ^ "EMCDDA–Europol 2012 Annual Report on the implementation of Council Decision 2005/387/JHA (New drugs in Europe, 2012)". EMCDDA. May 2013. Retrieved 8 August 2014.
- ^ "EMCDDA–Europol 2011 Annual Report on the (information exchange, risk assessment and control of new psychoactive substances) implementation of Council Decision 2005/387/JHA". EMCDDA. April 2012. Retrieved 8 August 2014.
- ^ "EMCDDA–Europol 2010 Annual Report on the implementation of Council Decision 2005/387/JHA". EMCDDA. May 2011. Retrieved 8 August 2014.
- ^ Shimizu E, Watanabe H, Kojima T, Hagiwara H, Fujisaki M, Miyatake R, et al. (January 2007). "Combined intoxication with methylone and 5-MeO-MIPT". Progress in Neuro-Psychopharmacology & Biological Psychiatry. 31 (1): 288–291. doi:10.1016/j.pnpbp.2006.06.012. PMID 16876302. S2CID 29089303.