History and culture of substituted amphetamines

This article is about the socio-cultural aspects and history of amphetamine and methamphetamine.

Amphetamine and methamphetamine are central nervous system stimulants used to treat a variety of conditions. When used recreationally, they are colloquially known as "speed" or sometimes "crank".[1] Amphetamine was first synthesized in 1887 in Germany by Romanian chemist Lazăr Edeleanu, who named it phenylisopropylamine.[2][3][4] Around the same time, Japanese organic chemist Nagai Nagayoshi isolated ephedrine from the Chinese ephedra plant and later developed a method for ephedrine synthesis.[note 1][6] Methamphetamine was synthesized from ephedrine in 1893 by Nagayoshi.[7] Neither drug had a pharmacological use until 1934, when Smith, Kline & French began selling amphetamine as an inhaler under the trade name Benzedrine for congestion.[8]

During World War II, amphetamine and methamphetamine were used extensively by Allied and Axis forces for their stimulant and performance-enhancing effects.[4][9][10] As the addictive properties of the drugs became known, governments began to place strict controls on the sale of the drugs.[4] During the early 1970s in the United States, amphetamine was initially classified as a Schedule III controlled substance under the Controlled Substances Act, but then became a Schedule II controlled substance under the Psychotropic Substances Act.[11][12] Amphetamine is currently officially indicated for ADHD, narcolepsy, and binge eating disorder;[13][14] methamphetamine is indicated for ADHD and obesity,[15] though prescribed at significantly lower rates compared to amphetamines.[16]

Despite strict government controls, recreational amphetamine and methamphetamine use continues to be extremely prevalent worldwide.[17] Due to the large underground market for these drugs, they are often illegally synthesized by clandestine chemists, trafficked, and sold on the black market.[18] Based on seizures of drugs and precursor chemicals, illicit amphetamine production and trafficking is much less prevalent than that of methamphetamine.[18]

  1. ^ "Amphetamines (speed): what are the effects?". Retrieved 27 September 2013.
  2. ^ Edeleano, Lazăr (January–June 1887). "Über einige Derivate der Phenylmethacrylsäure und der Phenylisobuttersäure". Berichte der Deutschen Chemischen Gesellschaft (in German). 20 (1). Berlin: 616–22. doi:10.1002/cber.188702001142.
  3. ^ Rassool, GH (2009). Alcohol and Drug Misuse: A Handbook for Students and Health Professionals. London: Routledge. p. 113. ISBN 978-0-203-87117-1.
  4. ^ a b c "Historical overview of methamphetamine". Vermont Department of Health. Government of Vermont. Archived from the original on 19 April 2012. Retrieved 29 January 2012.
  5. ^ Woodburne O. Levy; Kavita Kalidas (26 February 2010). Norman S. Miller (ed.). Principles of Addictions and the Law: Applications in Forensic, Mental Health, and Medical Practice. Academic Press. pp. 307–308. ISBN 978-0-12-496736-6.
  6. ^ Cite error: The named reference PiHKAL was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  7. ^ Grobler, Sias R.; Chikte, Usuf; Westraat, Jaco (2011). "The pH Levels of Different Methamphetamine Drug Samples on the Street Market in Cape Town". ISRN Dentistry. 2011: 1–4. doi:10.5402/2011/974768. PMC 3189445. PMID 21991491.
  8. ^ Rasmussen N (July 2006). "Making the first anti-depressant: amphetamine in American medicine, 1929–1950". J. Hist. Med. Allied Sci. 61 (3): 288–323. doi:10.1093/jhmas/jrj039. PMID 16492800. S2CID 24974454. SKF first packaged it as an inhaler so as to exploit the base's volatility and, after sponsoring some trials by East Coast otolaryngological specialists, began to advertise the Benzedrine Inhaler as a decongestant in late 1933.
  9. ^ Cite error: The named reference Allies was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  10. ^ Defalque RJ, Wright AJ (April 2011). "Methamphetamine for Hitler's Germany: 1937 to 1945". Bull. Anesth. Hist. 29 (2): 21–4, 32. doi:10.1016/s1522-8649(11)50016-2. PMID 22849208.
  11. ^ Pub. L. 91–513, 84 Stat. 1236, enacted October 27, 1970, codified at 21 U.S.C. § 801 et. seq.
  12. ^ Pub. L. 95–633, 92 Stat. 3768, codified at 21 CFR 1308.12
  13. ^ "Lisdexamfetamine". go.drugbank.com. Retrieved 17 July 2024.
  14. ^ "Amphetamine". go.drugbank.com. Retrieved 17 July 2024.
  15. ^ "Metamfetamine". go.drugbank.com. Retrieved 17 July 2024.
  16. ^ "METHAMPHETAMINE" (PDF). usdoj.gov. U.S. Drug Enforcement Division. Retrieved 17 July 2024.
  17. ^ Farrell, Michael; Martin, Natasha K; Stockings, Emily; Bórquez, Annick; Cepeda, Javier A; Degenhardt, Louisa; Ali, Robert; Tran, Lucy Thi; Rehm, Jürgen; Torrens, Marta; Shoptaw, Steve; McKetin, Rebecca (2 November 2019). "Responding to global stimulant use: challenges and opportunities". Lancet. 394 (10209): 1652–1667. doi:10.1016/S0140-6736(19)32230-5. ISSN 0140-6736. PMC 6924572. PMID 31668409.
  18. ^ a b Chawla S, Le Pichon T (2006). "World Drug Report 2006" (PDF). United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime. pp. 128–135. Retrieved 2 November 2013.


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