BRAIN DAMAGE AND MDMA

Two studies were used as evidence to support the emergency placement

of MDMA into Schedule I effective July 1, 1985. These were Woolverton
et al. and Ricaurte et al. (See references). The latter study was
not even done with MDMA, but rather with MDA. The DEA also recieved
a study from another group (Schmidt, Wu, and Lovenberg) done using
MDMA. I have not yet looked up the MDA paper, but I did find the
Schmidt, Wu, and Lovenberg paper (actually, it's only an abstract) and
I have some information on the still unpublished Woolverton et al. paper
from another reference (Shulgin, A.T.). The Woolverton et al. paper
should come out this year in a book.
In the Schmidt, Wu, and Lovenberg study rats were given single injec-
tions (s.c.) of MDMA and killed 3 hours later to measure concentrations
of brain metabolites. From previous studies they knew that serotonin
levels decline and reach their minimum concentrations at 3 hours. Rats
given 2.5, 5, 10, and 20 mg/kg MDMA had striatial serotonin concentrations
that were 97%, 40%, 25%, and 25% of control rats 3 hrs. later. One week
after injection rats given 10 or 20 mg/kg MDMA still had "significantly
depressed" levels of serotonin. They don't say what the levels were,
though.
Rats in the Woolverton et al. study were either injected twice daily
for four days with MDMA and killed two weeks later, or they were given
one dose and killed two weeks later. The dosages were 10, 20, 30, or
40 mg/kg. Rats that went on the MDMA binge all had "extensive decrease"
of hippocampal serotonin. A single injection at 40 mg/kg lowered sero-
tonin levels to 76% of just-say-no rats two weeks later.
What does this mean to those of us who are not rats? Well, if you are
a Rhesus monkey, it means that if you take twice the lethal dose of
MDMA (LD 50 in Rhesus monkeys is 22 mg/kg) and survive, you will only
have serotonin levels that are 76% of your friends' who told you not
to do it. If you are sort of like a Rhesus monkey (like me) then it
means you can probably safely take 2.5 mg/kg of MDMA (orally, please)
and suffer only a 3% or so temporary drop in your serotonin levels.
For a 150 lb. human, 2.5 mg/kg is 170 mg. Most street doses are about
100 to 150 mg. Anyway, these studies will probably turn out to be
poorly done just like the ones done on LSD several years ago that
concluded that LSD caused chromosome damage. It turned out that if
you leave heavy amphetamine users out of the study, there is no evidence
of chromosome damage. Yes, I know, MDMA is an amphetamine. It just
means that you shouldn't overdo it. Even peanut butter has mutagens
in it (aflatoxins).
Hugs and Kisses,
Betelnut (Wierdo7)

REFERENCES

Ricaurte, G.; Bryan, G.; Strauss, L.; Seiden, L.; and Schuster, C. 1985.
Hallucinogenic amphetamine selectively destroys brain serotonin
 nerve terminals. Science Vol. 229:986-988.
Schmidt, C.J. and Lovenberg, W. 1986. (+/-) Methylenedioxymethamphet-
amine (MDMA): A potentially neurotoxic amphetamine analog. (Abstract
5264). Federation Proceedings Vol. 45: 1059.
Shulgin, A.T. 1986. The background and chemistry of MDMA. Journal of
Psychoactive Drugs Vol. 18(4): 291-304.
Woolverton, W.L. et al. 1985. Behavioral and neurotoxic effects of
MDMA and MDA. Abstract from the American College of Neuropsycho-
pharmacology Meeting, Honolulu.

From Lunatic Labs UnLtd. 415-278-7421

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