Ecstasy: Neurotoxicity and How It Can Be Reduced
Biology 202
2001 Second Web
Report
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Ecstasy: Neurotoxicity and How It Can Be Reduced
Molly Flannagan
Ecstasy (MDMA) has become a drug of choice among 18-25 year olds (2), and its effects on behavior and neurotoxicity merit the attention of this class. Ecstasy use has become fairly widespread on college campuses and in rave and nightclub settings. This paper will look at the mechanism through which MDMA acts, its neurotoxicity, and how users can reduce risk involved with ecstasy use.
How does ecstasy work?
Ecstasy alters behavior by increasing serotonin levels in the brain. It accomplishes this by altering the neurotransmitter serotonin's reuptake process. (6) In the normal serotonin system, a serotonin neuron will receive a signal from a neighboring nerve cell to release vesicles of serotonin into the synaptic cleft. The post-synaptic cell (which has the appropriate receptors for serotonin) then picks up the molecule. When the serotonin binds to the receptor, it causes an electric signal to change the membrane permeability which causes changes in the body. When a vesicle of serotonin is released, most of the molecules are pulled back into the pre-synaptic cell. This process of drawing serotonin back into the original neuron for it to be reused is called reuptake. When MDMA is present in the system, however, it interferes with the natural process by preventing the serotonin from entering at the reuptake site. This causes an excess of serotonin in the system, which creates the feelings of euphoria associated with MDMA. (1)
Just how neurotoxic is ecstasy?
Users of MDMA are quick to praise the psychological effects of the drug, but the effects on their physical health can be detrimental. Studies show that heavy, prolonged use of MDMA can significantly reduce the number of serotonin transporters which are necessary to bring the neurotransmitter back to the neuron from which it was released. Studies supported by the National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA) showed that MDMA damages neurons that release serotonin, and that heavy MDMA users have lingering memory problems for at least two weeks after stopping the drug. In the first study, researchers used positron emission tomography (PET) to compare the brains of MDMA users who had abstained from all psychoactive drugs for three weeks and people who had never used MDMA. They found that the amount of MDMA used was directly linked to the number of serotonin transporters remaining. They also found that the degree of memory impairment is based on the amount of MDMA used. (3)
How can the neurotoxic effects of ecstasy be reduced?
Pre- and Post-loading can be used to lessen the harmful effects of MDMA. Pre-loading is taking supplements before rolling to help counteract the neurotoxic effects of ecstasy. A common pre- load consists of 200mg of 5-Hydroxytryptophan (5-HTP), up to 100mg of Vitamin B-6, up to 1000mg of Vitamin C, and 100mg of Magnesium. (3) Adding more serotonin to the system can counteract the mechanism through which MDMA damages nerve cells. 5-HTP is the direct precursor to serotonin, and can therefore combat the neurotoxicity of MDMA. Vitamin B-6 helps to convert 5-HTP into serotonin, thereby boosting its effect. Because MDMA is thought to be neurotoxic due to oxidized free radicals, the consumption of the anti-oxidant Vitamin C can also reduce the harmful effects of MDMA. Magnesium is used as a muscle relaxer to minimize involuntary jaw-clenching associated with ecstasy use. A post-load consists of the same supplements except that magnesium is unnecessary. (4) It is also beneficial to drink water during and after the use of ecstasy.
How does it all fit together?
Ecstasy has been proven to be neurotoxic when heavy doses are used frequently. However, it also appears that a moderate use of the drug, combined with harm-minimizing supplements can help to counter the negative effects associated with it. Ecstasy has become one of the most popular drugs among college-age students, and its popularity shows no sign of decreasing. As a result, it is critical for users to be informed of the risks involved and how they can reduce these risks.
WWW Sources
1) Ecstasy.org2) National Institute on Drug Abuse
5) Rave Safe
Comments made prior to 2007
After reading the article Ecstasy: Neurotoxicity and How It Can Be Reduced by Molly Flannagan I have one question. Is it suggested that a person using ecstasy take a pre-load as well as a post-load or is it suggesting to take supplements either before or after and not both times? If you did take supplements before AND after ecstasy use would you be overloading your system with vitamins? Would this be dangerous? ... Melody, 24 May 2006
Amount of 5-HTP to pre-/post-load
This article mentions 200mg of 5-HTP as a pre-/post-load... The pills are sold in 50mg, and double-dose, 100mg capsules. 200mg is a bit much for a pre-load, ESPECIALLY if on a half-full stomach. An EMPTY stomach with 200mg will most definitely make you sick! I took 200mg once and quickly recalled a forum I read that explained to someone why people just don't take a lot of 5-HTP instead of X. The response was along the lines of, "Sure, if you don't mind all the vomiting and diarrhea". And sure enough.... So here's hoping I can save someone else the trouble; you MAY get away with 200mg on a FULL stomach, but I wouldn't risk it, stick to 100-150mg. Taking 200mg when you're about to go to bed after rolling, however, would be better, b/c you'll sleep through any "possible" nausea.
5-htp
I work at GNC. You can get 5-htp in a 200mg time released tablet. it doesnt make me sick. even on an empty stomach
MDMA is the main ingredient
MDMA is the main ingredient in XTC.. To see exactly what he took you would have to test a sample or if your lucky you can have a look here
http://www.ecstasydata.org/results.php?A=SearchAll&Start=0
you might just find it.
And jordan prescription medicines are PROVEN to be just as dangerous as mdma. i beg to differ on the "everyday average person" because the "everyday average person" could not make mdma even if they tried. Grow up.
Thank You
I hate to see uneducated statements like Jordan's... MDMA's chemical structure is closest to that of Adderall, but MDMA is its own drug, it *IS* ecstasy! X is often cut with other amphetamines, which is why all users are encouraged to purchase test kits!
Ecstasy, MDMA and MAOIs
My first question is about the exact chemical difference between MDMA and ecstasy and how this changes its physical effects on the body?
My second question is about MAOIs and ecstasy. Reports have stated that mixing MAOIs with ecstasy MDMA or cocaine is very dangerous to he point of proving fatal. A friend of mine who is on a prescribed dose of 5mg/day of Selegiline (I-deprynl), a selective MAO-B inhibitor was recently spiked with ecstasy. He forcibly puked out what he had swallowed on feeling these symptoms which I believe considerably reduced the damage that intake could have done. He has stopped taking his selegiline since the next day and the only after effects have been a lot of sleep and back pain in the following two days. There is no way of knowing how much ecstasy he consumed aside from the description of 'moderately raised levels of pleasure and excitement'. What are the possible dangers he faces, considering the drug was obviously absorbed by his system given the symptoms he experienced?
Answers
To answer RE: ecstasy VS SSRIs is; Prescribed medication such as Zoloft and Prozac contain the same sort of chemicals if you will but are less harmful because the people who make them are scientists with university degrees and ecstasy is made by an everyday average person but with different chemicals which are sort of the same but not exactly the same. Also some chemicals found in ecstasy completely different to those in Zoloft or Prozac. They people who make these drugs are supplementing chemicals for others because they want it to be stronger or they cannot get the same chemicals.
How long before taking X
How long before taking X should I pre-load the suggested supplements?
About 1.5 - 2 hours before
About 1.5 - 2 hours before if you can... The sooner, the better. I've chased a pill of X with 5-HTP and my pill didn't seem to kick in as good as I knew it could. However, I felt subtle effects of the X longer than I normally would have.
Ecstasy Vs. SSRIs (i.e. Prozac)
It sounds like ecstasy is a seretonin reuptake inhibitor...how and why does it differ from medicinal SSRIs (Selective Seretonin Reputake Inhibitors) such as Prozac and Zoloft?
RE: Ecstasy Vs. SSRIs (i.e. Prozac)
I have heard that besides inhibiting the functions of the seratonin reuptake systems, it also causes seratonin vessicles to dump much more seratonin into the synapses than normal, whereas SSRIs do the former but not the latter. So not only is less being removed from the synapses, but ontop of it much more seratonin is being dumped in. Making X basically an "extreme SSRI". This could be totally false though.
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