Ephenidine (also known as NEDPA and EPE) is a dissociative anesthetic that has been sold online as a designer drug. It is illegal in some countries as a structural isomer of the banned opioid drug lefetamine, but has been sold in countries where it is not banned.
Pharmacology
Pharmacodynamics Ephenidine and related diarylethylamines have been studied in vitro as treatments for neurotoxic injuries, and are antagonists of the NMDA receptor (Ki = 66.4 nM for ephenidine). Ephenidine also possesses weaker affinity for dopamine and norepinephrine transporters (379 nM and 841 nM, respectively) as well as σ1R (629 nM) and σ2R (722 nM) binding sites.
Pharmacokinetics
Metabolism Ephenidine's metabolic pathway consists of N-oxidation, N-dealkylation, mono- and bis-hydroxylation of the benzyl ring, and hydroxylation of the phenyl ring only after N-dealkylation. The dihydroxy metabolites were conjugated by methylation of one hydroxy group, and hydroxy metabolites by glucuronidation or sulfation.
Chemistry Ephenidine reacts with reagent testing kits to give a semi-unique array of colors which can be used to aid its identification.
+ Final colors produced by reagent testsReagentReaction color Marquis Orange > Brown Mandelin Green Liebermann Deep red > Brown (fast) Froehde Light Yellow
Society and culture Sweden's public health agency suggested that ephenidine be classified as a hazardous substance on 1 June, 2015. Due to that suggestion, ephenidine became a scheduled substance, in Sweden, as of 18 August, 2015.
In 2016, Canada added MT-45 and "its salts, derivatives, isomers and analogues" to the Schedule I controlled substance list, and explicitly included ephenidine. Possession without legal authority can result in maximum 7 years imprisonment.
See also AD-1211 βk-Ephenidine Diphenidine Fluorolintane Lanicemine Methoxphenidine (MXP) MT-45 NPDPA Propylphenidine Remacemide SePP UWA-001
References