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Pharmacology, Biochemistry, and Behavior May 2017Benzphetamine is a Schedule III anorectic agent that is a prodrug for d-amphetamine and d-methamphetamine and may have utility as an "agonist" medication for cocaine use...
Benzphetamine is a Schedule III anorectic agent that is a prodrug for d-amphetamine and d-methamphetamine and may have utility as an "agonist" medication for cocaine use disorder treatment. This study evaluated the pharmacokinetic-pharmacodynamic profile of benzphetamine using a drug discrimination procedure in rhesus monkeys. The potency and time course of cocaine-like discriminative stimulus effects were compared for benzphetamine (10-18mg/kg, intramuscular (IM)) and d-amphetamine (0.032-0.32mg/kg, IM) in monkeys (n=3-4) trained to discriminate IM cocaine (0.32mg/kg) from saline in a two-key food-reinforced discrimination procedure. Parallel pharmacokinetic studies in the same monkeys determined plasma benzphetamine, d-methamphetamine and/or d-amphetamine levels for correlation with behavioral effects. d-Amphetamine produced dose-dependent, time-dependent, and full cocaine-like effects, i.e. ≥90% cocaine-appropriate responding, in all monkeys without altering response rates. The time course of d-amphetamine's cocaine-like discriminative stimulus effects correlated with plasma d-amphetamine levels. Benzphetamine was 180-fold less potent than d-amphetamine and produced full cocaine-like effects in only 2 of 4 monkeys while significantly decreasing response rates. Benzphetamine administration increased plasma d-methamphetamine (peak at 100min) and d-amphetamine (peak at 24h) levels, but the time course of behavioral effects did not correlate with increased levels of benzphetamine, d-methamphetamine or d-amphetamine. These results suggest that benzphetamine yields d-amphetamine and d-methamphetamine as active metabolites in rhesus monkeys, but generation of these metabolites is not sufficient to account for benzphetamine behavioral effects. The incomplete cocaine substitution profile and protracted d-amphetamine plasma levels suggest that benzphetamine may still warrant further evaluation as a candidate pharmacotherapy for cocaine use disorder treatment.
Topics: Animals; Behavior, Animal; Benzphetamine; Dextroamphetamine; Macaca mulatta; Male; Methamphetamine
PubMed: 28373066
DOI: 10.1016/j.pbb.2017.03.008 -
The Medical Letter on Drugs and... May 2022
PubMed: 35650672
DOI: No ID Found -
Drug Testing and Analysis 2014Sixteen phenethylamines are now included in Schedules I and II of the United Nations 1971 Convention on Psychotropic Substances. Most of the ring-substituted compounds... (Review)
Review
Sixteen phenethylamines are now included in Schedules I and II of the United Nations 1971 Convention on Psychotropic Substances. Most of the ring-substituted compounds are in Schedule I, whereas 2C-B, amphetamine, and methamphetamine are listed in Schedule II. Substances in Schedule IV (e.g. benzphetamine) are now regarded as obsolete pharmaceutical products. They all represent the 'old phenethylamines'. By 2013, nearly 100 illicit phenethylamines had been found in the European Union (EU). Of these, nine (MBDB, 4-MTA, PMMA, 2C-I, 2C-T-2, 2C-T-7, TMA-2, 5-IT and 4-MA) were submitted for risk assessment by the European Monitoring Centre for Drugs and Drug Addiction (EMCDDA). All except MBDB were recommended for EU-wide control. Of the 'new phenethylamines', 2C-B was the most commonly reported, but other 2C compounds were widespread. Many of the ring-substituted phenethylamines are described in the 1991 book PIHKAL. Many fused ring phenethylamines have appeared in the past few years; they include further benzofurans (e.g. 5-and 6-APB), indanylalkylamines (e.g. 5-IAP), dibenzofurans (e.g. 2C-B-FLY) and 2-aminopropylindoles (e.g.5-IT). The recent and rapid rise of phenethylamines with bulky N-substituents (e.g. 25I-NBOMe) has been particularly significant. Although not phenethylamines, it is notable that the thiophene bioisosteres of amphetamine and methamphetamine as well as certain conformationally-restricted variants (e.g. aminoindanes) have been found in recent drug seizures. In the United Kingdom Misuse of Drugs Act, most ring-substituted phenethylamines are either listed by name or are covered by generic definitions dating from 1977. In 2013, temporary generic legislation included a number of benzofurans, indanylalkylamines and certain 'NBOMe' compounds.
Topics: Animals; Europe; Humans; Illicit Drugs; Phenethylamines; Psychotropic Drugs; Substance Abuse Detection
PubMed: 24574327
DOI: 10.1002/dta.1570 -
Psychopharmacology 1988The discriminative stimulus (DS) and subjective effects of caffeine (100 and 300 mg, PO) and benzphetamine (12.5 and 50 mg, PO) were studied in 18 normal human...
The discriminative stimulus (DS) and subjective effects of caffeine (100 and 300 mg, PO) and benzphetamine (12.5 and 50 mg, PO) were studied in 18 normal human volunteers trained to discriminate between d-amphetamine (10 mg) and placebo. d-Amphetamine increased ratings of drug liking and activity level and produced a profile of subjective effects characteristic of amphetamine and related psychomotor stimulants. The DS effects of d-amphetamine generalized only partially to caffeine and benzphetamine; mean percent d-amphetamine-appropriate responding was 42 and 58 after 100 and 300 mg caffeine, respectively, and 17 and 56 after 12.5 and 50 mg benzphetamine, respectively. Neither dose of caffeine affected ratings of drug liking or activity level, but 300 mg caffeine did produce a profile of subjective effects that partially overlapped with that produced by d-amphetamine. Benzphetamine 50 mg, but not 12.5 mg, increased ratings of drug liking and activity level and produced a profile of subjective effects qualitatively similar to, but weaker than, that produced by d-amphetamine. For both caffeine and benzphetamine, a close relationship was observed between their subjective effects and their ability to substitute for the DS effects of d-amphetamine. These results correspond well with findings obtained from similar studies conducted with laboratory animals, providing further support for the reliability and validity of human drug discrimination paradigms.
Topics: Adult; Benzphetamine; Caffeine; Dextroamphetamine; Discrimination Learning; Discrimination, Psychological; Emotions; Female; Humans; Male; Phenethylamines; Time Factors
PubMed: 3146764
DOI: 10.1007/BF00216054 -
The American Journal of Forensic... Sep 1982
Topics: Adolescent; Benzphetamine; Humans; Male; Phenethylamines; Suicide; Tissue Distribution
PubMed: 7148777
DOI: 10.1097/00000433-198209000-00010 -
Journal of Immunoassay Aug 1995An antibody was prepared, using a four carbon-bridged methamphetamine molecule as an immunogen in order to develop a polarization fluoroimmunoassay for urine screening...
An antibody was prepared, using a four carbon-bridged methamphetamine molecule as an immunogen in order to develop a polarization fluoroimmunoassay for urine screening of methamphetamine and benzphetamine. Also, its binding characteristics were investigated to locate epitope sites of methamphetamine. The study showed that the antibody was highly capable of eliciting a polarization fluoroimmunoassay response. However, the detection limit was much greater for benzphetamine (0.05 ppm) than for methamphetamine (0.2 ppm) and weakly antibody binding was found with methamphetamine. This difference in sensitivity may reflect the similarity of benzphetamine to the immunogen used to produce the antibody. Both benzphetamine and the immunogen have a tertiary amine attached to a carbon bridges whereas methamphetamine has only a secondary amine and amphetamine has a primary amine group. The difference of cross-reactivity data between phenylethylamine drugs and beta-hydroxyl phenylethylamine drugs indicates that the beta-carbon position have a major influence on the antibody interaction. Thus, the substitution of hydroxyl group on beta-carbon resulted in virtually no antibody affinity, even if a tertiary amine or secondary amine group was present in the molecule. This suggests that the beta-carbon chain plays a primary role as the epitope site with cooperative binding site of tertiary amine or secondary amine in alpha-carbon position. A hydroxyl group at the beta-carbon position plays an important inhibitory role to the antibody binding.
Topics: Antibody Affinity; Antibody Specificity; Benzphetamine; Fluorescence Polarization Immunoassay; Humans; Illicit Drugs; Immune Sera; Indicators and Reagents; Methamphetamine; Reference Values; Titrimetry
PubMed: 7593649
DOI: 10.1080/15321819508013562 -
Xenobiotica; the Fate of Foreign... Apr 1983The metabolism of 1-phenyl-2-(N-benzylamino)propane (benzphetamine) in vitro was studied using rat-liver microsomes. Five metabolites were isolated from the incubation...
The metabolism of 1-phenyl-2-(N-benzylamino)propane (benzphetamine) in vitro was studied using rat-liver microsomes. Five metabolites were isolated from the incubation mixture and identified as 1-phenyl-2-(N-benzylamino)propane (benzylamphetamine), (1-(p-hydroxyphenyl)-2-(N-methyl-N-benzylamino)propane, 1-(p-hydroxyphenyl)-2-(N-benzylamino)propane, methamphetamine and amphetamine. This metabolism in vitro was compared with that in vivo which was reported previously. The formation of all five metabolites were catalysed by liver microsomes supplemented with NADPH and O2, and inhibited by either SKF 525-A or CO. N-Demethylation was inhibited by either 2-methyl-1,2-bis-(3-pyridyl)-1-propanone (metyrapone) or n-octylamine, while aromatic hydroxylation was inhibited by 7,8-benzoflavone and N-debenzylation was depressed by all these inhibitors. N-Demethylation was enhanced by pretreatment of rats with phenobarbitone, while aromatic hydroxylation was induced by pretreatment with 3-methylcholanthrene, and N-debenzylation was Induced by pretreatment with either phenobarbitone or 3-methylcholanthrene. These data suggested that the metabolism of benzphetamine was mediated by three slightly different enzyme systems.
Topics: Amphetamines; Animals; Benzphetamine; Hydroxylation; In Vitro Techniques; Male; Methamphetamine; Methylation; Microsomes, Liver; Phenethylamines; Rats; Rats, Inbred Strains
PubMed: 6624139
DOI: 10.3109/00498258309052260 -
Clinical Pharmacology and Therapeutics 1963
Topics: Appetite Depressants; Benzphetamine; Dextroamphetamine; Humans; Phenmetrazine
PubMed: 13941813
DOI: 10.1002/cpt196343330 -
Journal of the American Chemical Society Mar 2009Cytochromes P450 are ubiquitous heme-containing enzymes that catalyze a wide range of reactions in nature including many oxidation reactions. The active oxidant species...
Cytochromes P450 are ubiquitous heme-containing enzymes that catalyze a wide range of reactions in nature including many oxidation reactions. The active oxidant species in P450 enzymes are widely thought to be iron(IV)-oxo porphyrin radical cations, termed Compound I species, but these intermediates have not been observed under turnover conditions. We prepared Compounds I of the mammalian hepatic P450 enzyme CYP2B4 and three mutants (E301Q, T302A, and F429H) by laser flash photolysis of the Compound II species that, in turn, were prepared by reaction of the resting enzymes with peroxynitrite. The PN treatment resulted in a small amount of nitration of the P450 as determined by mass spectrometry but no change in reactivity of the P450 in a test reaction. CYP2B4 Compound I oxidized benzphetamine to norbenzphetamine in high yield in bulk studies. In direct kinetic studies of benzphetamine oxidations, Compounds I displayed saturation kinetics with similar binding equilibrium constants (K(bind)) for each. The first-order oxidation rate constants (k(ox)) were comparable for Compounds I of CYP2B4, the E301Q mutant, and the T302A mutant, whereas the k(ox) for Compound I of the F429H mutant was reduced by a factor of 2. CYP119 Compound I, studied for comparison purposes, reacted with benzphetamine with a binding constant that was nearly an order of magnitude smaller than that of CYP2B4 but a rate constant that was similar. Substrate binding constants for P450 Compound I are important for controlling overall rates of oxidation reactions, and the intrinsic reactivities of Compounds I from various P450 enzymes are comparable.
Topics: Archaeal Proteins; Aryl Hydrocarbon Hydroxylases; Benzphetamine; Chromatography, High Pressure Liquid; Cytochrome P-450 Enzyme System; Cytochrome P450 Family 2; Kinetics; Models, Molecular; Oxidation-Reduction; Photochemical Processes; Photolysis; Spectrometry, Mass, Electrospray Ionization; Spectrophotometry, Ultraviolet
PubMed: 19209859
DOI: 10.1021/ja808982g -
Biochemistry Aug 1989Catalytic activities toward benzphetamine and 7-ethoxycoumarin of 11 distal mutants, 9 proximal mutants, and 3 aromatic mutants of rat liver cytochrome P-450d were...
Catalytic activities toward benzphetamine and 7-ethoxycoumarin of 11 distal mutants, 9 proximal mutants, and 3 aromatic mutants of rat liver cytochrome P-450d were studied. A distal mutant Thr319Ala was not catalytically active toward benzphetamine, while this mutant retained activity toward 7-ethoxycoumarin. Distal mutants Gly316Glu, Thr319Ala, and Thr322Ala displayed higher activities (kcat/Km) toward 7-ethoxycoumarin that were 2.4-4.7-fold higher than that of the wild-type enzyme. Although kcat/Km values of four multiple distal mutants toward benzphetamine were less than half that of the wild type, activities of these mutants toward 7-ethoxycoumarin were almost the same as or higher than the wild-type activity toward this substrate. The distal double mutant Glu318Asp, Phe325Tyr showed 6-fold higher activity than the wild-type P-450d toward 7-ethoxycoumarin. Activities of the proximal mutants Lys453Glu and Arg455Gly toward both substrates were much lower (less than one-seventh) than the corresponding wild-type activities. Catalytic activities of three aromatic mutants, Phe425Leu, Pro427Leu, and Phe430Leu, toward benzphetamine were less than 7% of that of the wild type, while the activities of these aromatic mutants toward 7-ethoxycoumarin were more than 2.5 times higher than the wild-type activity toward this substrate. From these findings, in conjunction with a molecular model for P-450d, we suggest that (1) the relative importance to catalysis of various distal helix amino acids differs depending on the substrate and that these differences are associated with the size, shape, and flexibility of the substrate and (2) the proximal residue Lys453 appears to play a critical role in the catalytic activity of P-450d, perhaps by participating in forming an intermolecular electron-transfer complex.
Topics: Amino Acid Sequence; Animals; Base Sequence; Benzphetamine; Coumarins; Cytochrome P-450 Enzyme System; Genes; Liver; Models, Molecular; Molecular Sequence Data; Mutation; Phenethylamines; Protein Conformation; Rats; Substrate Specificity; Terminator Regions, Genetic
PubMed: 2819037
DOI: 10.1021/bi00443a011