Paramethoxyamphetamine

para-Methoxyamphetamine

Clinical data
Routes of administration	Oral
ATC code	none
Legal status
Legal status	CA: Schedule I DE: Anlage I (Authorized scientific use only) UK: Class A US: Schedule I UN: Psychotropic Schedule I
Identifiers
IUPAC name 1-(4-methoxyphenyl)propan-2-amine
CAS Number	23239-32-9 N
PubChem CID	31721
DrugBank	DB01472 Y
ChemSpider	29417 Y
ChEMBL	CHEMBL278663 Y
Chemical and physical data
Formula	C10H15NO
Molar mass	165.232 g/mol
3D model (JSmol)	Interactive image
SMILES C1=CC(=CC=C1CC(C)N)OC
InChI InChI=1S/C10H15NO/c1-8(11)7-9-3-5-10(12-2)6-4-9/h3-6,8H,7,11H2,1-2H3 Y Key:NEGYEDYHPHMHGK-UHFFFAOYSA-N Y
NY (what is this?)

para-Methoxyamphetamine (PMA; "Death", "Dr. Death"), also known as 4-methoxyamphetamine (4-MA), is a designer drug of the amphetamine class with serotonergic effects. Unlike other similar drugs of this family, PMA does not produce stimulant, euphoriant, or entactogen effects, and behaves more like an antidepressant in comparison, though it does have some psychedelic properties.

PMA has been found in tablets touted as MDMA (ecstasy) although its effects are markedly different compared to those of MDMA. The consequences of such deception have often included hospitalization and death for unwitting users. PMA is commonly synthesized from anethole, the flavor compound of anise and fennel, mainly because the starting material for MDMA, safrole, has become less available due to law enforcement action, causing illicit drug manufacturers to use anethole as an alternative.

PMA has been associated with numerous adverse reactions including death. Effects of PMA ingestion include many effects of the hallucinogenic amphetamines including accelerated and irregular heartbeat, blurred vision, and a strong feeling of intoxication that is often unpleasant. At high doses unpleasant effects such as nausea and vomiting, severe hyperthermia and hallucinations may occur. The effects of PMA also seem to be much more unpredictable and variable between individuals than those of MDMA, and sensitive individuals may die from a dose of PMA that a less susceptible person might only be mildly affected by. While PMA alone may cause significant toxicity, the combination of PMA with MDMA has a synergistic effect that seems to be particularly hazardous. Since PMA has a slow onset of effects, several deaths have occurred where individuals have taken a pill containing PMA, followed by a pill containing MDMA some time afterwards due to thinking that the first pill was not active.