The use of new psychoactive substances as drugs of abuse has dramatically increased over the last years. Hallucinogenic phenethylamines gained particular popularity as they have both stimulating and psychedelic effects. Although generally perceived as safe, these illicit drugs pose a serious health risk; they have been linked to cases of severe poisoning or even deaths. Therefore, simple, cost-effective and reliable methods are needed for rapid determination of abused hallucinogens (1).

Beyond the study of this particular class of drugs, this study provide a methodological framework to explore the relationship between the binding affinity profiles and the reported subjective effects of other psychoactive compounds (2).

This study review the central and peripheral mechanistic "triggers" of phenethylamine-induced hyperthermia and outline potential pharmacologic interventions for managing phenethylamine-induced hyperthermia based on these recently discovered hyperthermia mediators (3).

With this study, the authors introduce a liquid flush for catheters and other tubing-based applications that consists of a solution of β-phenylethylamine (PEA) in tryptic soy broth (4).

References_____________________

(1) Two immunoassays for the detection of 2C-B and related hallucinogenic phenethylamines.
Šuláková A, Fojtíková L, Holubová B, Bártová K, Lapčík O, Kuchař M.
J Pharmacol Toxicol Methods. 2019 Jan - Feb;95:36-46. doi: 10.1016/j.vascn.2018.11.001. 

(2) The Varieties of the Psychedelic Experience: A Preliminary Study of the Association Between the Reported Subjective Effects and the Binding Affinity Profiles of Substituted Phenethylamines and Tryptamines.
Zamberlan F, Sanz C, Martínez Vivot R, Pallavicini C, Erowid F, Erowid E, Tagliazucchi E.
Front Integr Neurosci. 2018 Nov 8;12:54. doi: 10.3389/fnint.2018.00054. 

(3) Body temperature regulation and drugs of abuse.
Sprague JE, Riley CL, Mills EM.
Handb Clin Neurol. 2018;157:623-633. doi: 10.1016/B978-0-444-64074-1.00036-7.

(4) Efficacy of β-phenylethylamine as a novel anti-microbial and application as a liquid catheter flush.
Schroeder M, Horne SM, Prüß BM.
J Med Microbiol. 2018 Dec;67(12):1778-1788. doi: 10.1099/jmm.0.000840. 

What is Phenylethylamine

It is a phenyl group substituted by an ethan-1-amine in the second position.

Where is it ?

In chocolate, wine and goat's cheese, but it is also naturally produced by the human body.

When it is missing, there is a feeling of fatigue and depression, while when it is redundant it causes nervousness.

It has a stimulating action on the brain (1) that transmits to the body a sense of efficiency and increased activity.

Phenylethylamine, studies

Molecular Formula : C₈H₁₁N

Molecular Weight : 121.183 g/mol

CAS : 64-04-0

• Synonyms :
• 2-phenylethylamine
• phenylethylamine
• b-phenylethylamine
• 2-Amino-1-phenylethane
• 1-Amino-2-phenylethane
• EINECS 200-574-4

References_____________________________

(1) 2-Phenylethylamine and Amphetamine in Human Brain: Effects of L-Deprenyl in Parkinson's Disease - GAVIN P. REYNOLDS, PETER RIEDERER and MERTON SANDLER - Department of Chemical Pathology, Bernhard Baron Memorial Research Laboratories, Queen Charlotte's Maternity Hospital, Goldhawk Road, London W6 0XG, U.K.

(2) The enigma of conditioned taste aversion learning: stimulus properties of 2-phenylethylamine derivatives.
Greenshaw AJ, Turrkish S, Davis BA.
Neurochemical Research Unit, Department of Psychiatry, University of Alberta, Edmonton, Canada