Methedrone (4-Methoxymethcathinone)
Methedrone (4-methoxymethcathinone) is a synthetic cathinone stimulant-entactogen that appeared in the mephedrone era and is notable for its early association with fatal intoxications in Scandinavia. Human data is limited to toxicology case reports.
01 Overview
Methedrone (bk-PMMA) is the 4-methoxy analogue of methcathinone, structurally related to PMMA, and was marketed as a legal high around 2009-2010. It is reported to be relatively weak and to encourage heavy redosing in pursuit of stronger effects.
It drew regulatory attention after being implicated in early fatal poisonings in Sweden, though usually in combination with other substances. There are no controlled human studies; the compound is known through forensic and post-mortem toxicology.
02 Mechanism
Acts as a monoamine releaser/reuptake inhibitor with notable serotonergic activity linked to its methoxy substitution, which may contribute to a narrower margin between desired effects and toxicity.
03 Dosing
| Tier | Dose | Route | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Light | 50–100 mg | Oral | Anecdotal only; narrow safety margin suspected. |
| Common | 50–120 mg | Insufflated | Harsh; higher redosing risk. |
| Common | 100–200 mg | Oral | User-reported; redosing strongly discouraged. |
04 Effects
| Effect | Magnitude | Evidence | |
|---|---|---|---|
| StimulationEnergy and wakefulness, often described as weak for the dose. | Anecdotal | ||
| Mild entactogenic effectsSome warmth and sociability from serotonergic activity. | Anecdotal | ||
| Increased sociabilityTalkativeness and disinhibition. | Anecdotal |
05 Side effects
| Effect | Severity | Frequency | Evidence | Countermeasures |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| ComedownLow mood, anxiety and fatigue afterward. | Moderate | Near-universal | Anecdotal | |
| Compulsive redosingWeak effects drive escalating intake, raising overdose risk given a suspected narrow margin. | Severe | Near-universal in binges | Anecdotal | |
| Cardiovascular strainTachycardia and hypertension; hyperthermia reported in fatal cases. | Severe | Common | Observational | |
| Unknown neurotoxicityLong-term neurotoxic potential unstudied; serotonergic profile raises concern. | Severe | Unknown | Unconfirmed |