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Chemical Trends
Former Member
Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
So, let's talk drugs. Chemically. Sort of.
Let's start with three -
Methamphetamine, Dextroamphetamine, and Levoamphetamine.
Let's take a closer look, Shall we?
We find that Dextroampetamine and Levoamphetamine have the same chemical formula, but are differently arranged.
Dextroamphetamine being the D- isomer, and Levoamphetamine being the L- isomer. So now we see that the D-amphetamine is more "potent" than the L-ampetamine.
Even Methamphetamine has D- or L- isomers (the D- being the abused kind, due to it's strength).
So does this mean Dextromethorphan (DXM) is a more potent isomer of Methorphan?
Does this D- Isomer always result in a more potent drug?
Now let's take a look at Meth(yl)amphetamine and amphetamine.
Methylamphetamine is amphetamine but with an added methyl group. This methyl group makes this certain drug more potent also. Now I realize that Methylamphetamine also can be D- or L- Isomers, also effecting the strength of the drug, but the added methyl group is the key.
So does this also hold true towards other drugs?
I've seen how Methcathinone is the more potent version of Cathinone.
So my question is: Do these trends hold true with other substances? And even further, is this how drugs are "invented"/discovered - by finding trends in chemical reactions and applying them to ther drugs?
I've been self-teaching myself all this stuff (with the help of the internet ((EROWID))), and this stuff blows my mind.
Edit: I just wanted to point out my amazing use of the double parenthesis.
Let's start with three -
Methamphetamine, Dextroamphetamine, and Levoamphetamine.
Let's take a closer look, Shall we?
We find that Dextroampetamine and Levoamphetamine have the same chemical formula, but are differently arranged.
Dextroamphetamine being the D- isomer, and Levoamphetamine being the L- isomer. So now we see that the D-amphetamine is more "potent" than the L-ampetamine.
Even Methamphetamine has D- or L- isomers (the D- being the abused kind, due to it's strength).
So does this mean Dextromethorphan (DXM) is a more potent isomer of Methorphan?
Does this D- Isomer always result in a more potent drug?
Now let's take a look at Meth(yl)amphetamine and amphetamine.
Methylamphetamine is amphetamine but with an added methyl group. This methyl group makes this certain drug more potent also. Now I realize that Methylamphetamine also can be D- or L- Isomers, also effecting the strength of the drug, but the added methyl group is the key.
So does this also hold true towards other drugs?
I've seen how Methcathinone is the more potent version of Cathinone.
So my question is: Do these trends hold true with other substances? And even further, is this how drugs are "invented"/discovered - by finding trends in chemical reactions and applying them to ther drugs?
I've been self-teaching myself all this stuff (with the help of the internet ((EROWID))), and this stuff blows my mind.
Edit: I just wanted to point out my amazing use of the double parenthesis.
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Comments
None of that makes any sense to me.
For more information on this and other interesting stuff read PIHKAL.
...but mark my words! By the time flying cars are zipping past your window, I'll be teleporting to your house to hand-deliver my latest research data...
In the case of drugs, one of the isomers is usually potent, while the other is less or non-potent. So a racemic mixture of D- and L- isomers in this case would be less powerful than a solution of pure D-isomer (or whichever was the active one). Often the isomer which is less or non-potent could even have negative side effects.
ETA: I'm not sure whether the D-isomer would always be more potent. I'd be interested to see some information on that though :yes:
Its not, see my comment above regarding MDMA.
wooooooooah thanks for the link :thumb: