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Methcathinone Facts

Stimulant; Substituted cathinone; Dopamine releasing agent

Description

Methcathinone (ephedrone) — cat — is a synthetic stimulant of the cathinone class. It forces dopamine and norepinephrine out of nerve terminals into the synapse, flooding the brain's reward and arousal circuits.[1][2]

Subjective effects include euphoria, driven energy, heightened confidence, wakefulness, and a strong compulsive compulsive redosing urge.[3][4] The experience is focused, alert stimulation — closer to Amphetamine's push than mephedrone's warmth, with little emotional openness.

Methcathinone produces dependence with compulsive redosing; brain imaging in abstinent users shows lasting damage to dopamine-processing circuits.[5] The gravest risk is route-specific: IV use of permanganate-synthesized product introduces manganese contamination causing permanent, treatment-resistant parkinsonism — standard treatments do not work.[6][7]

Dose and durationby route · individual sensitivity varies

Oral(mg)
Threshold< 25 mgLight50 – 100 mgCommon100 – 200 mgStrong200 – 300 mgHeavy300+ mg

Starts in 15 – 30 minLasts 4 – 6 hoursAfter-effects 4 – 12 hours

Body and dependence

Acute toxicity
Moderate
Chronic toxicity
High
Physical dependence
Low
Psychological dependence
High
Withdrawal
Mild
Compulsive redosing
High

Tolerance

Builds
Moderate
Fully resets after
Not recorded

Effectslikely at a common dose

Perception
none likely · 7 possible
Body
Stimulation; Vasoconstriction; Wakefulness; Appetite suppression; Insomnia; Physical fatigue; Pupil dilation; +21 possible, including Abnormal heartbeat, Excessive sweating, Muscle tension
Thinking
Cognitive euphoria; +23 possible, including Compulsive redosing urge, Cognitive dysphoria, Decision impairment
Feeling
Euphoria; +9 possible, including Anxiety, Depression, Anhedonia
Self
none likely · 9 possible, including Craving, Ego inflation, Compulsive repetitive behavior
Time
none likely · 2 possible
Awareness
Sustained attention (vicara); +1 possible

Who shouldn't take it

Absolute
Severe cardiovascular disease; Long QT syndrome; Psychotic disorders; Pregnancy; Concurrent MAOI therapy
Relative
Bipolar disorder

Combinations60 recorded

Lethal (1)
MAOIs
Dangerous (33)
Anticholinergics; Atypical antipsychotics; Caffeine; Dopamine agonists; Ephedrine, Pseudoephedrine; Local anesthetics; MDMA, Amphetamines; MDMA, MDA; NDRIs (Wellbutrin); NRIs; Opioids; Psychedelics; SNRIs; SSRIs; Stimulants; 5-HTP, Tryptophan; Alpha-2 adrenergic receptor antagonist; Antihistamines; Antipsychotics; Buspirone; Clonidine, Guanfacine; DXM; GHB, Baclofen; GHB, GBL; and 9 more, see full page
Caution (23)
See full page: psychedex.org/substances/methcathinone
Not graded (3)
Not listed never means safe.

Seek help immediately if

  • Chest pain; racing, pounding, or irregular heartbeat
  • Very high body temperature; heavy sweating; hot, flushed skin
  • Severe agitation, paranoia, panic, or confusion
  • Severe headache; muscle rigidity or twitching
  • Seizures
  • Signs of stroke — face drooping, one-sided weakness, slurred speech
  • Difficulty breathing; collapse or unconsciousness

What to do

  1. Call emergency services for chest pain, overheating, seizure, or unresponsiveness
  2. Move them to a cool, quiet place and reduce stimulation
  3. Cool the body — remove excess clothing, apply cool damp cloths, fan them
  4. Keep them calm; reassure — panic worsens the cardiovascular strain
  5. If seizing, protect from injury (don't restrain); recovery position afterward
  6. Monitor breathing and be ready to give rescue breaths / CPR

Most stimulant overdoses settle with cooling, a calm environment, and time. The medical danger is hyperthermia, cardiac events (arrhythmia, heart attack, stroke), and seizures — get help immediately if any appear.

988 Suicide & Crisis LifelineFireside Project: 62-FIRESIDE

Version r1 · Not medical advice

References

  1. [1]
    ^Simmler LD, Buser TA, Donzelli M, et al. (2012) Pharmacological characterization of designer cathinones in vitro — British Journal of Pharmacology doi:10.1111/j.1476-5381.2012.02145.x
  2. [2]
    ^Davies RA, Baird TR, Nguyen VT, Ruiz B, Sakloth F, Eltit JM, Negus SS, Glennon RA (2020) Investigation of the Optical Isomers of Methcathinone, and Two Achiral Analogs, at Monoamine Transporters and in Intracranial Self-Stimulation Studies in Rats. — ACS Chemical Neuroscience doi:10.1021/acschemneuro.9b00617
  3. [3]
    ^Debruyne D, Loilier M, Cesbron A, Le Boisselier R, Bourgine J (2014) Emerging drugs of abuse: current perspectives on substituted cathinones — Substance Abuse and Rehabilitation doi:10.2147/sar.s37257
  4. [4]
    ^Kelly JP (2011) Cathinone derivatives: a review of their chemistry, pharmacology and toxicology. — Drug Testing and Analysis doi:10.1002/dta.313
  5. [5]
    ^McCann UD, Wong DF, Yokoi F, Villemagne V, Dannals RF, Ricaurte GA (1998) Reduced striatal dopamine transporter density in abstinent methamphetamine and methcathinone users: evidence from positron emission tomography studies with [11C]WIN-35,428 — Journal of Neuroscience PMID:9763484
  6. [6]
    ^Guilarte TR (2010) Manganese and Parkinson's Disease: A Critical Review and New Findings. — Environmental Health Perspectives doi:10.1289/ehp.0901748
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