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Neuropharmacology of New Psychoactive Substances (NPS) pp 19–47Cite as

Structure-Activity Relationships of Synthetic Cathinones

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Part of the book series: Current Topics in Behavioral Neurosciences ((CTBN,volume 32))

Abstract

Until recently, there was rather little interest in the structure-activity relationships (SARs) of cathinone analogs because so few agents were available and because they represented a relatively minor drug abuse problem. Most of the early SAR was formulated on the basis of behavioral (e.g., locomotor and drug discrimination) studies using rodents. With the emergence on the clandestine market in the last few years of a large number of new cathinone analogs, termed “synthetic cathinones”, and the realization that they likely act at dopamine, norepinephrine, and/or serotonin transporters as releasing agents (i.e., as substrates) or reuptake inhibitors (i.e., as transport blockers), it has now become possible to better examine their SAR and even their quantitative SAR (QSAR), in a more effective and systematic manner. An SAR picture is beginning to emerge, and key structural features, such as the nature of the terminal amine, the size of the α-substituent, stereochemistry, and the presence and position of aromatic substituents, are being found to impact action (i.e., as releasing agents or reuptake inhibitors) and transporter selectivity.

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Acknowledgments

Work from the authors’ laboratory was supported by US Public Health Services grants DA-01642 and DA-033930.

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Medicinal Chemistry, School of Pharmacy, Virginia Commonwealth University, Richmond, VA, 23298, USA

    Richard A. Glennon & Małgorzata Dukat

Authors
  1. Richard A. Glennon
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  2. Małgorzata Dukat
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Corresponding author

Correspondence to Richard A. Glennon .

Editor information

Editors and Affiliations

  1. Designer Drug Research Unit (DDRU), National Institute on Drug Abuse, Baltimore, MD, USA

    Michael H. Baumann

  2. Department of Medicinal Chemistry, Virginia Commonwealth University, Richmond, VA, USA

    Richard A. Glennon

  3. RTI International, Research Triangle Park, NC, USA

    Jenny L. Wiley

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Glennon, R.A., Dukat, M. (2016). Structure-Activity Relationships of Synthetic Cathinones. In: Baumann, M.H., Glennon, R.A., Wiley, J.L. (eds) Neuropharmacology of New Psychoactive Substances (NPS). Current Topics in Behavioral Neurosciences, vol 32. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/7854_2016_41

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