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Pentedrone
Pentedrone is a stimulant of the substituted cathinone class1, first detected in online sales in 2010 as a designer drug. It is reported to produce powerful, short-lived euphoric stimulation comparable to cocaine and related stimulants. Use can be habit-forming, with reports of compulsive redosing and addictive behavior. Heavy or repeated use is reported to cause paranoia, delusions, and stimulant psychosis, although these adverse effects are not well established.
Dosage & Duration
Dosage
Doses are population estimates that vary widely between individuals.
Duration
Subjective Effects
Pharmacology
Pharmacodynamics
Pentedrone inhibits norepinephrine and dopamine reuptake without inducing monoamine release2, increasing the availability of these neurotransmitters at synapses. Reported reuptake inhibition is strongest for norepinephrine, with weaker inhibition of dopamine and substantially weaker inhibition of serotonin.3 In rodents, pentedrone increases locomotor activity in a dose-dependent manner.4
Pharmacokinetics
Tolerance
Tolerance timelines are rules of thumb, not exact schedules, and vary widely between individuals and use patterns.
All dopaminergic stimulants
Harm Potential
Addiction & Dependence
Psychological
HighChronic pentedrone use is described as moderately addictive with high abuse potential and liable to cause psychological dependence, cravings, and withdrawal effects.
Toxicity
Human toxicity data are limited. Pentedrone has been linked to at least one death in combination with alpha-PVP causing heart failure, and high-risk stimulant combinations may produce severe cardiovascular strain.
Dangerous combinations can raise heart rate and blood pressure to dangerous levels and may cause heart strain or heart failure in extreme cases.
High-dose prolonged stimulant abuse can result in stimulant psychosis with paranoia, hallucinations, or delusions.
Psychosis Risk
High-dose prolonged stimulant abuse is described as potentially causing stimulant psychosis with paranoia, hallucinations, or delusions.
Seizure Risk
Combinations with highly stimulating 25x compounds or tramadol can increase seizure risk.
History & Culture
Pentedrone was first detected in online sales in 2010. From that year, it was also identified in several “bath salt” mixtures marketed as legal highs.2 It was sold as a designer drug intended to imitate or replace street drugs such as cocaine, MDMA, and methamphetamine.
Legality
By Country
References
Source Pages
Citations
Further Reading
Article Status
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