Introduction
You bought strange MDMA crystals with unusual effects, and you want to figure out pollutants and admixtures of your drugs with help of testing experiments. Then you open this article and use it as a guide for experimenting. The list of manipulations with MDMA products, the brief description of products and useful information for home tests are presented below.
MDMA isomers
MDMA has two enantiomers, S- (L-)MDMA and R-(D-)MDMA. A mixture of the two (racemate) is typically used recreationally. S-MDMA causes the entactogenic effects of the racemate because it releases serotonin, norepinephrine and dopamine much more efficiently via monoamine transporters. It also has higher affinity towards 5-HT2CR. R-MDMA has notable agonism towards 5-HT2AR, which supposedly contributes to the mild psychedelic hallucinations induced by high doses of MDMA in humans. MDMA racemate is a partial agonist towards human TAAR1, but this is not physiologically relevant due to low EC50 (Half maximal effective concentration).
The usual assignments of activity to optical isomers is reversed from all the known psychedelic drugs. The more potent isomer is the "S" isomer, which is the more potent form of amphetamine and methamphetamine. This was one of the first clear distinctions that was apparent between MDMA and the structurally related psychedelics (where the "R" isomers are the more active). Tolerance studies also support differences in mechanisms of action.
The usual assignments of activity to optical isomers is reversed from all the known psychedelic drugs. The more potent isomer is the "S" isomer, which is the more potent form of amphetamine and methamphetamine. This was one of the first clear distinctions that was apparent between MDMA and the structurally related psychedelics (where the "R" isomers are the more active). Tolerance studies also support differences in mechanisms of action.
An analytical method has been developed to determine MDMA enantiomers and those from its major metabolites, 3,4-methylenedioxyamphetamine (MDA), 3,4-dihydroxymeth-amphetamine (HHMA), and 4-hydroxy-3-methoxymethamphet-amine (HMMA). It has been applied to the analysis of plasma and urine samples from healthy recreational users of MDMA who participated voluntarily in a clinical trial and received 100 mg (R, S)-MDMA · HCl orally. (R)/(S) Ratios both in plasma (0-48 h) and urine (0-72 h) for MDMA and MDA were >1 and <1, respectively. Ratios corresponding to HHMA and HMMA, close to unity, deviate from theoretical expectations and are most likely explained by the ability of MDMA to autoinhibit its own metabolism. The short elimination half-life of (S)-MDMA (4.8 h) is consistent with the subjective effects and psychomotor performance reported in subjects exposed to MDMA, whereas the much longer half-life of the (R)-enantiomer (14.8 h) correlates with mood and cognitive effects experienced on the next days after MDMA use.
Forms
MDMA is almost always encountered as a salt, specifically the hydrochloride salt (MDMA-HCl). Often at the end of a synthesis, an acid is bubbled through freebase MDMA to form the salt that usually exists as a white solid or oil that is extremely bitter, and soluble in water. MDMA can also exist as several other salts, for example MDMA-H2PO4 (the dihydrophosphate salt), but HCl is the most common. MDMA · HCl is found as a white to off-white powder or as a translucent crystal. Crystalline MDMA powder is sold as capsules containing this powder. Also, MDMA, used in tablet form, is called ecstasy.
MDMA hydrochloride salt or dihydrophosphate salt looks as large transparent crystals. They are typically having whitish-beige tint. A dirty product can have different colors: from black to brown, yellow, orange etc.
MDMA hydrochloride salt or dihydrophosphate salt looks as large transparent crystals. They are typically having whitish-beige tint. A dirty product can have different colors: from black to brown, yellow, orange etc.
Possible side products and adulterant substances
MDMA crystals are razer seldom diluted by undeclared substances. It would be side products of MDA, piperonal, N,N-dimethyl-3,4-methilenedioxyamphetamine; 3,4-methylenedioxyphenyl acetone, 1-(3,4-methylenedioxypheenyl)-2-prpopanol and so on. Product can be substituted by substances, which have the same physical and visual characteristic, such as whitish or yellowish crystals or crystal powder. This can be a-PVP, methadone, mephedrone, salt, MDA, MDMC, MMDA, MMDPEA, MBDB, MDEA, MDPHP etc.
Algorithm of procedures
1. Firstly, you have to provide visual examination of MDMA. If your crystals have different tint from whitish-beige, weak yellowish or weak gray, It, probably, have some organic or inorganic syntheses side products, which can change color. The color of MDMA depends on reactions and their quality, which was carried out. Whitish, beige, yellowish, orange, peach, weak grey, brown tints may be matched in your product. More colored means a dirtier product.
2. Secondary, provide dissolving experiment with your product in water. Dissolve 100 mg (100 mg is enough, but more is better) of the MDMA sample in 7-10 ml room temperature water. If your sample dissolves well, it means that, probably, you have quiet pure drug. Also, replacement drugs may be dissolved well. Contaminated MDMA with inorganic products can form a colored solution.
2. Secondary, provide dissolving experiment with your product in water. Dissolve 100 mg (100 mg is enough, but more is better) of the MDMA sample in 7-10 ml room temperature water. If your sample dissolves well, it means that, probably, you have quiet pure drug. Also, replacement drugs may be dissolved well. Contaminated MDMA with inorganic products can form a colored solution.
You have to interpret results of the dissolution experiment. If your product is partially dissolves, you can wait a bit more or gently warm solution. Big crystals dissolving take more time. If you dissolve MDMA crystal powder and get insoluble white precipitate, it means that your MDMA powder admixtured by caffeine. There are links to simple experiments to determinate caffeine in amphetamine powder by Wagner's reagent and Nitric acid and ammonia solution. These methods are suitable for MDMA powder as well. Also, it can be MCC (microcrystalline cellulose), silicon dioxide, inorganic salts (see «Determination of impurity in synthetic PAS»).
3. Thirdly, confirm the compliance of the product with the declared MDMA by LF tests (drug testing kits). You will receive clear result about your substance and admixtured narcotic substance (if it takes place to be) and these tests help to choose next step.
4. Fourthly, check the pH of the solution. Crystal powder of amphetamine can be polluted by organic powdery acids (ascorbic, citric, etc.), organic powdery bases (Caffeine, etc.). «Determination of impurity in synthetic PAS» exactly describe method of determination of them.
5. You are not found any pollutants, and you still doubt in your MDMA sample or LF tests reveal admixtured narcotic substance, lead experiments with test reagents. Use «Drugs testing reagents». These methods help to determine kind of admixtures. There are manuals, which are described checking method procedures and meaning, where you can find methods of reagent synthesis. According to data from testing reagent experiments, you may compare and approve result by TLC.
For instance, you have received test result with Marquis reagent which gave purple to black and Mecke reagent, which gave dark green/turquoise to dark blue/black color. It approves that it is, probably, pure MDMA. If you add few drops of Marquis reagent and the color of the drops changes to yellowish, it usually means that you have MDPV/MDPHP/3-MMC/a-PVP in your sample. In this case, LF test (step 3) shows methcathinone (mephedrone) in the sample.
Take TLC plate, polluted sample of MDMA, real pure MDMA and clear a-PVP/MDPV/3-MMC/MDPHP (if you have), make spots of substances and elute them, count Rf and compare results with the literature data. If your sample spot will split in two or more parts after eluting, which will have same level as a-PVP/MDPV/MDPHP/3-MMC and clear MDMA, it means that your sample has a-PVP/MDPV/MDPHP/3-MMC contamination(s). If your sample does not have spot in real MDMA level, it means that you have a-PVP/MDPV/MDPHP/3-MMC with something as MDMA, a substance with similar physical and organoleptic properties, or you have completely substituted narcotic product.
5. You are not found any pollutants, and you still doubt in your MDMA sample or LF tests reveal admixtured narcotic substance, lead experiments with test reagents. Use «Drugs testing reagents». These methods help to determine kind of admixtures. There are manuals, which are described checking method procedures and meaning, where you can find methods of reagent synthesis. According to data from testing reagent experiments, you may compare and approve result by TLC.
For instance, you have received test result with Marquis reagent which gave purple to black and Mecke reagent, which gave dark green/turquoise to dark blue/black color. It approves that it is, probably, pure MDMA. If you add few drops of Marquis reagent and the color of the drops changes to yellowish, it usually means that you have MDPV/MDPHP/3-MMC/a-PVP in your sample. In this case, LF test (step 3) shows methcathinone (mephedrone) in the sample.
Take TLC plate, polluted sample of MDMA, real pure MDMA and clear a-PVP/MDPV/3-MMC/MDPHP (if you have), make spots of substances and elute them, count Rf and compare results with the literature data. If your sample spot will split in two or more parts after eluting, which will have same level as a-PVP/MDPV/MDPHP/3-MMC and clear MDMA, it means that your sample has a-PVP/MDPV/MDPHP/3-MMC contamination(s). If your sample does not have spot in real MDMA level, it means that you have a-PVP/MDPV/MDPHP/3-MMC with something as MDMA, a substance with similar physical and organoleptic properties, or you have completely substituted narcotic product.
Conclusion
Melting point verification can be added to the second step to confirm quality compliance and to determine the degree of impurity content. This manual allows identifying degree of impurity level, determinate contamination substances and approve results by different methods.
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