Effects of the new psychoactive substances diclofensine, diphenidine, and methoxphenidine on monoaminergic systems. 2018

Dino Luethi, and Marius C Hoener, and Matthias E Liechti
Division of Clinical Pharmacology and Toxicology, Department of Biomedicine, University Hospital Basel and University of Basel, Schanzenstrasse 55, CH-4031 Basel, Switzerland.

Diclofensine, diphenidine, and methoxphenidine are new psychoactive substances (NPSs) that recently appeared on the illicit drug market. Pharmacological profiling of such newly emerged drugs is crucial for a better understanding of their psychotropic effects and toxicity. We therefore investigated the potential of these NPSs to inhibit the norepinephrine, dopamine, and serotonin transporters in human embryonic kidney cells stably transfected with the respective transporters. In addition, we determined monoamine transporter and receptor affinities for the substances. Diclofensine potently bound to the monoamine transporters in the submicromolar range and had similar inhibition potential for all three transporters in the range of 2.5-4.8μM. Moreover, diclofensine bound to adrenergic, dopamine, serotonin, and trace amine-associated receptors. Diphenidine was an equipotent inhibitor of the norepinephrine and dopamine transporters in the low micromolar range and a very weak inhibitor of the serotonin transporter. Besides binding to transporters, diphenidine bound to adrenergic α1A and α2A receptors and serotonin 5-hydroxytryptamine 1A (5-HT1A) and 5-HT2A receptors in the range of 4-11μM. Methoxphenidine bound to all transporters, but considerable inhibition (IC50 < 10μM) was observed only for the norepinephrine transporter. Moreover, methoxphenidine bound to adrenergic α2A and serotonin 5-HT2A and 5-HT2C receptors in the range of 2.5-8.2μM. None of the test drugs mediated substrate-type efflux of monoamines. These data demonstrate that the monoamine transporter inhibition and receptor interactions most likely mediate the psychoactive effects of diclofensine and possibly play a contributory role for diphenidine and methoxphenidine.

UI MeSH Term Description Entries
D007546 Isoquinolines A group of compounds with the heterocyclic ring structure of benzo(c)pyridine. The ring structure is characteristic of the group of opium alkaloids such as papaverine. (From Stedman, 25th ed)
D010880 Piperidines A family of hexahydropyridines.
D011619 Psychotropic Drugs A loosely defined grouping of drugs that have effects on psychological function. Here the psychotropic agents include the antidepressive agents, hallucinogens, and tranquilizing agents (including the antipsychotics and anti-anxiety agents). Psychoactive Agent,Psychoactive Agents,Psychoactive Drug,Psychopharmaceutical,Psychopharmaceuticals,Psychotropic Drug,Psychoactive Drugs,Agent, Psychoactive,Agents, Psychoactive,Drug, Psychoactive,Drug, Psychotropic,Drugs, Psychoactive,Drugs, Psychotropic
D000818 Animals Unicellular or multicellular, heterotrophic organisms, that have sensation and the power of voluntary movement. Under the older five kingdom paradigm, Animalia was one of the kingdoms. Under the modern three domain model, Animalia represents one of the many groups in the domain EUKARYOTA. Animal,Metazoa,Animalia
D015306 Biogenic Monoamines Biogenic amines having only one amine moiety. Included in this group are all natural monoamines formed by the enzymatic decarboxylation of natural amino acids. Monoamines, Biogenic
D051379 Mice The common name for the genus Mus. Mice, House,Mus,Mus musculus,Mice, Laboratory,Mouse,Mouse, House,Mouse, Laboratory,Mouse, Swiss,Mus domesticus,Mus musculus domesticus,Swiss Mice,House Mice,House Mouse,Laboratory Mice,Laboratory Mouse,Mice, Swiss,Swiss Mouse,domesticus, Mus musculus
D026901 Membrane Transport Proteins Membrane proteins whose primary function is to facilitate the transport of molecules across a biological membrane. Included in this broad category are proteins involved in active transport (BIOLOGICAL TRANSPORT, ACTIVE), facilitated transport and ION CHANNELS. Biological Pump,Membrane Transport Protein,Membrane Transporter,Membrane Transporters,Metabolic Pump,Permease,Biological Pumps,Metabolic Pumps,Permeases,Pump, Biologic,Pump, Biological,Pump, Metabolic,Pumps, Biological,Pumps, Metabolic,Biologic Pump,Protein, Membrane Transport,Transport Protein, Membrane,Transport Proteins, Membrane,Transporter, Membrane,Transporters, Membrane
D041681 NIH 3T3 Cells A continuous cell line of high contact-inhibition established from NIH Swiss mouse embryo cultures. The cells are useful for DNA transfection and transformation studies. (From ATCC [Internet]. Virginia: American Type Culture Collection; c2002 [cited 2002 Sept 26]. Available from http://www.atcc.org/) 3T3 Cells, NIH,NIH-3T3 Cells,3T3 Cell, NIH,Cell, NIH 3T3,Cell, NIH-3T3,Cells, NIH 3T3,Cells, NIH-3T3,NIH 3T3 Cell,NIH-3T3 Cell

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