BRENTWOOD, Tenn., Dec. 14 (UPI) -- The "designer drugs" mephedrone and methylone have neurobiological effects similar to those of the illegal drug commonly known as Ecstasy, U.S. scientists say.
The study, published in the journal Neuropsychopharmacology, describes the effects of these compounds and the toxicity and abuse potential of designer drugs known by innocuous names such as "bath salts" or "plant food."
Mephedrone and methylone are structurally related to MDMA, also known as Ecstasy, and are often similarly used for mood elevation and "legal highs," researchers said.
Such designer drugs are often available over the Internet and in retail shops under "street" names that offer few clues to their illicit nature and relation to MDMA in their effect on the brain, they said.
Researchers said the study should raise public awareness of the potential misuse of these products and help to inform future policy decisions regarding their legality.
