3,4-Dihydroxymethamphetamine

MDMA metabolite

Pharmaceutical compound

3,4-Dihydroxymethamphetamine
Clinical data

Other names	HHMA; 3,4-DHMA; Di-OH-MA; α-Methylepinine; α,N-Dimethyldopamine; α-Methyl-N-methyldopamine; 3,4-Dihydroxy-N-methylamphetamine
Identifiers
IUPAC name 4-benzene-1,2-diol
CAS Number	15398-87-5
PubChem CID	161126
ChemSpider	141547
UNII	VFV03WN1VN
CompTox Dashboard (EPA)	DTXSID90934885
Chemical and physical data
Formula	C₁₀H₁₅NO₂
Molar mass	181.235 g·mol
3D model (JSmol)	Interactive image
SMILES CC(CC1=CC(=C(C=C1)O)O)NC
InChI InChI=1S/C10H15NO2/c1-7(11-2)5-8-3-4-9(12)10(13)6-8/h3-4,6-7,11-13H,5H2,1-2H3 Key:NTCPGTZTPGFNOM-UHFFFAOYSA-N

3,4-Dihydroxymethamphetamine (HHMA, 3,4-DHMA), or 3,4-dihydroxy-N-methylamphetamine, also known as α-methylepinine or α,N-dimethyldopamine, is the major metabolite of 3,4-methylenedioxy-N-methylamphetamine (MDMA). It is formed from MDMA by O-demethylation via cytochrome P450 enzymes including CYP2D6 as well as CYP1A2 and CYP3A4. Like MDMA, HHMA is a monoamine releasing agent.

Along with 3,4-dihydroxyamphetamine (HHA; α-methyldopamine), HHMA may be involved in the serotonergic neurotoxicity of MDMA. However, findings in this regard are conflicting, and the neurotoxicity of MDMA and related agents may instead be based on their mechanism of action without involvement of metabolites.

References

^ Drevin G, Pena-Martin M, Bauduin A, Baudriller A, Briet M, Abbara C (August 2024). "Pharmacogenomics of 3,4-Methylenedioxymethamphetamine (MDMA): A Narrative Review of the Literature". Pharmaceutics. 16 (8): 1091. doi:10.3390/pharmaceutics16081091. PMC 11359928. PMID 39204437.
Dunlap LE, Andrews AM, Olson DE (October 2018). "Dark Classics in Chemical Neuroscience: 3,4-Methylenedioxymethamphetamine". ACS Chemical Neuroscience. 9 (10): 2408–2427. doi:10.1021/acschemneuro.8b00155. PMC 6197894. PMID 30001118.
^ Aguilar MA, García-Pardo MP, Parrott AC (January 2020). "Of mice and men on MDMA: A translational comparison of the neuropsychobiological effects of 3,4-methylenedioxymethamphetamine ('Ecstasy')". Brain Research. 1727: 146556. doi:10.1016/j.brainres.2019.146556. PMID 31734398. The metabolites of MDMA are 3,4-methylenedioxyamphetamine (MDA), 3,4-dihydroxymethamphetamine (HHMA), α-methyldopamine (α-MeDA), N-methyl-αmethyldopamine (N-Me-α-MeDA) and 5-(glutathion-S-yl)-α-methyldopamine . There is a substantial hepatic metabolism of MDMA, since levels of MDA and HMMA exceed that of MDMA in plasma. The metabolites of MDMA, as well as those of DA, enhance the formation of quinoproteins and alter synaptosomal glutathione status, suggesting the role of these metabolites in the neurotoxicity induced by MDMA (Barbosa et al., 2012). However, the major reactive metabolite of MDMA, HHMA, does not contribute to acute or long-term MDMA-induced DA depletion, since peripheral administration of this metabolite fails to alter striatal DA. Furthermore, HHMA has been detected in the brain following its systemic injection, but not after systemic MDMA administration (Escobedo et al., 2005).
Blough B (July 2008). "Dopamine-releasing agents" (PDF). In Trudell ML, Izenwasser S (eds.). Dopamine Transporters: Chemistry, Biology and Pharmacology. Hoboken : Wiley. pp. 305–320. ISBN 978-0-470-11790-3. OCLC 181862653. OL 18589888W.
^ Seiden LS, Sabol KE (1996). "Methamphetamine and Methylenedioxymethamphetamine Neurotoxicity: Possible Mechanisms of Cell Destruction". In Majewska MD (ed.). Neurotoxicity and Neuropathology Associated with Cocaine Abuse. NIDA research monograph. U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, National Institutes of Health, National Institute on Drug Abuse. pp. 251–276. Retrieved 30 September 2024. Steele and colleagues (1991) found that alpha-methylepinine, a metabolite of MDMA formed by demethylenation, failed to damage the 5-HT system in rats.
^ Schmitt KC, Reith ME (February 2010). "Regulation of the dopamine transporter: aspects relevant to psychostimulant drugs of abuse". Annals of the New York Academy of Sciences. 1187: 316–340. doi:10.1111/j.1749-6632.2009.05148.x. PMID 20201860. In humans, MDA and MDMA are largely metabolized via demethylenation by the hepatic CYP2D6 enzyme to the respective 3,4-dihydroxyamphetamine species (α-methyldopamine and α,N-dimethyldopamine).135 In recent years, several investigators have revealed that—much like dopamine—these catechol species readily undergo oxidation to semiquinone and quinone species that can form neurotoxic thioether compounds in vivo.136,137 In particular, the dopaminoquinone-like metabolite of MDA/MDMA can undergo conjugation with the cysteinyl thiol moiety of the endogenous reductant glutathione (GSH) to form the thioether 5-(glutathionyl)-α-methyldopamine (5-(GSH)-αMeDA) or its N-methyl analogue.136 In the central nervous system, the 5-(glutathionyl)-thioethers are ultimately metabolized via the mercapturic acid pathway to form 5-(N-acetyl-cysteinyl)-α-methyldopamine (5-(NAC)-αMeDA) and its N-methyl analogue (5-(NAC)-α,N-diMeDA). The structural formulae of these metabolites and their relative potencies as neurotoxins are displayed in Figure 2. The thioether metabolites are potent serotonergic neurotoxins that can induce a dose-dependent increase in ROS formation and cause caspase-3–mediated apoptosis in cultured cortical neurons.137 Moreover, direct intrastriatal administration of pure 5-(NAC)-α,N-diMeDA in rats fully recapitulates the serotonergic toxicity observed with systemic high-dose MDMA.136 These thioethers are detectable in the rat brain after systemic administration of a high-dose neurotoxic regimen of MDMA—repeated dosing leads to significant accumulation due to a nonlinear increase in elimination half-life.139
Baggott M, Mendelson J (2001). "Does MDMA Cause Brain Damage?". In Holland J (ed.). Ecstasy: The Complete Guide: A Comprehensive Look at the Risks and Benefits of MDMA. Inner Traditions/Bear. pp. 110–145, 396–404. ISBN 978-0-89281-857-0. Retrieved 24 November 2024. While a single injection of MDMA into the brain (intracerebroventricularly) had no effect on TPH activity, slow infusion of 1 mg/kg MDMA into the brain over 1 hr produced enough oxidative stress to acutely reduce TPH activity (Schmidt and Taylor 1988). The acute decrease in TPH activity is an early effect of MDMA and can be measured at post 15 min (Stone et al. 1989b). TPH inactivation can also be produced by non-neurotoxic MDMA doses (Schmidt and Taylor 1988; Stone et al. 1989a; Stone et al. 1989b). It therefore appears that MDMA rapidly induces oxidative stress but only produces neurotoxicity when endogenous free radical scavenging systems are overwhelmed.
Sprague JE, Everman SL, Nichols DE (June 1998). "An integrated hypothesis for the serotonergic axonal loss induced by 3,4-methylenedioxymethamphetamine" (PDF). Neurotoxicology. 19 (3): 427–441. PMID 9621349.

v t e Monoaminergic neurotoxins
Dopaminergic	2′-CH₃-MPTP (2′-methyl-MPTP) 2,4,5-THA 2,4,5-THMA 5-S-Cysteinyldopamine 5,6-DHT 6-Hydroxydopa 6-OHDA quinone 6,7-DHT ALDH inhibitors (e.g., disulfiram, methylmercury) Amphetamine Benomyl Daidzin Dieldrin DOPA quinone DOPAL DOPAL quinone Dopamine Dopamine quinone Fenpropathrin Haloperidol HPP HPTP Mancozeb Maneb Mephedrone Methamphetamine Methylone MPP (cyperquat) MPTP N-Methylnorsalsolinol Norsalsolinol Oxidopamine (6-OHDA) Paraquat Rotenone Salsolinol Ziram
Noradrenergic	2′-NH₂-MPTP (2′-amino-MPTP) 2,4,5-THA 4,5-DHT 5,6-DHT 5,7-DHT 6-Hydroxydopa DOPEGAL DSP-4 MDA (tenamfetamine) Oxidopamine (6-OHDA) Xylamine
Serotonergic	2′-NH₂-MPTP (2′-amino-MPTP) 2,4-DCA 2,4,5-THA 2,4,5-THMA 3-CA 3,4-DCA 4-CAB (α-ethyl-PCA) 4-CMA 4,5-DHT 5-IAI 5-MAPB 5,6-DHT 5,7-DHT 6,7-DHT αET Fenfluramine Haloperidol HHA (α-methyldopamine) HHMA (α-methylepinine, α,N-dimethyldopamine) HPP HPTP MBDB MDA (tenamfetamine) MDMA (midomafetamine) Mephedrone Methamphetamine Methylone Norfenfluramine PBA PCA PIA
Unsorted	5-HIAL RHPP RHPTP
See also: Receptor/signaling modulators • Adrenergics • Dopaminergics • Melatonergics • Serotonergics • Monoamine reuptake inhibitors • Monoamine releasing agents • Monoamine metabolism modulators

Monoamine releasing agents

DRAsTooltip Dopamine releasing agents

Morpholines: Fenbutrazate Fenmetramide Morazone Morforex Phendimetrazine Phenmetrazine Pseudophenmetrazine
Oxazolines: 4-MAR Aminorex Clominorex Cyclazodone Fenozolone Fluminorex Pemoline Thozalinone
Phenethylamines: 2-OH-PEA 4-CAB 4-FA 4-FMA 4-MA 4-MMA Alfetamine Amfecloral Amfepentorex Amfepramone Amphetamine (Dextroamphetamine Levoamphetamine) Amphetaminil β-Me-PEA BDB BOH Benzphetamine Buphedrone Butylone Cathine Cathinone Clobenzorex Clortermine D-Deprenyl DMA DMMA Dimethylamphetamine Ephedrine Ethcathinone EBDB Ethylone Etilamfetamine Famprofazone Fenethylline Fenproporex Flephedrone Fludorex Furfenorex Hordenine 4-Hydroxyamphetamine Iofetamine (123I) Lisdexamfetamine Lophophine Mefenorex Mephedrone Metamfepramone Methamphetamine Dextromethamphetamine Levomethamphetamine Methcathinone Methedrone MMDA MMDMA MBDB MDA (tenamfetamine) MDEA MDMA (midomafetamine) MDMPEA MDOH MDPEA Methylone Morforex Ortetamine pBA pCA pIA Pholedrine Phenethylamine Pholedrine Phenpromethamine Prenylamine Propylamphetamine Pseudoephedrine Tiflorex Tyramine Xylopropamine Zylofuramine
Piperazines: 2C-B-BZP BZP MBZP MDBZP MeOPP oMPP
Others: 2-ADN 2-AI 2-AT 4-BP 5-APDI 5-IAI Amineptine Clofenciclan Cyclopentamine Cypenamine Cyprodenate Feprosidnine Gilutensin Heptaminol Hexacyclonate Indanorex Isometheptene Methylhexanamine Naphthylaminopropane Octodrine Phthalimidopropiophenone Phenylbiguanide Propylhexedrine

NRAsTooltip Norepinephrine releasing agents

Morpholines: Fenbutrazate Fenmetramide Morazone Morforex Phendimetrazine Phenmetrazine Pseudophenmetrazine
Oxazolines: 4-MAR Aminorex Clominorex Cyclazodone Fenozolone Fluminorex Pemoline Thozalinone
Phenethylamines: 2-OH-PEA 4-CAB 4-FA 4-FMA 4-MA 4-MMA Alfetamine Amfecloral Amfepentorex Amfepramone Amphetamine Dextroamphetamine Levoamphetamine Amphetaminil β-Me-PEA BDB Benzphetamine BOH Buphedrone Butylone Cathine Cathinone Clobenzorex Clortermine Dimethylamphetamine DMA DMMA EBDB Ephedrine Ethcathinone Ethylone Etilamfetamine Famprofazone Fenethylline Fenproporex Flephedrone Fludorex Furfenorex Hordenine 4-Hydroxyamphetamine 5-APDI (IAP) Iofetamine (123I) Lisdexamfetamine Lophophine MBDB MDA (tenamfetamine) MDEA MDMA (midomafetamine) Metamfepramone MDMPEA MDOH MDPEA Mefenorex Mephedrone Mephentermine Methamphetamine Dextromethamphetamine Levomethamphetamine Methcathinone Methedrone Methylone Morforex Naphthylaminopropane Ortetamine pBA pCA Pentorex Phenethylamine Pholedrine Phenpromethamine Phentermine Phenylpropanolamine pIA Prenylamine Propylamphetamine Pseudoephedrine Selegiline (also D-Deprenyl) Tiflorex Tyramine Xylopropamine Zylofuramine
Piperazines: 2C-B-BZP BZP MBZP mCPP MDBZP MeOPP oMPP pFPP
Others: 2-ADN 2-AI 2-AT 2-BP 4-BP 5-IAI Clofenciclan Cyclopentamine Cypenamine Cyprodenate Feprosidnine Gilutensin Heptaminol Hexacyclonate Indanorex Isometheptene Methylhexanamine Octodrine Phthalimidopropiophenone Propylhexedrine Tuaminoheptane

SRAsTooltip Serotonin releasing agents

Aminoindanes: 5-IAI AMMI ETAI MDAI MDMAI MMAI TAI
Aminotetralins: 6-CAT 8-OH-DPAT MDAT MDMAT
Oxazolines: 4-Methylaminorex Aminorex Clominorex Fluminorex
Phenethylamines: 2-Methyl-MDA 4-CAB 4-FA 4-FMA 4-HA 4-MTA 5-APDB 5-Methyl-MDA 6-APDB 6-Methyl-MDA AEMMA Amiflamine BDB BOH Brephedrone Butylone Chlorphentermine Cloforex Amfepramone Metamfepramone DCA Dexfenfluramine DFMDA DMA DMMA EBDB EDMA Ethylone Etolorex Fenfluramine Flephedrone Flucetorex IAP Iofetamine Levofenfluramine Lophophine MBDB MDA (tenamfetamine) MDEA MDHMA MDMA (midomafetamine) MDMPEA MDOH MDPEA Mephedrone Methedrone Methylone MMA MMDA MMDMA MMMA NAP Norfenfluramine 4-TFMA pBA pCA pIA PMA PMEA PMMA TAP
Piperazines: 2C-B-BZP 3-MeOPP BZP DCPP MBZP mCPP MDBZP MeOPP Mepiprazole oMPP pCPP pFPP pTFMPP TFMPP
Tryptamines: 4-Methyl-αET 4-Methyl-αMT 5-CT 5-MeO-αET 5-MeO-αMT 5-MT αET αMT DMT Tryptamine
Others: Indeloxazine Viqualine

Others

DAT modulators: Agonist-like: SoRI-9804
SoRI-20040; Antagonist-like: SoRI-20041

Adrenergic release blockers: Bethanidine
Bretylium
Guanadrel
Guanazodine
Guanethidine
Guanoxan

See also: Receptor/signaling modulators • Monoamine reuptake inhibitors • Adrenergics • Dopaminergics • Serotonergics • Monoamine metabolism modulators • Monoamine neurotoxins

v t e Phenethylamines
Phenethylamines	Psychedelics: 25B-NBOMe 25C-NBOMe 25D-NBOMe 25I-NBOMe 25N-NBOMe 2C-B 2C-B-AN 2C-Bn 2C-Bu 2C-C 2C-CN 2C-CP 2C-D 2C-E 2C-EF 2C-F 2C-G 2C-G-1 2C-G-2 2C-G-3 2C-G-4 2C-G-5 2C-G-6 2C-G-N 2C-H 2C-I 2C-iP 2C-N 2C-NH2 2C-O 2C-O-4 2C-P 2C-Ph 2C-SE 2C-T 2C-T-2 2C-T-3 2C-T-4 2C-T-5 2C-T-6 2C-T-7 2C-T-8 2C-T-9 2C-T-10 2C-T-11 2C-T-12 2C-T-13 2C-T-14 2C-T-15 2C-T-16 2C-T-17 2C-T-18 2C-T-19 2C-T-20 2C-T-21 2C-T-22 2C-T-22.5 2C-T-23 2C-T-24 2C-T-25 2C-T-27 2C-T-28 2C-T-30 2C-T-31 2C-T-32 2C-T-33 2C-TFE 2C-TFM 2C-YN 2C-V Allylescaline DESOXY Escaline Isoproscaline Jimscaline Macromerine MEPEA Mescaline Metaescaline Methallylescaline Proscaline Psi-2C-T-4 TCB-2 Stimulants: Phenylethanolamine Hordenine Phenethylamine Phenpromethamine α-Methylphenethylamine (amphetamine) β-Methylphenethylamine m-Methylphenethylamine N-Methylphenethylamine o-Methylphenethylamine p-Methylphenethylamine Methylphenidate Entactogens: Lophophine MDPEA MDMPEA Others: BOH DMPEA
Amphetamines	Psychedelics: 3C-AL 3C-BZ 3C-E 3C-MAL 3C-P Aleph Beatrice Bromo-DragonFLY D-Deprenyl DMA DMCPA DMMDA DOB DOC DOEF DOET DOI DOM DON DOPR DOTFM Ganesha MMDA MMDA-2 Psi-DOM TMA TeMA ZDCM-04 Stimulants: 2-FA 2-FMA 3-FA 3-FMA Acridorex Alfetamine Amfecloral Amfepentorex Amphetamine (Dextroamphetamine, Levoamphetamine) Amphetaminil Benfluorex Benzphetamine Cathine Clobenzorex Dimethylamphetamine Ephedrine Etilamfetamine Fencamfamin Fencamine Fenethylline Fenfluramine (Dexfenfluramine, Levofenfluramine) Fenproporex Flucetorex Fludorex Formetorex Furfenorex Gepefrine 4-Hydroxyamphetamine Iofetamine Isopropylamphetamine Lefetamine Lisdexamfetamine Mefenorex Metaraminol Methamphetamine (Dextromethamphetamine, Levomethamphetamine) Methoxyphenamine MMA Morforex Norfenfluramine L-Norpseudoephedrine N,alpha-Diethylphenylethylamine Oxifentorex Oxilofrine Ortetamine PBA PCA PFA PFMA PIA PMA PMEA PMMA Phenylpropanolamine Pholedrine Prenylamine Propylamphetamine Pseudoephedrine Sibutramine Tiflorex Tranylcypromine Xylopropamine Zylofuramine Entactogens: 4-FA 4-FMA 4-MA 4-MMA 4-MTA 5-APB 5-APDB 5-EAPB 5-IT 5-MAPB 5-MAPDB 6-APB 6-APDB 6-Chloro-MDMA 6-EAPB 6-IT 6-MAPB 6-MAPDB EDA IAP 2,3-MDA 3,4-MDA (tenamfetamine) MDEA MDHMA MDMA (midomafetamine) MDOH Methamnetamine MMDMA Naphthylaminopropane TAP Others: 3,4-DCA Amiflamine DiFMDA Selegiline (also D-Deprenyl)
Phentermines	Stimulants: Chlorphentermine Cloforex Clortermine Etolorex Mephentermine Pentorex Phentermine Entactogens: MDPH MDMPH Others: Cericlamine
Cathinones	Stimulants: 3-FMC 4-MC 4-BMC 4-CMC 4-EMC 4-FMC 4-MEC 4-MeMABP 4-MPD Amfepramone Benzedrone Brephedrone Buphedrone Bupropion Cathinone Dimethylcathinone Ethcathinone Eutylone Hydroxybupropion Methcathinone Methedrone NEB N-Ethylhexedrone N-Ethylpentedrone Pentedrone Pentylone Radafaxine Entactogens: 3,4-DMMC 3-MMC Butylone Ethylone Methylone Methylenedioxycathinone Mephedrone
Phenylisobutylamines	Entactogens: 4-CAB 4-MAB Ariadne BDB Butylone EBDB Eutylone MBDB Stimulants: Phenylisobutylamine
Phenylalkylpyrrolidines	Stimulants: α-PBP α-PHP α-PPP α-PVP MDPBP MDPPP MDPV 4-MePBP 4-MePHP 4-MePPP MOPPP MOPVP MPBP MPHP MPPP Naphyrone PEP Prolintane Pyrovalerone
Catecholamines (and close relatives)	6-FNE 6-OHDA a-Me-DA a-Me-TRA Adrenochrome Ciladopa D-DOPA (Dextrodopa) Dimetofrine Dopamine Epinephrine Epinine Etilefrine Ethylnorepinephrine Fenclonine Ibopamine Isoprenaline Isoetarine L-DOPA (Levodopa) L-DOPS (Droxidopa) L-Phenylalanine L-Tyrosine m-Tyramine Metanephrine Metaraminol Metaterol Metirosine Methyldopa N,N-Dimethyldopamine Nordefrin (Levonordefrin) Norepinephrine Norfenefrine (m-Octopamine) Normetanephrine Orciprenaline p-Octopamine p-Tyramine Phenylephrine Synephrine
Miscellaneous	AL-LAD Amidephrine Arbutamine Cafedrine Denopamine Desvenlafaxine Diphenidine Dizocilpine Dobutamine Dopexamine Ephenidine Etafedrine ETH-LAD Famprofazone Fluorolintane Hexapradol IP-LAD Lysergic acid amide Lysergic acid 2-butyl amide Lysergic acid 2,4-dimethylazetidide Lysergic acid diethylamide Methoxamine Methoxphenidine MT-45 PARGY-LAD Phenibut PRO-LAD Pronethalol Salbutamol (Levosalbutamol) Solriamfetol Theodrenaline Thiamphenicol UWA-101 Venlafaxine

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