Cathinones

Background

• Class of recreational drugs that include methathinone, mephedrone, methylenedioxypyrovalerone, methylone, ethylone, butylone, and methedrone
• Identified in 1975 as the psychoactive compound in Khat (Catha edulis) leaves
• Also known as khat, bath salts, ivory wave, vanilla sky, white rush, white lightning, white dove, meow meow, M-CAT, bubbles, cloud 9, explosion, impact, energy 1, bloom, and blue silk
• Taken orally or intranasally, but can also be inhaled, given by IV or IM, or taken rectally
• Similar mechanism of action to amphetamines and catecholamines

Clinical Manifestations

Intoxications

• Stimulation, euphoria, friendliness, sexual arousal, and perceptual disturbances
• Anxiety, paranoia, hallucinations, psychosis, aggression, impaired working memory, bruxism, seizures, hypertension, tachycardia, coronary vasospasm, dysrhythmia, rhabdomyolysis, acute kidney injury, hyponatremia, hyperkalemia, metabolic acidosis, hyperthermia, serotonin syndrome, disseminated intravascular coagulation, death