Lack of Amphetamine-Like Effects After Administration of Mefenorex in Normal Young Subjects

Abstract

Mefenorex is an indirect sympathomimetic amine which acts as an anorectic drug and is used in combination with low diet to treat excess weight. The central nervous system (CNS) effects of mefenorex were assessed in a randomized, double-blind, three-way cross-over, placebo-controlled study involving nine healthy young male volunteers. They received either a single oral dose of mefenorex 80 mg (twice the recommended dose) or d-amphetamine sulfate 18 mg or a placebo at 1-week intervals. CNS pharmacodynamic measurements consisted of subjective evaluation (visual analogue scales and the Addiction Research Centre inventory (ARCI)), EEG, psychomotor performance and attention (tracking, simple and choice reaction times, tapping, continuous performance task, DSST, body sway) and memory (working memory and recall of a word list). d-Amphetamine produced a typical psychostimulant EEG profile (significant decrease in slow delta waves and increase in fast beta activities), significantly increased amphetamine, benzedrine and morphine–benzedrine scores of ARCI and significantly decreased body sway compared to placebo and mefenorex. A trend in favour of a stimulant effect occurred for all other parameters (particularly speed of reaction) and no changes of memory were noticed. In contrast, mefenorex did not produce an amphetamine-like EEG profile, neither significantly changed ARCI scores nor significantly modified psychomotor and memory performance compared to the placebo, although it induced a decrease in body sway. In conclusion, the present results indicate that a single oral dose of mefenorex, at twice the recommended daily dose, does not possess amphetamine-like subjective and EEG stimulant effects or sensations of well-being, often encountered with drugs of abuse liability potential, in a healthy young population.