-Norpseudoephedrine, or (−)-norpseudoephedrine, is a psychostimulant drug of the amphetamine family. It is one of the four

optical isomer In chemistry, a molecule or ion is called chiral () if it cannot be superposed on its mirror image by any combination of rotations, translations, and some conformational changes. This geometric property is called chirality (). The terms are d ...

s of

phenylpropanolamine Phenylpropanolamine (PPA) is a sympathomimetic agent which is used as a decongestant and appetite suppressant. It was commonly used in prescription and over-the-counter cough and cold preparations. In veterinary medicine, it is used to contr ...

, the other three being cathine ((+)-norpseudoephedrine), (−)-norephedrine, and (+)-norephedrine; as well as one of the two enantiomers of

norpseudoephedrine Norpseudoephedrine may refer to: * Cathine (or D-norpseudoephedrine), the (+)-enantiomer and most widely known form of the compound * L-Norpseudoephedrine, the (-)-enantiomer of the compound An article for the racemic mixture of the compoun ...

(the other being cathine). Similarly to cathine, -norpseudoephedrine acts as a

releasing agent A monoamine releasing agent (MRA), or simply monoamine releaser, is a drug that induces the synapse, release of a monoamine neurotransmitter from the synapse, presynaptic neuron into the synapse, leading to an increase in the extracellular conc ...

norepinephrine Norepinephrine (NE), also called noradrenaline (NA) or noradrenalin, is an organic chemical in the catecholamine family that functions in the brain and body as both a hormone and neurotransmitter. The name "noradrenaline" (from Latin '' ad' ...

( EC₅₀ = 30 nM) and to a lesser extent of dopamine (EC₅₀ = 294 nM). Due to the 10-fold difference in its

potency Potency may refer to: * Potency (pharmacology), a measure of the activity of a drug in a biological system * Virility * Cell potency, a measure of the differentiation potential of stem cells * In homeopathic dilutions, potency is a measure of how ...

for inducing the release of the two neurotransmitters however, -norpseudoephedrine could be called a modestly selective or preferential norepinephrine releasing agent, similarly to related compounds like

ephedrine Ephedrine is a central nervous system (CNS) stimulant that is often used to prevent low blood pressure during anesthesia. It has also been used for asthma, narcolepsy, and obesity but is not the preferred treatment. It is of unclear benefit in ...

and pseudoephedrine.

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Norpseudoephedrine, L- Phenylethanolamines Substituted amphetamines Enantiopure drugs Norepinephrine releasing agents Stimulants

See also

References