Evidence map›Paper›PMID 40307485›Full record

ArticlePsychopharmacology2025

Low to moderate doses of 3-methylmethcathinone (3-MMC) produce analgesic effects in healthy volunteers: a proof of principle study with a designer drug.

Johannes G Ramaekers, Johannes T Reckweg, Natasha L Mason, Kim Pc Kuypers, Stefan W Toennes, Eef L Theunissen

Abstract readControlled Clinical Trial
In one paragraph

Article in Psychopharmacology, 2025. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 3 papers.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
3citing papers in PubMed
–field-weighted citation impact
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

3 citing papers in PubMed.

  1. Review
  2. Review
  3. Observational
4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

6 authors.

Johannes G RamaekersFaculty of Psychology and Neuroscience, Maastricht University, Maastricht, The Netherlands. j.ramaekers@maastrichtuniversity.nl.ORCID http://orcid.org/0000-0003-4553-376X
Johannes T ReckwegFaculty of Psychology and Neuroscience, Maastricht University, Maastricht, The Netherlands.
Natasha L MasonFaculty of Psychology and Neuroscience, Maastricht University, Maastricht, The Netherlands.
Kim Pc KuypersFaculty of Psychology and Neuroscience, Maastricht University, Maastricht, The Netherlands.
Stefan W ToennesInstitute of Legal Medicine, Goethe University, Frankfurt, Germany.
Eef L TheunissenFaculty of Psychology and Neuroscience, Maastricht University, Maastricht, The Netherlands.

Funding

Human Affairs Foundation Human Affairs Foundation
6 · The paper itself

Abstract

3-Methylmethcathinone (3-MMC) is a synthetic cathinone that has been scheduled in many jurisdictions after it appeared on the consumer market as a designer drug or "legal high". At present, there are no medical applications for synthetic cathinones, but in the past cathinone and other compounds that are structurally related to amphetamine have been evaluated and recognized for their intrinsic analgesic quality. The present study aimed to assess the analgesic effects of low to moderate doses (25, 50 and 100 mg) of 3-MMC in healthy volunteers (N = 14) in a cross-over, placebo-controlled study. Participants were repeatedly exposed to experimental pain for up to 5 h after dosing in pressure pain threshold (PPT) and cold pressor test (CPT) paradigms. A profile of mood states questionnaire was used to assess the subjective effects of 3-MMC. Overall, 3-MMC produced dose-related elevations in pressure pain threshold and reduced subjective painfulness and unpleasantness in both experimental pain models. The analgesic effects of 3-MMC were most prominent after the 50 and 100 mg dose and persisted consistently for up to 5 h after dosing. 3-MMC also produced dose-related increments in mood that were prominent at 1 h, but not at 5 h after dosing. It is concluded that 3-MMC produces prolonged analgesic effects at doses that appear low enough to avoid a challenging subjective experience and that have been associated with a benign side effect profile. The present data warrant further research into the analgesic effects of low to moderate doses of 3-MMC in patient populations.

Indexed as

AnalgesicsDesigner DrugsMethamphetaminePainAdultAffectCross-Over StudiesDose-Response Relationship, DrugDouble-Blind MethodFemaleHealthy VolunteersHumansMalePain MeasurementPain ThresholdProof of Concept StudyAnalgesicsDesigner DrugsMethamphetaminemonomethylpropionPropiophenones

Identifiers

PMID40307485
PMCPMC12449331

What Socratic holds

Textmetadata
LicenceCC BY
Read underepoch 390

Registered trials

None linked

Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the Socratic graph.