Substituted β-hydroxyamphetamine

Substituted β-hydroxyamphetamines, or simply β-hydroxyamphetamines, also known as phenylisopropanolamines, phenylpropanolamines, norephedrines, or cathinols, are derivatives of β-hydroxyamphetamine with one or more chemical substituents.^{[1][2][3][4][5]} They are substituted phenethylamines, phenylethanolamines (β-hydroxyphenethylamines), and amphetamines (α-methylphenethylamines), and are closely related to but distinct from the substituted cathinones (β-ketoamphetamines).^{[1][2][3][4][6]} Examples of β-hydroxyamphetamines include the β-hydroxyamphetamine stereoisomers phenylpropanolamine and cathine and the stereospecific N-methylated β-hydroxyamphetamine derivatives ephedrine and pseudoephedrine, among many others.^[1][2][3]

Synonymsβ-Hydroxyamphetamines; β-Hydroxyphenylisopropylamines; β-Hydroxyphenylaminopropanes; Phenylisopropanolamines; Phenylpropanolamines; Norephedrines; Amphetanolamines; Cathinols; Cathines

Chemical classSubstituted derivatives of β-hydroxyamphetamine

Quick facts Class identifiers, Synonyms ...

Substituted β-hydroxyamphetamines
Drug class
Racemic β-hydroxyamphetamine skeleton
Class identifiers
Synonyms	β-Hydroxyamphetamines; β-Hydroxyphenylisopropylamines; β-Hydroxyphenylaminopropanes; Phenylisopropanolamines; Phenylpropanolamines; Norephedrines; Amphetanolamines; Cathinols; Cathines
Chemical class	Substituted derivatives of β-hydroxyamphetamine
Legal status
In Wikidata

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In terms of pharmacological activity, the β-hydroxyamphetamines include indirectly acting norepinephrine and dopamine releasing agents and directly acting α- and β-adrenergic receptor agonists, among other actions.^{[7][8][9][10][11][2][3]} In contrast to their amphetamine counterparts, ephedrine and 4-fluoroephedrine are not agonists of the human trace amine-associated receptor 1 (TAAR1).^[12] With regard to medical and other uses, β-hydroxyamphetamines are employed as sympathomimetics, decongestants, bronchodilators, vasoconstrictors, vasodilators, tocolytics, antitussives, cardiac stimulants, antihypotensive agents, appetite suppressants, psychostimulants, wakefulness-promoting agents, antidepressants, euphoriants or recreational drugs, and performance-enhancing drugs (in exercise and sports), among others.^{[2][3][10][4][11]}

β-Hydroxyamphetamines have increased hydrophilicity and lower lipophilicity relative to their amphetamine counterparts owing to their β-hydroxyl group.^[13][14] For comparison, the predicted log P (XLogP3) of amphetamine is 1.8,^[15] of β-hydroxyamphetamine is 0.8,^[16] and of cathinone is 1.1.^[17] As a result of their reduced lipophilicity, they are generally less able to cross the blood–brain barrier and show greater peripheral selectivity in comparison to the corresponding amphetamine analogues.^{[13][14][18][19]} This makes the β-hydroxyamphetamines less applicable for use as centrally-acting agents but more applicable for peripherally-specific uses such as sympathomimetic stimulation.^{[13][14][18][19]} Besides different physicochemical properties, there is also a large drop in the potency of β-hydroxyamphetamines as monoamine releasing agents in vitro relative to amphetamines and cathinones.^{[7][9][20][21]}