Benzphetamine 57mild insomnia. The compound’s ability to mask fatigue can also cause persons
to overextend themselves—a hazard when operating dangerous machinery
such as motor vehicles. In an experiment, complaint of dry mouth was routine,
and insomnia less so, but the drug did not make people particularly active or
ill-tempered. Once ingested, benzphetamine will convert into amphetamine
andmethamphetamineand may cause a person to fail a drug test for those
substances, although skilled interpretation of test results can sometimes sug-
gest benzphetamine as the source.
People with diabetes, thyroid trouble, epilepsy, or anxiety should use
benzphetamine with caution. Persons with glaucoma, cardiac ailment, high
blood pressure, or narrowed arteries are supposed to avoid benzphetamine
altogether.
Abuse factors.Experiments with rhesus monkeys have been interpreted as
meaning benzphetamine may be more effective in producing desire for the
drug than in producing appetite loss. Human tests find the drug about as
appealing as phenmetrazine. In an experiment with 75 human subjects, 5 re-
ported experiences likened to those induced bymescaline. Drug abusers may
find benzphetamine attractive, but it lacks a reputation for illicit use. Depen-
dence can develop.
Drug interactions.People using a monoamine oxidase inhibitor (MAOI,
found in some antidepressants and other medicines) are supposed to stop
taking any such drug two weeks before using benzphetamine. Tricyclic anti-
depressants may reduce benzphetamine’s effectiveness. The drug may inter-
fere with the blood pressure medicine guanethidine, causing pressure to rise.
Cancer.The digestive system can convert benzphetamine into methylben-
zylnitrosamine, a substance identified as causing cancer.
Pregnancy.Benzphetamine is considered to have high potential for causing
birth defects if used by a pregnant woman. The drug may pass into breast
milk.
Additional scientific information may be found in:
Chait, L.D., and C.E. Johanson. “Discriminative Stimulus Effects of Caffeine and
Benzphetamine in Amphetamine-Trained Volunteers.”Psychopharmacology(Ber-
lin) 96 (1988): 302–8.
Chait, L.D., E.H. Uhlenhuth, and C.E. Johanson. “Reinforcing and Subjective Effects of
Several Anorectics in Normal Human Volunteers.”Journal of Pharmacology and
Experimental Therapeutics242 (1987): 777–83.
Patel, N., D.C. Mock, Jr., and J.A. Hagans. “Comparison of Benzphetamine, Phenmet-
razine, D-Amphetamine, and Placebo.”Current Pharmacology and Therapeutics 4
(1963): 330–33.
Poindexter, A. “Appetite Suppressant Drugs: A Controlled Clinical Comparison of
Benzphetamine, Phenmetrazine, D-Amphetamine and Placebo.”Current Thera-
peutic Research: Clinical and Experimental2 (1960): 354–63.
Veldkamp, W., et al. “Some Pharmacologic Properties of Benzphetamine Hydrochlo-
ride.”Toxicology and Applied Pharmacology6 (1964): 15–22.