MDA 251
blood. Although one authority notes that the drug can relax muscles, none-
theless tremors and seizures are also possible; MDA is known to worsen Par-
kinson’s disease. MDA can tense up jaw muscles and cause grinding of teeth.
As drug effects go away, users may experience weariness and muscle aches
accompanied by depression. Users coming off the drug may also be short-
tempered, suspicious of others, and nervous. Typically the effects desired by
a user decline with repeated use of the drug, while undesired postintoxication
effects increase. MDA can cause organic brain damage in rats, in some aspects
worse than what MDMA does.
Overdose symptoms resemble those of amphetamine and MDMA, including
massive perspiration and strange conduct prone to combativeness. The per-
centage of fatalities among abusers is small, but the size difference between a
recreational dose and a serious overdose can vary tremendously between in-
dividuals. What one person can tolerate without apparent ill effect can send
another person to a hospital. Blood and urine tests in one fatal overdose case
showed only MDA, demonstrating that this drug can be lethal even when it
is not part of a polydrug abuse mix.
Men may suffer fewer ill effects from MDA than women do. In one animal
study documenting a gender difference in effects, male rats showed a higher
body temperature increase than female rats did, but blood levels of MDA
stayed higher in the female.
Abuse factors.Not enough scientific information to report about tolerance,
dependence, or withdrawal. In animal experiments self-administration is
a traditional sign of addictive potential; rats show mild interest in self-
administration of MDA.
Drug interactions.Animal experiments suggest that taking certain drugs
along with MDA can reduce its toxicity.
Cancer.MDA causes cancer in mice and rats, with males being more sus-
ceptible than females.
Pregnancy.Not enough scientific information to report.
Additional information.At one time MDA was nicknamed Ecstasy, but that
street name was later transferred to MDMA. An industrial chemical called
MDA (methylene dianiline) is not the drug of abuse.
Additional scientific information may be found in:
Climko, R.P., et al. “Ecstacy: A Review of MDMA and MDA.”International Journal of
Psychiatry in Medicine16 (1986–1987): 359–72.
Hegadoren, K.M., G.B. Baker, and M. Bourin. “3,4-Methylenedioxy Analogues of Am-
phetamine: Defining the Risks to Humans.”Neuroscience and Biobehavioral Re-
views23 (1999): 539–53.
Poklis, A., M.A. Mackell, and W.K. Drake. “Fatal Intoxication from 3,4-Methylenediox-
yamphetamine.”Journal of Forensic Sciences24 (1979): 70–75.
Richards, R.N. “Experience with MDA.”Canadian Medical Association Journal106 (1972):
256–59.
Richards, K.C., and H.H. Borgstedt. “Near Fatal Reaction to Ingestion of the Hallu-
cinogenic Drug MDA.”Journal of the American Medical Association218 (1971):
1826–27.