Talk:Triple releasing agent

Triple releasing agent (also called a TRA or triple releaser) is a informal term to describe a type of psychoactive substance which induces the release and increase in concentration of the three major central nervous monoamine neurotransmitters, serotonin, norepinephrine, and dopamine in the brain. In the field of neuropharmacology, they are more formally referred to as serotonin-norepinephrine-dopamine releasing agents (SNDRA).

In the context of psychonautics and recreational drug use triple releasing agents are typically associated with the ability to produce euphoriant, entactogenic, and stimulating effects in a manner similar to MDMA, MDA, 4-FA and other amphetamine-based compounds, with the entactogenic aspects being the most prominent.

A closely related type of substance is a triple reuptake inhibitor (TRI), which also produces an increase in synaptic concentrations of the above-mentioned monoamines, albeit through a different mechanism. Relative to triple releasing agents, triple reuptake inhibitors have a long history been investigated for various potential medical uses and FDA approval has been granted for the use of one such compound as an antidepressant, and for the use of several others as anorectics.

Unlike triple releasing agents, the family of triple reuptake inhibitors used for the purposes of recreational drug use is extremely limited, with cocaine being perhaps the only prominent example.

Neurotoxicity

Many releasing agents, notably many of those derived from amphetamine, have been found to be neurotoxic to serotonin and/or dopamine neurons via damage to axons and dendrites, enzymes, mitochondria, DNA, plasmalemma and vesicular transporters, and the cell membrane, ultimately causing cell death as a result.

The neurotoxicity of some of these drugs is believed to be caused by oxidative stress induced by the generation of reactive oxygen species or free radicals, highly reactive particles that rip apart proteins and induce chain reactions of destruction. The free radicals are thought to be generated as byproducts when either the base compound or one or more of its metabolites are broken down by the enzymes monoamine oxidase (MAO-B) and/or cyclooxygenase (COX). It is thought hyperthermia and concurrent serotonin-dopamine release may also play a major role in augmenting damage.

Examples

• MDMA
• MDA
• MDEA (MDE)
• MDAI
• Methylone (βk-MDMA)
• 5-APB
• 5-APDB
• 5-MAPB
• 6-APB
• 6-APDB
• MMDA
• PMA
• PMMA
• BZP
• mCPP
• TFMPP
• Cathinone (Khat)
• Methcathinone (M-CAT)
• Ethcathinone (ETH-CAT)
• Methylone (βk-MDMA)
• Ethylone (βk-MDEA)
• Butylone (βk-MBDB)
• Mephedrone (4-MMC)
• 4-MEC
• 3-MMC

See also

• Monoamine
• Reuptake inhibitor
• Agonist
• Antagonist