Amphetamine

Amphetamine is a unite different drug at first studied (and still used) as an appetite suppressant. First it was synthesized in 1887 by the German Chemist L. Edeleano, which he called "phenylisopropylamine." Amphetamine and its in generals (amphetamines) are part of a broader class of compounds called phenethylamines.

The experimental medical use of amphetamines began in the 1920s. It was introduced in most of the world in the form of the pharmaceutical Benzedrine the late 1920s. First marketed in 1932 by the U.S. Army Air Corps in Britain during World War II. After decades of reports of abuse, the FDA banned Benzedrine inhalers and limited amphetamines to prescription use in 1959, but illegal use became common.

Amphetamine is used to treat Attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) in adults and children. It is also used to treat symptoms of traumatic brain injury and the daytime drowsiness symptoms of narcolepsy and chronic fatigue syndrome. At first it was more popularly used to reduce the appetite and to control weight. Amphetamine, both as d-amphetamine and l-amphetamine, is believed to exert its effects by binding to the monoamine transporters and increasing extracellular levels of the biogenic amines dopamine, norepinephrine and serotonin. It is hypothesized that d-amphetamine acts primarily on the dopaminergic systems, while l-amphetamine is comparatively norepinephrinergic.

When the drug is snorted, smoked or injected, the effects can be felt within a few minutes, but the duration is usually lessened compared to oral administration. When taken orally, the effects of the drug tend to feel "smoother" and are generally longer-lasting.

Amphetamine has short-term and long-term:

Short-term effects include decreased hunger, increased stamina and physical energy and also sexual drive/response, increased social responsiveness, involuntary bodily movements.

Long-term effects can include shaking, restlessness, changed sleep patterns, poor skin condition, hyperreflexia, tachypnea, lowered immune system effectiveness. Heart problems, stroke, and liver, kidney and lung damage can result from prolonged use. When snorted, amphetamine can lead to a deterioration of the lining of the nostrils.