Low to moderate doses of 3-methylmethcathinone (3-MMC) produce analgesic effects in healthy volunteers: a proof of principle study with a designer drug.

3-Methylmethcathinone (3-MMC) is a synthetic cathinone that has been scheduled in many jurisdictions after it appeared on the consumer market as a designer drug or "legal high". At present, there are no medical applications for synthetic cathinones, but in the past cathinone and other compounds that are structurally related to amphetamine have been evaluated and recognized for their intrinsic analgesic quality. The present study aimed to assess the analgesic effects of low to moderate doses (25, 50 and 100 mg) of 3-MMC in healthy volunteers (N = 14) in a cross-over, placebo-controlled study. Participants were repeatedly exposed to experimental pain for up to 5 h after dosing in pressure pain threshold (PPT) and cold pressor test (CPT) paradigms. A profile of mood states questionnaire was used to assess the subjective effects of 3-MMC. Overall, 3-MMC produced dose-related elevations in pressure pain threshold and reduced subjective painfulness and unpleasantness in both experimental pain models. The analgesic effects of 3-MMC were most prominent after the 50 and 100 mg dose and persisted consistently for up to 5 h after dosing. 3-MMC also produced dose-related increments in mood that were prominent at 1 h, but not at 5 h after dosing. It is concluded that 3-MMC produces prolonged analgesic effects at doses that appear low enough to avoid a challenging subjective experience and that have been associated with a benign side effect profile. The present data warrant further research into the analgesic effects of low to moderate doses of 3-MMC in patient populations.