Article · Wikipedia archive · Last revised Jul 10, 2026

4-Hydroxy-3-methoxyamphetamine

4-Hydroxy-3-methoxyamphetamine (HMA), also known as 3-O-methyl-α-methyldopamine, is an active metabolite of 3,4-methylenedioxymethamphetamine (MDMA). It is substantially less potent than MDMA or 3,4-methylenedioxyamphetamine (MDA) as a monoamine releasing agent in vitro. Nonetheless, HMA has been found to induce the release of serotonin, norepinephrine, and dopamine with EC50Tooltip half-maximal effective concentration values of 897 nM, 694 nM, and 1450–3423 nM, respectively, and hence acts as a lower-potency serotonin–norepinephrine–dopamine releasing agent (SNDRA). The predicted log P of HMA is 0.6.

Last revised
Jul 10, 2026
Read time
≈ 1 min
Length
326 w
Citations
8
Source
HMA
Clinical data
Other namesHMA; 3-Methoxy-4-hydroxyamphetamine; MHA; 3-O-Methyl-α-methyldopamine
Drug classSerotonin–norepinephrine–dopamine releasing agent
Identifiers
  • 4-(2-aminopropyl)-2-methoxyphenol
CAS Number
PubChem CID
ChemSpider
UNII
ChEBI
ChEMBL
Chemical and physical data
FormulaC10H15NO2
Molar mass181.235 g·mol−1
3D model (JSmol)
  • CC(CC1=CC(=C(C=C1)O)OC)N
  • InChI=1S/C10H15NO2/c1-7(11)5-8-3-4-9(12)10(6-8)13-2/h3-4,6-7,12H,5,11H2,1-2H3
  • Key:GPBOYXOSSQEJBH-UHFFFAOYSA-N

4-Hydroxy-3-methoxyamphetamine (HMA), also known as 3-O-methyl-α-methyldopamine, is an active metabolite of 3,4-methylenedioxymethamphetamine (MDMA).123 It is substantially less potent than MDMA or 3,4-methylenedioxyamphetamine (MDA) as a monoamine releasing agent in vitro.45 Nonetheless, HMA has been found to induce the release of serotonin, norepinephrine, and dopamine with EC50Tooltip half-maximal effective concentration values of 897 nM, 694 nM, and 1450–3423 nM, respectively, and hence acts as a lower-potency serotonin–norepinephrine–dopamine releasing agent (SNDRA).45 The predicted log P of HMA is 0.6.6

See also

See also

References

References

  1. de la Torre R, Farré M, Roset PN, Pizarro N, Abanades S, Segura M, et al. (April 2004). "Human pharmacology of MDMA: pharmacokinetics, metabolism, and disposition". Therapeutic Drug Monitoring. 26 (2): 137–144. doi:10.1097/00007691-200404000-00009. PMID 15228154.
  2. Rietjens SJ, Hondebrink L, Westerink RH, Meulenbelt J (November 2012). "Pharmacokinetics and pharmacodynamics of 3,4-methylenedioxymethamphetamine (MDMA): interindividual differences due to polymorphisms and drug-drug interactions". Critical Reviews in Toxicology. 42 (10): 854–876. doi:10.3109/10408444.2012.725029. PMID 23030234.
  3. Luethi D, Kolaczynska KE, Walter M, Suzuki M, Rice KC, Blough BE, et al. (July 2019). "Metabolites of the ring-substituted stimulants MDMA, methylone and MDPV differentially affect human monoaminergic systems". Journal of Psychopharmacology. 33 (7): 831–841. doi:10.1177/0269881119844185. PMC 8269116. PMID 31038382.
  4. Blough B (July 2008). "Dopamine-releasing agents" (PDF). In Trudell ML, Izenwasser S (eds.). Dopamine Transporters: Chemistry, Biology and Pharmacology. Hoboken [NJ]: Wiley. pp. 305–320. ISBN 978-0-470-11790-3. OCLC 181862653. OL 18589888W.
  5. Yubero-Lahoz S, Ayestas MA, Blough BE, Partilla JS, Rothman RB, de la Torre R, et al. (January 2012). "Effects of MDMA and related analogs on plasma 5-HT: relevance to 5-HT transporters in blood and brain". European Journal of Pharmacology. 674 (2–3): 337–344. doi:10.1016/j.ejphar.2011.10.033. PMC 3253888. PMID 22079770.
  6. "3-O-Methyl-Alpha-Methyldopamine". PubChem. U.S. National Library of Medicine. Retrieved 14 November 2024.