THE POTENTIAL ABUSE LIABILITY OF SYNTHETIC CATHINIONES

Purpose: The increased use and abuse of synthetic cathinones signifies a need for more information concerning the rewarding effects and abuse liability of these drugs. Methods: Using the conditioned place preference paradigm, this study will determine which synthetic cathinones induce a place preference and therefore have the potential to become mainstream drugs of abuse. 3,4-Methylenedioxypyrovalerone (MDPV), methylone, mephedrone, naphyrone, flephedrone, butylone, and pentylone were assessed for rewarding effects in the conditioned place preference behavioral assay. Results: MDPV (3mg/kg), butylone (10mg/kg), and pentylone (30 mg/kg) increased the amount of time spent on the drug paired floor. Mephedrone (10 mg/kg), methylone (5mg/kg), naphyrone (5mg/kg), and flephedrone (10mg/kg) did not increase the time spent on the drug paired floor. Conclusions: At this time more doses of the synthetic cathinones need to be tested using the conditioned place preference paradigm. Many of the cathinones tested are currently in use implying the presence of rewarding effects. Increasing the doses of the few compounds that did not induce a place preference may uncover the actual rewarding effects reported to be induced by all of the synthetic cathinones.