Effects of dextromethorphan on rats' acquisition of responding with delayed reinforcement

Stereochemical Analysis of Methorphan Using (−)‐Menthyl Chloroformate

“…1) shows no analgesic activity, but is an effective antitussive agent that is used in many over‐the‐counter (OTC) cough and cold medications (1–3). At therapeutic doses, dextromethorphan is considered a safe drug, but at high doses, it acts as a dissociative hallucinogen with effects similar to those produced by phencyclidine and ketamine (4–6). These effects are thought to be caused by the major active metabolite of dextromethorphan, dextrorphan (structure 2 in Fig.…”

“…Recreational abuse of dextromethorphan has been on the rise as it is seen as a cheap and readily available alternative to ecstasy (3,4‐methylenedioxymethampetamine) (4,6). Despite the reported abuse of dextromethorphan around the world, it has not been listed as an internationally controlled substance (6,8). For legal purposes, it is important to be able to determine the stereochemical composition of methorphan found in seized drugs (9).…”