Amfepramone, also known as diethylpropion, is a stimulant drug of the phenethylamine, amphetamine, and cathinone classes that is used as an appetite suppressant.[8][9] It is used in the short-term management of obesity, along with dietary and lifestyle changes.[8] Amfepramone has a similar chemical structure to the antidepressant and smoking cessation aid bupropion (previously called amfebutamone), which has also been developed as a weight-loss medicine when in a combination product with naltrexone.[10]
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Trade names | Tenuate, Tepanil, Nobesine, others |
Other names | Diethylpropion, Diethylcathinone |
AHFS/Drugs.com | Monograph |
MedlinePlus | a682037 |
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Routes of administration | By mouth |
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Elimination half-life | 4–6 hours (metabolites)[7] |
Excretion | Urine (>75%)[7] |
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ECHA InfoCard | 100.001.836 |
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Formula | C13H19NO |
Molar mass | 205.301 g·mol−1 |
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Chirality | Racemic mixture |
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Amfepramone itself lacks any affinity for the monoamine transporters and instead functions as a prodrug to ethcathinone.[11] Ethcathinone (and therefore amfepramone as well) is a very weak dopaminergic and serotonergic, and is approximately 10× and 20× stronger on norepinephrine in comparison, respectively.[11]
Amfepramone can be synthesized from propiophenone by bromination, followed by reaction with diethylamine.[12][13]
Another medically utilized name is diethylpropion (British Approved Name (BAN) and Australian Approved Name (AAN)). Chemical names include: α-methyl-β-keto-N,N-diethylphenethylamine, N,N-diethyl-β-ketoamphetamine and N,N-diethylcathinone. Brand names include: Anorex, Linea, Nobesine, Prefamone, Regenon, Tepanil and Tenuate.
Amfepramone is classified as a Schedule IV controlled substance in the United States. In the UK amfepramone is a class C drug [14] and as a medicine, it is a Schedule 3 Controlled Drug which requires safe custody.
As of June 2022, the safety committee of the European Medicines Agency (EMA) recommends the withdrawal of marketing authorizations for amfepramone.[15][6]
The authors of several studies of amfepramone claim that the substance has a relatively low potential for causing addiction in users.[16][17][4][18]