MDDM - New Ingredient in Ecstasy Tablets

In 2020, the first Ecstasy tablets were sent to our Institute, in which, in addition to MDMA and MDA, new psychoactive substance - MDDM (3,4-methylenedioxydimethylamphetamine) were also detected. The research material consisted of 150 tablets seized in five cases from two cities in Poland between 2020-2022. The qualitative analysis of the tablets was carried out by GC-MS. Quantitative analysis was performed by UHPLC-PDA. The main ingredient of the tested Ecstasy tablets was MDA. The second most abundant ingredient was MDDM and MDMA was at the lowest purity. All the tablets were shaped like “the head of a star wars stormtrooper” and in off-white colour. The mass of tablets was in range 0.32-0.36 g. The content of psychoactive substances in one tablet was in range: 38-74 mg MDA, 12-28 mg MDDM, and 3-9 mg MDMA. In the last three years new ingredient - MDDM was introduced to Ecstasy tablets. MDDM produces mild psychoactive effects that are not well characterized. It is a new psychoactive substance, and very little data exists about its pharmacological properties, metabolism, toxicity and dosage. Due to possible interactions between MDDM, MDA and MDMA, taking tablets containing such mixtures can lead to accidental overdose and dangerous synergistic effects.