Heres what it say on wikipedia dudes
Medical use
Propylhexedrine is used for
nasal congestion. Historically, it has also been used for
weight loss.
[edit] Recreational use
Propylhexedrine has been reported to be used recreationally, obtained as freebase from the cotton rods that Benzedrex inhalers contain. The effects of recreational usage are likened by some users to
methamphetamine and other stimulant drugs. Among users, propylhexedrine-bearing inhaler cottons, preparations or extracts are known colloquially as "
glow" and "
stove-top speed".[
citation needed]
[edit] Effects
The effects of propylhexedrine are similar to
ephedrine or weak methamphetamine, although they usually vary from person to person. Effects include increased
sweating, talkativeness,
euphoria,
pupil dilation,
emotional lability,
anorexia,
tachycardia,
palpitations,
dry mouth,
bruxism,
anxiety,
dysphoria, increased
aggressiveness,
paranoia,
headache,
dizziness, slurred or impaired speech, rarely
convulsions, serious
heart problems;
psychosis can occur[
citation needed].
Withdrawal effects can occur and include
fatigue,
depression,
suicidal tendencies,
hunger and extreme desire for
sleep.
[edit] Recreational use potential
Propylhexedrine has a lower potential for abuse than other stimulants. This is partially due to the fact that methods of its use are limited, unlike more commonly abused
amphetamine,
methamphetamine and
methylphenidate. Ingestion being the most practical method of consumption, the inactive ingredients in a Benzedrex inhaler (
menthol and
lavender oil) are also ingested - most users report the taste and smell to be very unpleasant, resulting in "menthol burps" (frequent belching releasing the smell of the two) that often cause the user discomfort and sometimes nausea. Many drug users find that propylhexedrine has a very heavy "comedown" compared to the "high" it causes. The abuse potential is considered to be low enough that neither the
DEA nor the
WHO consider it a drug of concern at the present, unlike
ephedrine and its salts which are known to be used as precursor chemicals in illicit manufacture of methamphetamine (and occasionally amphetamine). That said, propylhexedrine is controlled in some jurisdictions.
[edit] Injection risks
While propylhexedrine is limited in a number of administration routes, attempts to extract the drug from the nasal inhaler and then inject it have been reported. Recreational use by injection is dangerous and could result in serious bodily harm or death. IV use of propylhexedrine is known to cause
transient diplopia and brainstem dysfunction, and deaths have been recorded in the medical literature. Typically, recorded cases of IV use are prepared by forming propylhexedrine
HCl in a solution with hydrochloric acid, the solution is then heated to evaporate and the resulting crystals are dissolved in water for injection.
[3][4][5]
[edit] Drug risks
As with similar drugs, using propylhexedrine to keep oneself awake for extended amounts of time can lead to a temporary state of
sleep deprivation during which an individual may experience
hallucinations including auditory, visual and tactile (e.g.
bugs crawling on or under the skin),
paranoia,
irritability and impaired memory.
Propylhexedrine, being a
vasocontrictor and a stimulant, may carry a further risk as blood pressure and heart rate are raised, sometimes severely.
Hypertension experienced by users of propylhexedrine can be dangerous, especially in those who have pre-existing blood pressure problems. The increase in heart rate can lead to lower levels of oxygen, discomfort, panic and in severe cases
heart attack or serious
arrhythmias. Again, this risk is higher if the user has existing heart problems. Taking propylhexedrine and a
MAOI together can lead to a fatal hypertensive crisis. Propylhexedrine ingested along with other stimulants like amphetamines,
caffeine and
cocaine can lead to adverse effects, such as serious hypertension and a significant increase in heart rate. It would be wise to avoid taking any substance (including all recreational drugs, OTC and prescription medicines and herbal products) with propylhexedrine, as interactions with are largely unknown.
Eating the cotton has its own risks, and while ingesting cotton is not necessarily fatal, it can lead to severe
gastrointestinal problems, which may require medical attention - cramps, gas and temporary constipation. More serious problems can include
gastric blockages and internal infection. Some users try to reduce this risk by shredding the cotton into multiple pieces and swallowing at intervals; how effective this is in reducing the risk is unknown. One way to avoid bowel blockages is to form an active salt of propylhexedrine and discard the cotton.
[edit] Chemistry
Propylhexedrine is structurally similar to
methamphetamine. The only difference in the two compounds is that an
alicyclic cyclohexyl group is used
in lieu of the aromatic
phenyl group of methamphetamine. It is because of this that propylhexedrine is not an amphetamine, nor even a
phenethylamine, but instead can be referred to as a
cycloalkylamine.
Propylhexedrine, like amphetamine and methamphetamine, is a chiral compound (the α-carbon is chiral, like in its amphetamine cousins). Like other monoamine releasing stimulants with the amphetamine type backbone, the dextrorotatory isomer of propylhexedrine is much more active as a
norepinephrine and
dopamine releaser in the central nervous system than the levorotatory isomer is. The propylhexedrine contained in Benzedrex inhalers is
racemic d,l-propylhexedrine as the
freebase. It is likely that pure d-propylhexedrine would have a higher abuse potential and less undesirable side effects than the racemic compound.
Freebase d,l-propylhexedrine is a volatile, oily liquid at room temperature. This is the form present in Benzedrex nasal inhalers; the volatility of the freebase form insures that some propylhexedrine will be inhaled from the device when used as indicated on the label. D,l-propylhexedrine hydrochloride is a white powder if finely ground, or a clear crystalline substance if the crystals grown are larger. The hydrochloride salt can be vaporized much like the hydrochloride salt of methamphetamine can be.