Rhabdomyolysis After Ingestion of “Foxy,” a Hallucinogenic Tryptamine Derivative

doi:10.4065/81.4.550

Mayo Clinic Proceedings

Volume 81, Issue 4, April 2006, Pages 550-551

https://doi.org/10.4065/81.4.550 Get rights and content

“Foxy methoxy” (chemical name, 5-methoxy-N,N-diisopropyltryptamine) is a hallucinogenic tryptamine that has been abused with increasing frequency since its appearance in the late 1990s. Like other drugs in this class, foxy frequently produces feelings of euphoria, disinhibition, and auditory as well as visual hallucinations. The drug has been linked to adverse effects, including restlessness, agitation, gastrointestinal distress, and muscle tension. In light of the relatively recent advent of foxy as a drug of abuse and given the inability of commercial toxicologic screening tests to detect the presence of hallucinogenic tryptamines, additional adverse effects seem probable. We report ingestion of foxy by a healthy 23-year-old man that resulted in rhabdomyolysis and transient acute renal failure.

Section snippets

REPORT OF A CASE

A healthy 23-year-old man was brought to the emergency department because of combative behavior and hallucinations. He had reportedly ingested 25 mg of 5-MeO-DIPT 30 minutes before symptom onset, which is somewhat more than the typical oral ingestion of 6 to 20 mg.² He later noted that a friend had ingested some of the same supply of the drug without unpleasant effects. The patient denied concurrent use of other substances and had no history of trauma, crush injury, or seizures. Initial

DISCUSSION

Hallucinogenic tryptamines, including 5-MeO-DIPT, are derivatives of indoleethylamine (tryptamine) with substitutions on the indole ring and ethylamine side chains responsible for hallucinogenic properties. Other drugs in the class, all associated with abuse, include alpha-ethyltryptamine, alpha-methyltryptamine, DMT, and psilocybin.

5-MeO-DIPT emerged as a drug of abuse in 1999 and has been used increasingly since then. Desired effects of foxy include euphoria, visual and auditory

CONCLUSION

5-MeO-DIPT, which along with other hallucinogenic tryptamines is an increasingly common drug of abuse, is not detected by routine toxicology screening. The possibility of intoxication with these agents should be entertained in the appropriate setting, and clinicians should be aware of the potentially serious morbidity and mortality associated with their use.

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¹: Dr Alatrash is now with the Department of Medical Oncology, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston.

²: Dr Majhail is now with the Department of Hematology, Oncology and Transplantation, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis

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Case ReportRhabdomyolysis After Ingestion of “Foxy,” a Hallucinogenic Tryptamine Derivative

Section snippets

REPORT OF A CASE

DISCUSSION

CONCLUSION

Forensic Sci Int

J Emerg Med

Am J Med Sci

Mayo Clin Proc

Structure-activity relationships of the classic hallucinogens and their analogs

NIDA Res Monogr

Schedules of controlled substances: placement of alpha-methyltryptamine and 5-methoxy-N,N-diisopropyltryptamine into schedule I of the Controlled Substances Act: final rule

Fed Regist

N, N-Diisopropyltryptamine (DIPT) and 5-methoxy-N,N-diisopropyltryptamine (5-MeO-DIPT): two orally active tryptamine analogs with CNS activity

Commun Psychopharmacol

Case Report
Rhabdomyolysis After Ingestion of “Foxy,” a Hallucinogenic Tryptamine Derivative