Subjective Effects of Two Anorexigenic Agents Fenfluramine and AN 448 in Amphetamine-Dependent Subjects

Twenty-two amphetamine-dependent subjects, all imprisoned drug abusers, with a history of at least one year of intravenous abuse of central stimulants, were used for evaluation of the subjective effects of the two weight-reducing drugs fenfluramine and AN 448. During four different days, each subject received a single dose of the following drugs in a double-blind study with cross-over design: AN 448 2 mg, fenfluramine 80 mg, amphetamine 50 mg and placebo. A self-rating scale for the factor “CS effect” was used before drug intake, and 1, 3 and 6 hours thereafter. A question of “similarity to amphetamine” was posed at 6 hours after drug intake. Some subjects experienced a low degree of amphetamine-like effect from AN 448, whereas no such effect was found for fenfluramine. With regard to the factor “CS effect”, AN 448 and fenfluramine did not differ from placebo.