Methcathinone /ˌmɛθˈkæθɪˌnoʊn/ (α-methylamino-propiophenone or ephedrone) (sometimes called "cat" or "jeff" or "catnip" or "M-Kat" or "kat" or "intash") is a monoamine alkaloid and psychoactive stimulant, a substituted cathinone.

It is used as a recreational drug due to its potent stimulant and euphoric effects and is considered to be addictive, with both physical and psychological withdrawal occurring if its use is discontinued after prolonged or high-dosage administration.

Given that the chiral center has an alpha hydrogen and adjacent the carbonyl group, the molecule will racemize in solution via an enol intermediate.

Additionally, a dimerization reaction has been observed in solutions of freebase methcathinone, which yields a biologically inactive compound.

[8] Methcathinone hydrochloride increases spontaneous rodent locomotor activity,[9] potentiates the release of dopamine from dopaminergic nerve terminals in the brain,[9] and causes appetite suppression.

[citation needed] Users can easily forget to consume fluids leading to increased thirst and dehydration.

[27] The C=O bond at the Rβ-position (directly right of the phenyl ring) is slightly polar, and as a result the drug does not cross the lipid blood–brain barrier quite as well as amphetamine.

[citation needed] Nevertheless, it is a potent central nervous system (CNS) stimulant and dopamine reuptake inhibitor.

Chronic high dosage use may result in acute mental confusion ranging from mild paranoia to psychosis.

[citation needed] In preclinical studies, methcathinone hydrochloride produces an abuse potential similar to that of the amphetamines.

Injecting this substance has been associated with symptoms similar to those seen in patients with Parkinson's disease (manganism) due to the compound manganese dioxide which is a byproduct of synthesis with permanganate.