Methylone, also known as 3,4-methylenedioxy-N-methylcathinone (MDMC), is an entactogen and stimulant drug of the amphetamine, cathinone, and benzodioxole families related to 3,4-methylenedioxymethamphetamine (MDMA; "ecstasy").

[5][11][12][7] In contrast to certain other entactogens like MDMA, methylone does not appear to be a significant agonist of the serotonin 5-HT2 receptors.

Methylone does not substitute for the stimulant amphetamine or for the hallucinogen DOM in animal drug discrimination tests.

[22][23][10] In spite of these behavioral and pharmacological similarities between methylone and MDMA, the observed subjective effects of both drugs are not completely identical.

"In acute pharmacological studies of methylone (50–300 mg) in humans, the drug produced physiological and psychological effects including increased blood pressure, heart rate, body temperature, pupil dilation, stimulation, euphoria, feelings of well-being, enhanced empathy, increased sociability, and altered perception.

[24][25] Methylone had a faster onset of action and its subjective effects wore off sooner than MDMA, which might lead to a redosing pattern of use.

[24] The misuse potential of methylone, as measured by for instance drug liking responses, appeared to be similar to that of MDMA.

[26][24][27] Methylone acts as a mixed releasing agent and reuptake inhibitor of serotonin, norepinephrine, and dopamine.

[12][13][14] This may make methylone safer than MDMA, for instance in terms of long-term cardiac valvulopathy risk.

[12][7] The two major metabolic pathways in mammals for methylone are N-demethylation to methylenedioxycathinone (MDC), and demethylation followed by O-methylation of the 3- or 4-hydroxy group to 4-hydroxy-3-methoxymethcathinone (HMMC) or 3-hydroxy-4-methoxymethcathinone (3-OH-4-MeO-MC).

[48] The mean elimination half-lives of methylone in humans following oral administration of doses of 50 to 200 mg ranged from 5.8 to 6.9 hours.

[6] The drug was patented by Jacob and Shulgin as a potential antidepressant and antiparkinsonian agent, but was never developed or marketed.

In New Zealand, although methylone is not explicitly scheduled and falls outside the strict definitions of an "amphetamine analogue" in the Misuse of Drugs Act, it is considered to be "substantially similar" to methcathinone and is thus considered by law enforcement authorities to be a Class C illegal drug.

Methylone was sold in New Zealand for around 6 months from November 2005 to April 2006 as an MDMA substitute, under the name "Ease".

Before this it was not specifically mentioned in United Kingdom (U.K.) law as the β-ketone was not covered under the Misuse of Drugs Act.

[62] Under the developmental code TSND-201, methylone is under development by Transcend Therapeutics for the treatment of post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD).