Pseudo Vs Ephedrine

[inalotofpain]

I know that real Ephedrine is illegal in many countries now.. I have always been curious about the difference in Pseudoephedrine vs real ephedrine as to how it correlates to making meth.

Like I believe pseudo usually comes in 120 or 240 mg, where ephedrine usually comes in 30 mg..

How much more meth per mg would real ephedrine yield?

or is it the same?

thanks and I am truly just curious

[TheAzo]

In the US, ephedrine is restricted - not so much because it's good for making meth, but because it is abusable in it's own right. I think it's still available single constituent without prescription, but you have to jump through hoops to get it. It's readily available when mixed with craploads of guiafenisen (which will make you puke if you try to take a bunch to get high) - that combination apparently works wonders for asthma.

IIRC, ephedrine is in 8 or 16mg doses mixed with guifenisen, or 25mg single constituent tablets.

Pseudoephedrine is in 30mg instant release pills and larger doses as timed release. It's a highly effective decongestant, and it has slight, weak, stimulant effects. Its sale in most areas (including the US) requires showing identification, and writing down one's name in a document sent to the DEA to watch for people buying piles of it to make meth out of. It's still non-RX though, because the only alternative "decongestant" is phenylepherine; studies have cast serious doubts on it's effectiveness, with some indicating that it was no better than placebo.

They are the same for the purposes of making meth - only differences are incidentals (ease of obtaining, how hard they are to extract, etc)

[DavisK4high247]

OH
| H
/\\ / \ NCH3
/ \\ / \ /
|| | |
|| | | ephedrine and pseudoephedrine
|| | CH3 the difference is whether the OH
|| |
\ // points up or down
\//

The OH(hydroxyl group) is the only difference between ephedrine and pseudoephedrine and meth, you reduce one or the others OH(hydroxyl group) to get meth.
H
/\\ / \ NCH3
/ \\ / \ /
|| | |
|| | |
|| | CH3 methamphetamine
\ //
\//

[sekio]

There are 4 isomers of ephedrine:


(+)-d-Ephedrine and (+)-d-Pseudoephedrine are the active subsatances found in most OTC cold preparations that can in theory be reduced to d-Methamphetamine. The other two isomers (-)-l-Ephedrine and (-)-l-Pseudoephedrine, are active as adrenergic decongestants but reduce into the comparatively inactive decongestant l-Methamphetamine.

The only reason the (-) isomer is not commonly sold vs the (+), to my knowledge, is that it is patented...

[inalotofpain]

So for making meth purposes---- 30 mg of pseudoephedrine would be the same as 30 mg od ephedrine? Is that correct? seems like it would not be

[inalotofpain]

as far as how much it would yield and potency

[inalotofpain]

Someone please answer ?

[sekio]

If you can't figure that out you shouldn't be making meth.

[e] In the interest of HR I'll pity you -

Both (+)-Ephedrine and (+)-Pseudoephedrine reduce to (+) amphetamine. The yield and quality of the resulting product depends on many factors, not the least of which include reaction method, conditions, and skill of the chemist at extracting and recovering the needed materials as well as the product.

[Cane2theLeft]

If you can't figure that out you shouldn't be making meth.

THIS.

Also, synthesis discussion isn't permitted and that's where this seems to be heading. I don't see ANY harm reduction value in this so I'm closing it. Please read the standards and guidelines links in my signature and PM me if you have any questions.