Gandy, Michael NMcIldowie, MatthewLewis, KatieWasik, Agata MSalomonczyk, DanielleWagg, KeithMillar, Zak ATindiglia, DavidHuot, PhilippeJohnston, TomThiele, SherriBrotchie, Jonathan M2015-12-102040-2503http://hdl.handle.net/1885/69199Burkitt's lymphoma (BL) is a particularly aggressive cancer that primarily affects African children. Unfortunately, effective and affordable treatment is out of reach of most of the afflicted. The illicit psychoactive drug methylenedioxymethamphetamine (MDMA, 'ecstasy') is cytotoxic to BL cell lines, but its low potency, psychoactivity and neurotoxicity preclude consideration as a therapeutic drug candidate. This paper describes the discovery of novel α-aryl analogues of MDMA that lack psychoactivity and reduce BL cell line viability with significantly more potency than the lead compound. Preliminary in vitro studies also indicate that the compounds are non-toxic to a relevant neuronal cell line.Keywords: 3,4 methylenedioxymethamphetamine; article; Burkitt lymphoma; cell viability; drug cytotoxicity; drug mechanism; drug potency; drug structure; drug synthesis; human; in vitro study; lymphoma cell line; priority journalRedesigning the designer drug ecstasy:Non-psychoactive MDMA analogues exhibiting Burkitt's lymphoma cytotoxicity201010.1039/c0md00108b2016-02-24