Amphetamine
Amphetamine and related drugs such as methamphetamine are a group of drugs that act by increasing levels of norepinephrine, serotonin, and dopamine in the brain. The name amphetamine is derived from its chemical name: alpha-methylphenethylamine and is also used to refer to the class of compounds derived from amphetamine, often referred to as the substituted amphetamines. The group includes prescription CNS drugs commonly used to treat attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) in adults and children. Initially, amphetamine was more popularly used to diminish the appetite and to control weight. Brand names of the drugs that contain amphetamine include Adderall, and Dexedrine. The drug is also used illegally as a recreational drug and as a performance enhancer. While Ritalin is another prescribed medication for ADHD, its chemical structure is different from amphetamines and will not be detected by an amphetamine screening assay. Recreational users of amphetamine have coined numerous nicknames for amphetamine, some of the more common street names for amphetamine include speed, amp, and tweak.