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Little is known about 3,4-methylene-dioxy-pyrovalerone (MDPV), a new designer drug that has become popular in Hungary in the last couple of months. At the same time, its consumption, as a consequence of its low street-price, rises so fast that the event can be considered an epidemic. This paper reviews the chemistry, biochemistry and metabolism of MDPV. Then, on the basis of a few international reports and the author's own clinical observations, it discusses MDPV intoxication and withdrawal. In the metabolism of MDPV, the most important catalyst is the CYP2C19 isoenzyme, but the CYP1A2 and the CYP2D6 isoenzymes also play a crucial role. The formed catechols are conjugated with either glucuronic acid or sulfate. It is important to note that MDPV is consumed either together or in a sequence with other illicit drugs of abuse. As far as it can be established, MDPV use increases the activity and vigilance, decreases appetite and claim to sleep, but it can also provoke cardiac sensations and disturbance of perception. In the course of coming down, withdrawal after MDPV use, bone and muscle pain, hypersomnia, disturbance of vision are experienced, but panic attack may also occur. The appearance of new designer drugs on the market draws attention to a need of paradigm changing in spiritual field. Unless it happens these negative trends likely will speed up.

The percentage of chiral entities among drug, narcotic drug and psychotropic compounds is steadily increasing. Receptors of the human body recognize the enantiomeric forms of constitutionally identical compounds as entirely different chemical agents. Based upon these facts, this paper reports the percentage of chiral compounds in the various pharmacological classes, and related data. Pertinent terms, such as eutomer, distomer, eudismic index, eudismic affinity quotient are defined. Differences in biological activity between eutomers and distomers are exemplified. The pharmacological classes and subclasses of highest chirality, and the "most chiral" active principles are shown. Some puzzling observations on pharmacological behaviour of stereoisomers are highlighted. The necessity of "racemate switch" in the pharmaceutical industry, and the significance of stereo-specific interactions between the drug, narcotic drug and psychotropic ligands, and complementary, "pocket" moieties of the human body are emphasized. Some features of enantiopharmacology, a fledgling science in the interface of stereochemistry and traditional pharmacology are introduced. The statistical treatment of asymmetric compounds in pharmacological classes and subclasses shows that presently, the percentage of chirality in drug categories is more characteristic of the origin of the compound than its target molecule.