Methcathinone is a derivative of cathinone, a stimulant derived from the "khat" plant, Cathula edulis, which grows wild in Africa and southern Arabia. Unfortunately, methcathinone is easily synthesized from ephedrine or pseudoephedrine, both of which are over-the-counter cold remedies. This has stimulated the illegal production of this amphetamine-like drug and is the reason that it has become one of the more popular "designer" drugs along with MDMA (Ecstacy). Side effects are numerous and include paranoia, delusions, hallucinations, anxiety, depression, tremors, convulsions, anorexia, stomach pains, elevated blood pressure, and nausea. This drug should be avoided at all costs.