Unlike other psychostimulants, like cocaine, amphetamine is a lab drug and has to be synthesized. The chemical name is actually (±)-alpha-Methylbenzeneethanamine, but for obviously reasons, amphetamine is a much better name for everyday use. It was originally synthesized in 1887 by Lazăr Edeleanu, a chemist in Germany. He was looking for compounds related to ephedrine, a drug found in a Chinese herb. If that drug name sounds familiar, it's because ephedrine, and its cousin pseudoephedrine, are still used today, as nasal decongestants found in things like Sudafed. Ephedrine was also used as a diet pill once upon a time. Possibly more about that when I get around to it. To read the whole material please click here.