Wikipedia
para-Methoxyamphetamine (PMA; "Death", "Dr. Death"), also known as 4-methoxyamphetamine (4-MA), is a designer drug of the amphetamine class with serotonergic effects. Unlike other similar drugs of this family, PMA does not produce stimulant, euphoriant, or entactogen effects, and behaves more like an antidepressant in comparison, though it does have some psychedelic properties.
PMA has been found in tablets touted as MDMA (ecstasy) although its effects are markedly different compared to those of MDMA. The consequences of such deception has often been hospitalizations and deaths among unwitting users. PMA is commonly synthesized from anethole, the flavor compound of anise and fennel, mainly because the starting material for MDMA, safrole, has become less available due to law enforcement action, causing illicit drug manufacturers to use anethole as an alternative.