Nasal decongestant added to list of Class 1 drugs

The Association of Racing Commissioners International has added a nasal decongestant already banned by the World Anti-Doping Agency and many U.S. sports leagues to its list of prohibited substances, the association announced on Thursday.

The substance, methylhexaneamine, is an organic compound that has a stimulant side effect and could once be found in a number of over-the-counter supplements before the FDA ruled that it was potentially dangerous last year and could no longer be marketed. The RCI added the drug to its list of Class 1, Penalty A substances, which are those substances that have no known therapeutic use in horses and the potential to impact performance. Positives for Class 1 drugs carry the stiffest penalties.

Methylhexaenamine has been detected in horses trained by two Standardbred trainers in New Jersey, according to Steve May, an RCI official. The drug has shown up in several human sports as well, including professional baseball. In 2012, Major League Baseball suspended a Toronto Blue Jays pitching prospect, Marcus Strohman, for 50 games after a positive test for the substance. Strohman said the substance was an ingredient in a supplement he took.