Empathogens or entactogens are a class of psychoactive drugs that induce the production of experiences of emotional communion, oneness, relatedness, emotional openness—that is, empathy or sympathy—as particularly observed and reported for experiences with 3,4-methylenedioxymethamphetamine (MDMA). This class of drug is distinguished from the classes of hallucinogen or psychedelic, and amphetamine or stimulants. Major members of this class include MDMA, MDA, MDEA, MDOH, MBDB, 5-APB, 5-MAPB, 6-APB, 6-MAPB, methylone, mephedrone, GHB, αMT, and αET, MDAI among others. Most entactogens are phenethylamines and amphetamines, although several, such as αMT and αET, are tryptamines. When referring to MDMA and its counterparts, the term MDxx is often used. Entactogens are sometimes incorrectly referred to as hallucinogens or stimulants, although many entactogens such as ecstasy exhibit psychedelic or stimulant properties as well.
MBDB, also known as N-methyl-1,3-benzodioxolylbutanamine or as 3,4-methylenedioxy-N-methyl-α-ethylphenylethylamine, is an entactogen of the phenethylamine, amphetamine, and phenylisobutylamine families related to MDMA. It is known by the street names "Eden" and "Methyl-J".
The Controlled Drugs and Substances Act is Canada's federal drug control statute. Passed in 1996 under Prime Minister Jean Chrétien's government, it repeals the Narcotic Control Act and Parts III and IV of the Food and Drugs Act, and establishes eight Schedules of controlled substances and two Classes of precursors. It provides that "The Governor in Council may, by order, amend any of Schedules I to VIII by adding to them or deleting from them any item or portion of an item, where the Governor in Council deems the amendment to be necessary in the public interest."
5-(2-Aminopropyl)-2,3-dihydro-1H-indene (5-APDI), also known as indanylaminopropane (IAP), 2-aminopropylindane (2-API), indanametamine, and, incorrectly, as indanylamphetamine, is an entactogen and psychedelic drug of the amphetamine family. It has been sold by online vendors through the Internet and has been encountered as a designer drug since 2003, but its popularity and availability has diminished in recent years.
The substituted methylenedioxyphenethylamines represent a diverse chemical class of compounds derived from phenethylamines. This category encompasses numerous psychoactive substances with entactogenic, psychedelic, and/or stimulant properties, in addition to entheogens. These compounds find application as research chemicals, designer drugs, and recreational substances.
Indane or indan is an organic compound with the formula C9H10. It is a colorless liquid hydrocarbon. It is a petrochemical, a bicyclic compound. It occurs at the level of about 0.1% in coal tar. It is usually produced by hydrogenation of indene.
5-Methyl-3,4-methylenedioxyamphetamine (5-Methyl-MDA) is an entactogen and psychedelic designer drug of the amphetamine class. It is a ring-methylated homologue of MDA and a structural isomer of MDMA.
MDAI, also known as 5,6-methylenedioxy-2-aminoindane, is an entactogen drug of the 2-aminoindane group which is related to MDMA and produces similar subjective effects.
A monoamine releasing agent (MRA), or simply monoamine releaser, is a drug that induces the release of one or more monoamine neurotransmitters from the presynaptic neuron into the synapse, leading to an increase in the extracellular concentrations of the neurotransmitters and hence enhanced signaling by those neurotransmitters. The monoamine neurotransmitters include serotonin, norepinephrine, and dopamine; monoamine releasing agents can induce the release of one or more of these neurotransmitters.
3-Methoxy-4-methylamphetamine (MMA) is an entactogen and psychedelic drug of the phenethylamine and amphetamine classes. It was first synthesized in 1970 and was encountered as a street drug in Italy in the same decade. MMA was largely forgotten until being reassayed by David E. Nichols as a non-neurotoxic MDMA analogue in 1991, and has subsequently been sold as a designer drug on the internet since the late 2000s (decade).
5-Methoxy-6-methyl-2-aminoindane (MMAI) is a drug of the 2-aminoindane group developed in the 1990s by a team led by David E. Nichols at Purdue University. It acts as a less neurotoxic and highly selective serotonin releasing agent (SSRA) and produces entactogenic effects in humans. It has been sold as a designer drug and research chemical online since 2010.
2-Aminoindane (2-AI) is an aminoindane and research chemical with applications in neurologic disorders and psychotherapy that has also been sold as a designer drug. It acts as a selective substrate for NET and DAT.
A serotonin releasing agent (SRA) is a type of drug that induces the release of serotonin into the neuronal synaptic cleft. A selective serotonin releasing agent (SSRA) is an SRA with less significant or no efficacy in producing neurotransmitter efflux at other types of monoamine neurons, including dopamine and norepinephrine neurons.
2-Methyl-3,4-methylenedioxyamphetamine (2-methyl-MDA) is an entactogen and psychedelic drug of the amphetamine class. It acts as a selective serotonin releasing agent (SSRA), with IC50 values of 93nM, 12,000nM, and 1,937nM for serotonin, dopamine, and norepinephrine efflux. 2-Methyl-MDA is more potent than MDA and 5-methyl-MDA. However, it is slightly more selective for serotonin over dopamine and norepinephrine release in comparison to 5-methyl-MDA.
6-(2-Aminopropyl)-2,3-dihydrobenzofuran is a stimulant and entactogen drug of the phenethylamine and amphetamine classes. It is an analogue of MDA where the heterocyclic 4-position oxygen from the 3,4-methylenedioxy ring has been replaced with a methylene bridge. 5-APDB (3-Desoxy-MDA) is an analogue of 6-APDB where the 3-position oxygen has been replaced with a methylene instead. 6-APDB, along with 5-APDB, was first synthesized by David E. Nichols in the early 1990s while investigating non-neurotoxic MDMA analogues.
MDMAT (6,7-methylenedioxy-N-methyl-2-aminotetralin) is a selective serotonin releasing agent (SSRA) and entactogen drug. It is the N-methylated derivative of MDAT, similarly to the relationship of MDMA to MDA. It has been theorized to have less long-term neurotoxicity and less hallucinogenic effects than other MDxx derivatives, but no formal scientific research has been conducted specifically on MDMAT.
6-Methyl-3,4-methylenedioxyamphetamine (6-Methyl-MDA) is an entactogen and psychedelic drug of the amphetamine class. It was first synthesized in the late 1990s by a team including David E. Nichols at Purdue University while investigating derivatives of 3,4-methylenedioxyamphetamine (MDA) and 3,4-methylenedioxy-N-methylamphetamine (MDMA).
4-Chlorophenylisobutylamine, also known as 4-chloro-α-ethylphenethylamine, is an entactogen and stimulant drug of the phenethylamine, amphetamine, and phenylisobutylamine families. It is an analogue of para-chloroamphetamine (PCA) where the alpha position methyl has been replaced with an ethyl group.
6-MAPDB is a chemical compound which might be an entactogenic drug. It is structurally related to drugs like 6-APDB and 6-MAPB, which have similar effects to MDMA and have been used as recreational drugs. 6-MAPDB has never been studied to determine its pharmacological activity, though it is the N-methyl derivative of 6-APDB which is known to be a selective serotonin releaser.
NM-2-AI, also known as N-methyl-2-aminoindane, is a drug of the 2-aminoindane group that has been sold online as a designer drug. It is a rigid analogue of methamphetamine. NM-2-AI acts as a selective norepinephrine releasing agent, but also has affinity for several monoamine receptors.
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