Shulgin Rating Scale

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The Shulgin Rating Scale (or "quantitative potency scale") is a simple scale for reporting the subjective effect of psychoactive substances at a given dosage, and at a given time. The system was developed for research purposes by the American biochemist Alexander Shulgin, and published with co-authors Ann Shulgin and Peyton Jacob, III, in a 1986 issue of the journal Methods and Findings in Experimental and Clinical Pharmacology. It was later described in the Shulgins' popular 1991 book PIHKAL: A Chemical Love Story. [1]

Contents

PIHKAL Glossary excerpts

Alexander Shulgin, PIHKAL, pages 963–965

Usage

Shulgin Ratings typically include three components. An identification of the chemical being ingested, a dosage, and a descriptive narrative including the ratings themselves used to describe various moments in time. The chemical itself must be clearly identified, preferably using chemical nomenclature, as opposed to popular or "street" names. The dosage must be known and communicated, as substances may result in wildly different ratings at different doses. The rating itself gives a comparable value relating to the subjective intensity of the experience, including auditory, visual, emotional, mental, physical and other sensory effects. The narrative may include various Shulgin ratings, noting the time to achieve various levels, for instance:

(with 22 mg) A slow onset. It took an hour for a plus one, and almost another two hours to get to a +++. Very vivid fantasy images, eyes closed, but no blurring of lines between "reality" and fantasy. Some yellow-grey patterns a la psilocybin. Acute diarrhea at about the fourth hour but no other obvious physical problems. Erotic lovely. Good material for unknown number of possible uses. Can explore for a long time. Better try 20 milligrams next time.

PIHKAL, page 560, in regards to the substance 2C-T-2

Potential PLUS FOUR, n. (++++) candidate substance

5-MeO-DMT is a candidate entheogen substance for consistent plus four experience as it is known to bring one of, if not the highest mystical subjective experience comparable to the description of Samadhi. [2] [3]

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Alexander Shulgin</span> American chemist and recreational drug explorer (1925–2014)

Alexander Theodore "Sasha" Shulgin was an American biochemist, broad researcher of synthetic psychoactive compounds, and author of works regarding these, who independently explored the organic chemistry and pharmacology of such agents—in his mid-life and later, many through preparation in his home laboratory, and testing on himself. He is acknowledged to have introduced to broader use, in the late 1970s, the prior synthesized compound, MDMA ("ecstasy") in research psychopharmacology and in combination with conventional therapy, the latter through presentations and academic publications, including to psychologists; and for the rediscovery, occasional discovery, and regular synthesis and personal use and distribution, possibly of hundreds of psychoactive compounds. As such, Shulgin is seen both as a pioneering and a controversial participant in the emergence of the broad use of psychedelics.

<i>PiHKAL</i> 1991 book by Alexander Shulgin and Ann Shulgin

PiHKAL: A Chemical Love Story is a book by Alexander Shulgin and Ann Shulgin, published in 1991. The subject of the work is psychoactive phenethylamine chemical derivatives, notably those that act as psychedelics and/or empathogen-entactogens. The main title, PiHKAL, is an acronym that stands for "Phenethylamines I Have Known and Loved."

<span class="mw-page-title-main">2C-B</span> Psychoactive drug

2C-B (4-bromo-2,5-dimethoxyphenethylamine), also known as Nexus, is a synthetic psychedelic drug of the 2C family, mainly used as a recreational drug. The substance was first synthesized by Alexander Shulgin in 1974, and gained an initial reputation for potential psychotherapeutic use, but its use has been limited to mainly recreational use. To date, there is limited scientific information regarding the drug's pharmacokinetics and pharmacological effects in humans. The existing studies primarily classify 2C-B as a stimulant and hallucinogen, and less commonly an entactogen and empathogen.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">2C-T-7</span> Psychedelic phenthylamine drug

2C-T-7 is a psychedelic phenethylamine of the 2C family. In his book PiHKAL: A Chemical Love Story, Alexander Shulgin lists the dosage range as 10–30 mg. 2C-T-7 is generally taken orally, and produces psychedelic and entactogenic effects that last 8 to 15 hours. Up until Operation Web Tryp and three deaths, two of which involved the use of other drugs in addition to 2C-T-7, and one which involved an excessive insufflated dose, 2C-T-7 was sold commercially in Dutch and Japanese smartshops and online. It is known on the streets as Blue Mystic or 7th Heaven. There has been little real research done on this chemical other than Shulgin's comments in PiHKAL and a few small animal studies mostly aimed at detecting metabolites.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">2C-E</span> Chemical compound

2C-E is a psychedelic phenethylamine of the 2C family. It was first synthesized by Alexander Shulgin and documented in his book PiHKAL. Like the other substances in its family, it produces sensory and cognitive effects in its physical reactions with living organisms.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">2C-T-2</span> Chemical compound

2C-T-2 is a psychedelic and entactogenic phenethylamine of the 2C family. It was first synthesized in 1981 by Alexander Shulgin, and rated by him as one of the "magical half-dozen" most important psychedelic phenethylamine compounds. The drug has structural and pharmacodynamic properties similar to those of 2C-T-7.

<i>TiHKAL</i> 1997 book by Alexander Shulgin and Ann Shulgin

TIHKAL: The Continuation is a 1997 book written by Alexander Shulgin and Ann Shulgin about a family of psychoactive drugs known as tryptamines. A sequel to PIHKAL: A Chemical Love Story, TIHKAL is an acronym that stands for "Tryptamines I Have Known and Loved".

<span class="mw-page-title-main">2C-C</span> Chemical compound

2C-C is a psychedelic drug of the 2C family. It was first synthesized by Alexander Shulgin, sometimes used as an entheogen. In his book PiHKAL , Shulgin lists the dosage range as 20–40 mg. 2C-C is usually taken orally, but may also be insufflated. 2C-C is schedule I of section 202(c) of the Controlled Substances Act in the United States, signed into law as of July, 2012 under the Food and Drug Administration Safety and Innovation Act.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">4-HO-DiPT</span> Chemical compound

4-Hydroxy-N,N-diisopropyltryptamine is a synthetic psychedelic drug. It is a higher homologue of psilocin, 4-HO-DET, and is a positional isomer of 4-HO-DPT and has a tryptamine molecular sub-structure.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">2C-N</span> Chemical compound

2C-N (2,5-dimethoxy-4-nitrophenethylamine) is a psychedelic phenethylamine of the 2C family. It was first synthesized by Alexander Shulgin.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">2C-T-4</span> Chemical compound

2C-T-4 (2,5-dimethoxy-4-isopropylthiophenethylamine) is a psychedelic phenethylamine of the 2C family. It was first synthesized by Alexander Shulgin and is used as entheogenic recreational drug.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">2C-P</span> Chemical compound

2C-P is a relatively potent and long acting psychedelic phenethylamine of the 2C family.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Lophophine</span> Chemical compound

Lophophine is a putative psychedelic and entactogen drug of the methylenedioxyphenethylamine class. It is the α-demethylated homologue of MMDA, and is also closely related to mescaline.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Aleph (psychedelic)</span> Chemical compound

Aleph is a psychedelic hallucinogenic drug and a substituted amphetamine of the phenethylamine class of compounds, which can be used as an entheogen. It was first synthesized by Alexander Shulgin, who named it after the first letter of the Hebrew alphabet. In his book PiHKAL, Shulgin lists the dosage range as 5–10 mg, with effects typically lasting for 6 to 8 hours.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">EDMA</span> Chemical compound

3,4-Ethylenedioxy-N-methylamphetamine (EDMA) is an entactogen drug of the methamphetamine class. It is an analogue of MDMA where the methylenedioxy ring has been replaced by an ethylenedioxy ring. EDMA was first synthesized by Alexander Shulgin. In his book PiHKAL, the dosage is listed as 150–250 mg, and the duration listed as 3–5 hours. According to Shulgin, EDMA produces a bare threshold consisting of paresthesia, nystagmus, and hypnogogic imagery, with few to no other effects. Scientific research has demonstrated that EDMA acts as a non-neurotoxic serotonin releasing agent with moderately diminished potency relative to MDMA, and with negligible effects on dopamine release.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">2C-H</span> Chemical compound

2C-H (2,5-dimethoxyphenethylamine) is a lesser-known substituted phenethylamine of the 2C family.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Ariadne (drug)</span> Psychoactive phenethylamine drug

Ariadne, also known chemically as 4C-D or 4C-DOM, by its developmental code name BL-3912, and by its former tentative brand name Dimoxamine, is a little-known psychoactive drug of the substituted phenethylamine family. It is a homologue of the psychedelics 2C-D and DOM.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">BOH (drug)</span> Chemical compound

BOH, also known as 3,4-methylenedioxy-β-methoxyphenethylamine, is a drug of the phenethylamine class. It is the β-methoxy analog of methylenedioxyphenethylamine (MDPEA) and is also more distantly related to methylone. On account of its similarity to norepinephrine, the effects of BOH may be of a purely adrenergic nature.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">4-HO-MET</span> Chemical compound

4-HO-MET is a lesser-known psychedelic drug. It is a structural and functional analog of psilocin as well as the 4-hydroxyl analog of methylethyltryptamine (MET). 4-HO-MET was first synthesized by Alexander Shulgin. In his book TiHKAL, the dosage is listed as 10-20 mg. 4-HO-MET produces psilocin-like distortion of color, sound, and form. Very little data exists about the pharmacological properties, metabolism, and toxicity of 4-HO-MET. There have been no reports of deaths from 4-HO-MET, even though there exist anecdotal reports of the ingestion of up to 150 mg, more than an order of magnitude above the effective dose.

βk-2C-B Chemical compound

βk-2C-B (βeta-keto-4-bromo-2,5-dimethoxyphenylamine), also known as bk-2C-B, is a novel psychedelic substance. It is the beta (β) ketone structural analogue of 2C-B, a psychedelic drug of the 2C family. It is used as a recreational drug, usually taken orally. βk-2C-B is a controlled substance in Canada, Germany, Switzerland, and the United Kingdom.

References

  1. Shulgin, Alexander T.; Shulgin, Ann (2010). Pihkal: a chemical love story (1. ed., 8. print ed.). Berkeley: Transform. ISBN   978-0-9630096-0-9.
  2. Germann, Christopher B. (2019-03-16). "5-methoxy-N,N-dimethyltryptamine: An ego-dissolving endogenous neurochemical catalyst of creativity". doi:10.1101/578435 . Retrieved 2023-12-04.{{cite journal}}: Cite journal requires |journal= (help)
  3. Gray, Stephen (2022). How Psychedelics can Help Save the World: Visionary and Indigenous Voices Speak Out. Park Street Press. ISBN   9781644114902.