Content
TIHKAL, much like its predecessor PIHKAL, is divided into two parts. The first part, for which all rights are reserved, begins with a fictionalized autobiography, picking up where the similar section of PIHKAL left off; it then continues with a collection of essays on topics ranging from psychotherapy and the Jungian mind to the prevalence of DMT in nature, ayahuasca and the War on Drugs. The second part of TIHKAL, which may be conditionally distributed for non-commercial reproduction (see external links below), is a detailed synthesis manual for 55 psychedelic compounds (many discovered by Alexander Shulgin himself), including their chemical structures, dosage recommendations, and qualitative comments. Shulgin has made the second part freely available on Erowid.org while the first part is available only in the printed text.
As with PIHKAL, the Shulgins were motivated to release the synthesis information as a way to protect the public's access to information about psychedelic compounds, a goal Alexander Shulgin has noted many times. [1] Following a raid of his laboratory in 1994 by the United States DEA, [2] Richard Meyer, spokesman for DEA's San Francisco Field Division, stated that "It is our opinion that those books [referring to the previous work, PIHKAL ] are pretty much cookbooks on how to make illegal drugs. Agents tell me that in clandestine labs that they have raided, they have found copies of those books."
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.
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".
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.
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.
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.
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.
2C-T-8 is a psychedelic phenethylamine of the 2C family. It was first synthesized by Alexander Shulgin, sometimes used as an entheogen.
4-HO-DET, also known as 4-hydroxy-diethyl-tryptamine, CZ-74, is a hallucinogenic drug and psychedelic compound of moderate duration. 4-HO-DET is a substituted tryptamine, structurally related to psilocin, ethocybin, and 4-HO-DIPT.
Escaline (3,5-methoxy-4-ethoxyphenethylamine) is a psychedelic drug and entheogen of the phenethylamine class of compounds. Escaline was first synthesized and reported in the scientific literature by Benington, et al., in 1954, but was later re-examined in the laboratory of David E. Nichols, who prepared a series of mescaline analogues that included escaline, proscaline, and isoproscaline. The effects of this and related mescaline analogues in humans were first described by Alexander Shulgin. In his book PiHKAL , Shulgin lists the dosage range as 40 to 60 mg of hydrochloride salt, consumed orally. The duration of action was stated to be 8–12 hours.
Laura Ann Shulgin was an American author and the wife of chemist Alexander Shulgin, with whom she wrote PiHKAL and TiHKAL.
N-methyl-N-isopropyltryptamine (MiPT) is a psychedelic tryptamine, closely related to DMT, DiPT and miprocin. It was first synthesized by David Repke in 1984 and was subsequently evaluated and described in Alexander Shulgin's 1997 book TiHKAL.
2C-T is a psychedelic and hallucinogenic drug of the 2C family. It is used by some as an entheogen. It has structural and pharmacodynamic properties similar to the drugs mescaline and 2C-T-2.
2,N,N-trimethyltryptamine, 2,N,N-TMT, or 2-Me-DMT is a tryptamine derivative that is a psychedelic drug. It was invented by Alexander Shulgin and reported in his book TiHKAL (#34). It is claimed to show psychoactive effects at a dosage of 50–100 mg orally, but these are relatively mild compared to other similar drugs, suggesting that while the 2-methyl group has blocked the binding of metabolic enzymes, it is also interfering with binding to the 5HT2A receptor target that mediates the hallucinogenic effects of these drugs.
5-Methoxy-2,N,N-trimethyltryptamine is a psychoactive drug of the tryptamine chemical class which acts as a psychedelic. It was first synthesized by Alexander Shulgin and reported in his book TiHKAL. 5-MeO-TMT is claimed to show psychoactive effects at a dosage of 75–150 mg orally, but these are relatively mild compared to those of other similar compounds. This suggests that while the methyl group on the 2-position of the molecule has impaired the binding of metabolic enzymes like monoamine oxidase (MAO), it is also interfering with binding to and/or activation of the serotonin 5-HT2A receptor, the target responsible for mediating the hallucinogenic effects of such compounds.
4-Hydroxy-N-methyl-N-propyltryptamine, commonly known as 4-HO-MPT or meprocin, is a psychedelic drug in the tryptamine class of chemical compounds and is a higher homologue of the naturally occurring substituted tryptamine psilocin as well as being the 4-hydroxyl analog of MPT.
4-HO-pyr-T (4-hydroxy-N,N-tetramethylenetryptamine) is a lesser-known psychedelic drug. It is the 4-hydroxyl analog of pyr-T. 4-HO-pyr-T was first synthesized by Alexander Shulgin. In his book TiHKAL, neither the dosage nor the duration are reported. 4-HO-pyr-T produces few to no effects. Very little data exists about the pharmacological properties, metabolism, and toxicity of 4-HO-pyr-T.
Pyr-T (N,N-tetramethylenetryptamine) is a lesser-known, possible psychedelic drug. Pyr-T was first characterized by S. Mitzal. Toxicity testing was later performed by Hunt and Brimblecombe, and although a lethal dosage was found in rats, a value is not given. In the book TiHKAL, neither the dosage nor the duration are reported.
2,α-Dimethyltryptamine (2,α-DMT) is a tryptamine and a lesser-known psychedelic drug. It is the 2,α-dimethyl analog of DMT. Its synthesis was first reported in 1965. Alexander Shulgin lists the dosage as 300-500 mg, and the duration as 7–10 hours in his book TiHKAL. 2,α-DMT causes mydriasis and paresthesia. It also produces a calm, drunk-like feeling. Very little data exists about the pharmacological properties, metabolism, and toxicity of 2,α-DMT.
4-Hydroxy-α-methyltryptamine (4-HO-αMT) is a psychedelic drug of the tryptamine class. It is a close structural analogue of α-methyltryptamine (αMT) and produces similar effects to it, but with exacerbated side effects similarly to 5-MeO-αMT. Alexander Shulgin describes 4-HO-αMT briefly in his book TiHKAL:
The 4-hydroxy analogue of αMT has been looked at in human subjects. It is reported to be markedly visual in its effects, with some subjects reporting dizziness and a depressed feeling. There were, however, several toxic signs at doses of 15 to 20 milligrams orally, including abdominal pain, tachycardia, increased blood pressure and, with several people, headache and diarrhea.
The Shulgin Index, Volume One: Psychedelic Phenethylamines and Related Compounds is a 2011 book written by Alexander Shulgin, Tania Manning, and Paul F. Daley and published by Transform Press. It followed the earlier books PiHKAL: A Chemical Love Story (1991) and TiHKAL: The Continuation (1997) by Shulgin and his wife Ann Shulgin. The book is about psychedelic substituted phenethylamines and related compounds and their chemistry and pharmacology. It discusses 126 main compounds from this family as well as 1,300 compounds discussed in total.
