A-PVP

A-PVP
The skeletal formula of A-PVP
Chemical Nomenclature
Common names	α-PVP, flakka
Substitutive name	alpha-pyrrolidinovalerophenone, α-PVP, alpha-PVP, O-2387, β-ketone-prolintane, Prolintanone
Systematic name	(RS)-1-Phenyl-2-(1-pyrrolidinyl)-1-pentanone
Class Membership
Psychoactive class	Stimulant
Chemical class	Cathinone
Routes of Administration
Oral Dosage WARNING: Always start with lower doses due to differences between individual body weight, tolerance, metabolism, and personal sensitivity. See responsible use section. DISCLAIMER: PW's dosage information is gathered from users and resources for educational purposes only. It is not a recommendation and should be verified with other sources for accuracy. Threshold 1 - 2 mg Light 5 - 10 mg Common 10 - 15 mg Strong 20 - 25 mg Heavy 25 mg + Duration Total 2 - 5 hours Insufflated Dosage WARNING: Always start with lower doses due to differences between individual body weight, tolerance, metabolism, and personal sensitivity. See responsible use section. DISCLAIMER: PW's dosage information is gathered from users and resources for educational purposes only. It is not a recommendation and should be verified with other sources for accuracy. Threshold 0.5 - 1 mg Light 1 - 5 mg Common 5 - 10 mg Strong 10 - 15 mg Heavy 20+ mg Duration Total 2 - 5 hours Onset 15 - 45 minutes Peak 15 - 30 minutes Offset 30 - 90 minutes After effects 2 - 4 hours

Summary sheet: A-PVP

α-PVP (also known as A-PVP, α-Pyrrolidinopentiophenone or flakka) is a synthetic stimulant drug of the cathinone and pyrovalerone classes. It is chemically similar to other pyrovalerone compounds such as MDPV and cathinone compounds found in the khat plant of eastern Africa. It generally comes in the form of either a crystalline powder or large crystal shards which users can ingest to produce effects which are somewhat similar to that of amphetamine and cocaine.

α-PVP has a short history of use and is subject to much scrutiny by the media, similar to how MDPV and "bath salts" were portrayed in early 2011. It is commonly mass produced in China and sold as a research chemical through online vendors.

Chemistry

α-PVP is a substituted pentanone bound to a phenyl group and a pyridine group. It is a stimulant of the monoamine cathinone class, similar to pentadrone. α-PVP shares a similar structure to amphetamine, featuring a susbtituted phenethylamine core featuring a phenyl ring bound to an amino (NH2) group through an ethyl chain. It is alpha-substituted (R_α with a propyl chain. Additionally it features a oxygen substitution double-bonded to R₂.

Pharmacology

The mechanism of action is unknown for α-PVP. It is believed to act similarly to the designer drug MDPV, which acts as a norepinephrine-dopamine reuptake inhibitor (NDRI), although no substantial research on this compound has been conducted.

Subjective effects

The effects listed below are based upon the subjective effects index and personal experiences of PsychonautWiki contributors. These are described below and generally include:

Physical effects

• Spontaneous tactile sensations - The "body high" of α-PVP can be described as a moderate to extreme euphoric tingling sensation that encompasses the entire body. It is capable of becoming overwhelming at higher dosages. This sensation maintains a consistent presence that steadily rises with the onset and hits its limit once the peak has been reached.
• Stimulation - In terms of its effects on the user's physical energy levels, α-PVP can be considered to be extremely stimulating and energetic. This encourages activities such as running, climbing and dancing. The particular style of stimulation which α-PVP presents can be described as forced. This means that at higher dosages it becomes difficult or impossible to keep still as jaw clenching, involuntarily bodily shakes and vibrations become present, resulting in an extreme unsteadiness of the hands and a general lack of motor control.
• Vibrating vision - A person's eyeballs may begin to spontaneously wiggle back and forth in a rapid motion, causing vision to become blurry and temporarily out of focus-- a condition known as nystagmus.
• Dehydration - Dry mouth and dehydration are a universal experience with α-PVP and are a product of an increased heart rate and extreme motivation to engage in strenuous physical activities. While it is important to avoid becoming dehydrated, especially when out dancing in a hot environment, there is a potential possibility of suffering from water intoxication through over-drinking so it is advised that users simply sip at water and never over drink.
• Difficulty urinating - Higher doses of α-PVP result in an overall difficulty when it comes to urination, an effect that is completely temporary and harmless.
• Vasoconstriction - α-PVP can be considered very vasoconstricting at higher doses, and is on par with that of amphetamine and methamphetamine.
• Tactile enhancement
• Increased heart rate
• Increased perspiration
• Appetite suppression
• Visual acuity suppression
• Focus enhancement
• Teeth grinding - This component can be considered to be less intense when compared with that of MDMA.

Cognitive effects

The cognitive effects of α-PVP can be broken down into several components which progressively intensify proportional to dosage. The general head space of α-PVP is described by many as one of extreme mental stimulation and powerful euphoria. It contains a large number of typical stimulant cognitive effects.

The most prominent of these cognitive effects generally include:

• Euphoria - A euphoria very similar to amphetamine is present as well as feelings of joy and happiness and are likely a direct result of serotonin and dopamine release.
• Thought acceleration
• Analysis enhancement
• Immersion enhancement
• Time distortion - Strong feelings of time compression are common within α-PVP and increase in the perception of percieved experience is greatly increased.
• Ego inflation
• Disinhibition
• Motivation enhancement
• Compulsive redosing
• Increased libido

After effects

The effects which occur during the offset of a stimulant experience generally feel negative and uncomfortable in comparison to the effects which occurred during its peak. This is often referred to as a "comedown" and occurs because of neurotransmitter depletion. Its effects commonly include:

• Cognitive fatigue
• Thought deceleration
• Anxiety
• Depression
• Wakefulness
• Irritability

Toxicity and harm potential

Main article: Research chemicals § Toxicity and harm potential

The toxicity and long-term health effects of recreational α-PVP use do not seem to have been studied in any scientific context and the exact toxic dosage is unknown. This is because α-PVP has very little history of human usage. Anecdotal evidence from people who have tried α-PVP within the community suggest that there do not seem to be any negative health effects attributed to simply trying this drug at low to moderate doses by itself and using it sparingly (but nothing can be completely guaranteed).

α-PVP has been reported to be the cause, or a significant contributory cause, of death in suicides and overdoses caused by combinations of drugs. α-PVP has also been linked to at least one death where it was combined with pentedrone and caused heart failure.

It is strongly recommended that one use harm reduction practices when using this drug.

Tolerance and addiction potential

As with other stimulants, the chronic use of α-PVP can be considered moderately addictive with a high potential for abuse and is capable of causing psychological dependence among certain users. When addiction has developed, cravings and withdrawal effects may occur if a person suddenly stops their usage.

Tolerance to many of the effects of α-PVP develops with prolonged and repeated use. This results in users having to administer increasingly large doses to achieve the same effects. After that, it takes about 3 - 7 days for the tolerance to be reduced to half and 1 - 2 weeks to be back at baseline (in the absence of further consumption). α-PVP presents cross-tolerance with all dopaminergic stimulants, meaning that after the consumption of α-PVP all stimulants will have a reduced effect.

Psychosis

Main article: Stimulant psychosis

α-PVP, like other stimulants, can result in a stimulant psychosis that may present with a variety of symptoms (e.g., paranoia, hallucinations, or delusions). A review on treatment for amphetamine, dextroamphetamine, and methamphetamine abuse-induced psychosis states that about 5–15% of users fail to recover completely. The same review asserts that, based upon at least one trial, antipsychotic medications effectively resolve the symptoms of acute amphetamine psychosis.

Dangerous interactions

Although many drugs are safe on their own, they can become dangerous and even life-threatening when combined with other substances. The list below contains some common potentially dangerous combinations, but may not include all of them. Certain combinations may be safe in low doses of each but still increase the potential risk of death. Independent research should always be done to ensure that a combination of two or more substances is safe before consumption.

• Stimulants - α-PVP can be potentially dangerous in combination with other stimulants as it can increase one's heart rate and blood pressure to dangerous levels.
• 25x-NBOMe - Both the NBOMe series and this compound induce powerful stimulation and their interaction may cause severe side effects. These can include thought loops, seizures, increased blood pressure, vasoconstriction, increased heart rate, and heart failure (in extreme cases).
• Alcohol - It is dangerous to combine alcohol, a depressant, with stimulants due to the risk of excessive intoxication. Stimulants decrease the sedative effect of alcohol which is the main factor most people consider when determining their level of intoxication. Once the stimulant wears off, the effects of alcohol will be significantly increased, leading to intensified disinhibition as well as respiratory depression. If combined, one should strictly limit themselves to only drinking a certain amount of alcohol per hour.
• DXM - This combination may cause increased heart rate and panic attacks.
• MXE - Increased heart rate and blood pressure may occur.
• Tramadol - This combination can increase the risk of seizures.
• MDMA - The neurotoxic effects of MDMA may be increased when combined with other stimulants.
• Cocaine - This combination may increase strain on the heart.

Serotonin syndrome risk

Combinations in the list below may increase the amount of neurotransmitters such as serotonin and dopamine to dangerous or even fatal levels.

• MAOIs such as syrian rue, banisteriopsis caapi, 2C-T-2, 2C-T-7, αMT, and some antidepressants
• Serotonin releasers such as MDMA, 4-FA, MDAI and αMT
• Selective serotonin re-uptake inhibitors (SSRIs)
• 5-HTP

Legal issues

• United Kingdom - It is illegal to produce, supply, or import this drug under the Psychoactive Substance Act, which came into effect on May 26th, 2016.
• United States - On January 28, 2014, the U.S. DEA listed α-PVP, along with 9 other synthetic cathinones, on the Schedule 1 with a temporary ban, effective February 27, 2014.
• Australia - The drug was explicitly made illegal in New South Wales after it was illegally marketed with the imprimatur of erroneous legal advice that it was not encompassed by analog provisions of the relevant act. It is encompassed by those provisions, and therefore has been illegal for many years in New South Wales. The legislative action followed the death of two individuals from using it; one jumping off a balcony, another having a heart attack after a state of delirium.
• China - As of October 2015 α-PVP is a controlled substance in China.
• Europe - α-PVP is banned in Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Ireland, Italy, Latvia, Lithuania, Poland, Romania, Slovenia, Sweden, United Kingdom, Turkey, Belgium, and Norway, as well as the Czech Republic.

See also

• Responsible use
• Stimulants
• Substituted Cathinones
• Amphetamine
• Cocaine

External links

• α-PVP (Wikipedia)
• α-PVP (Erowid)
• α-PVP (TripSit)
• α-PVP experiences (Erowid)