DMT
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DMT
The skeletal formula of N,N-Dimethyltryptamine.
DMT.png
DMT3D.gif
Chemical Nomenclature
Common names DMT, N,N-DMT
Substitutive name N,N-Dimethyltryptamine
Systematic name 2-(1H-indol-3-yl)-N,N-dimethylethanamine
Class Membership
Psychoactive class Psychedelic
Chemical class Tryptamine
Routes of Administration


Smoked
Dosage
Threshold 2 - 5 mg
Light 10 - 20 mg
Common 20 - 40 mg
Strong 40 - 60 mg
Heavy 60+ mg
Duration
Total 15 - 90 minutes
Onset 15 - 60 seconds
Peak 1 - 5 minutes
Offset 5 - 10 minutes
After effects 10 - 60 minutes










Summary sheet: DMT
DMT crystals
DMT crystal at 400× magnification

N,N-Dimethyltryptamine (DMT or N,N-DMT) is a psychedelic compound of the tryptamine family which acts as an intense hallucinogenic drug.[1] DMT is present in over 65 species of plants. Its presence is known to be widespread throughout the plant kingdom.[2][3] Although various theories have been formulated, the compound's biological function has yet to be determined.

This compound has been used traditionally in South America in ayahuasca brews since at least around the year 1500 and archaeological evidence suggests its use in snuffs (such as yopo, cohoba, or parica) since 2080 BCE.[4]

DMT is most commonly used as an extremely powerful visionary psychedelic that produces short-acting effects. When taken in combination with an MAOI or RIMA, it becomes orally active; this combination is commonly known as ayahuasca.

Depending on the dose and method of administration, the effects of DMT can range from mild psychedelic states to powerfully immersive life-changing experiences which are often described as being the ultimate displacement from normal consciousness where users are placed in a subjective state in which they encounter ineffable spiritual/alien realms and alternate realities.

Chemistry

DMT, or N,N-dimethyltryptamine, is a synthetic indole alkaloid molecule of the tryptamine class. Tryptamines share a core structure comprised of a bicylic indole heterocycle attached at R3 to an amino group via an ethyl side chain. DMT contains two methyl groups CH3- bound to the terminal amine RN of its tryptamine backbone. DMT has many substituted analogues such as 4-AcO-DMT and 5-MeO-DMT.

Pharmacology

Main article: Serotonergic psychedelic

DMT's psychedelic effects are believed to come from its efficacy at the 5-HT2A receptor as a partial agonist. However, the role of these interactions and how they result in the psychedelic experience continues to remain elusive.

The compound's affinities for various receptor sets have been well-studied and are listed in the table below:

Binding Sites Binding Affinity Ki(nm)[5]
5ht1a >10,000
5ht1b >10,000
5ht1d 93
5ht1e 455.7
5ht2a 2323
5ht2b 107.6
5ht2c 334.6
5ht5a 611
5ht6 487.4
5ht7 87.5
D1 271.1
α1A 1745
α1B 973.7
α2A 1561
α2B 257.7
α2C 258.6
SERT 3742

Subjective effects

The effects listed below are based upon the subjective effect index and personal experiences of PsychonautWiki contributors. The listed effects will rarely (if ever) occur all at once, but heavier dosages will increase the chances and are more likely to induce a full range of effects.

Physical effects

  • Spontaneous tactile sensations - The "body high" of DMT can be described as a pleasurable all-encompassing glow. It maintains a consistent presence that quickly rises with the onset and hits its limit once the peak has been reached. It is capable of becoming very powerful at higher doses and remains for up to half an hour after the trip itself.
  • Changes in gravity - At higher break through doses, physical feelings of being launched across vast distances at incredibly high speeds are common.
  • Pupil dilation
  • Temperature regulation suppression

Cognitive effects

DMT in its smokeable form is perhaps the least psychologically intoxicating psychedelic. It is due to this lack of mental intoxication that many people describe DMT as a genuine experience that is actually happening to them. It's worth noting that many people report that DMT is extremely clear-headed in its style and contains less personal insight in comparison to orally active psychedelics such as ayahuasca, LSD and psilocin due to its short-acting nature.

Visual effects

Enhancements

Distortions

Geometry

The visual geometry that is present throughout this trip can be described as more similar in appearance to that of psilocin than LSD. It can be comprehensively described through its variations as intricate in complexity, abstract in form, equally organic and digital in feel, structured in organization, brightly lit, multicoloured in scheme, glossy in shading, equal in sharp and soft edges, large in size, fast in speed, smooth in motion, equal in rounded and angular corners, immersive in depth and consistent in its intensity. At higher doses, it is significantly more likely to result in states of level 8B visual geometry over level 8A.

The geometry present with smokeable DMT is often considered to be the most profoundly intricate and complex set of visual geometry found within the entirety of the psychedelic experience. In comparison to orally active DMT (ayahuasca), it is significantly more digital in appearance and contains a colour scheme which is similar to LSD and a structured style that is closer to high dose psilocin.

Hallucinatory states

DMT produces a full range of high level hallucinatory states in a fashion that is more consistent and reproducible than that of any other commonly used psychedelic. These effects include:

Auditory effects

Progressive stages

When smoked at moderate to heavy dosages, the DMT trip manifests itself in a consistent and linear order which is categorized below.

Taking off

The first step of a DMT trip is the come up that leads onto an experience commonly referred to as "breaking through."[6] This seems to have at least a few different ways of presenting itself to the user.

The first thing that a person notices is an extremely distinct set of visual enhancements such an increase in visual acuity and colour intensity. This is followed by a sudden onset of high level 3 geometry which increases in its intensity until it envelopes and covers the external environment. These effects are often accompanied by auditory hallucinations such as soft crackling sounds or high pitched extended tones. There is also the possibility of accompanying physical sensations as one "breaks through." These can include feelings of suddenly being pushed through and onto the other side of a membrane or feelings of shooting through space at high speeds.

The waiting room

Almost immediately after a person has smoked enough DMT to have "broken through", they often find themselves spending a brief amount of time in what is described as a psychedelic "waiting room" or "loading screen." This can take any form but generally appears in the shape of a tunnel or comprised of fast-moving geometry. This lasts approximately 10 – 20 seconds and feels qualitatively different from other stages of the trip.

The other side

Once the waiting period is over, the user will feel that they have "broken through" onto the other side. It is here where users experience intense level 7 geometry and level 3 - 4 internal hallucinations. It's worth noting that although experiences vary between individuals, DMT trips often follow common archetypes, scenarios, content and plots. These scenarios generally consist of visiting what appears to be an alternate reality that is often described to contain autonomous entities, settings, sceneries, and landscapes as well as themes of a cosmic or transcendental nature.

Coming down

The final stage is experienced as the sensation of being pulled further and further away from the scenario until it is no longer visible and one finds themselves back in reality. This is accompanied by level 3 - 4 geometry as well as a sense of euphoria and awe. The moderate to mild geometry stays for a further 10 – 15 minutes before disappearing completely, leaving a strong "body high" that stays for up to an hour.

Natural plant sources

Mimosa hostilis root bark

Mimosa hostilis root bark.

Mimosa hostilis (also known as Mimosa tenuiflora, Jurema and Tepezcohuite) is a perennial tree or shrub native to the northeastern region of Brazil and is found as far north as southern Mexico. Around 1% of the dried weight is DMT/N,N-Dimethyltryptamine. It is legal to purchase online and easily accessible in many parts of the world.

Acacia confusa root bark.

Acacia confusa root bark

Main article: List of Acacia species known to contain psychoactive alkaloids

Acacia confusa (also known as Acacia Petit Feuille, Small Philippine Acacia, Formosa Acacia (Taiwan Acacia) and Formosan Koa) is a perennial tree native to South-East Asia. It is legal to purchase online and easily accessible in many parts of the world. The plant matter itself contains the following chemicals:

  • N-Methyltryptamine: 1.43% (no recreational use)
  • DMT/N,N-Dimethyltryptamine: 1.15%

Toxicity and harm potential

Main article: Responsible use § Hallucinogens

DMT is non-addictive, is not known to cause brain damage, and has an extremely low toxicity relative to dose. Similar to other psychedelic drugs, there are relatively few physical side effects associated with acute DMT exposure. Various studies have shown that in reasonable doses in a careful context, it presents no negative cognitive, psychiatric or toxic physical consequences of any sort.

Lethal dosage

The median lethal dose or dosage at which 50% of participants die (LD50) of DMT for human beings has never been reached in any setting.

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

Tolerance and addiction potential

DMT is not habit-forming and the desire to use it can actually decrease with use. It is most often self-regulating.

Tolerance to the effects of DMT does not occur. DMT presents cross-tolerance with no other psychedelics, meaning that after the consumption of DMT psychedelics will not have a reduced effect.

Legal issues

  • International: Under the UN 1971 Convention on Psychotropic Substances, DMT is classified at Schedule I, meaning that the use of DMT is supposed to be restricted to scientific research and medical use.[7]
  • Australia: Between 2011 and 2012, the Australian government was considering changes to the Australian Criminal Code that would classify any plants containing any amount of DMT as "controlled plants".[8]
  • Brazil: The production, distribution, or possession of DMT is illegal. Rules are relaxed regarding religious use however.
  • Canada: DMT is a Schedule III drug.
  • Estonia: DMT is a Schedule I drug.
  • Germany: The production, distribution, or possession of DMT is illegal.
  • Latvia: DMT is a Schedule I drug.[9]
  • New Zealand: DMT is classified in New Zealand as a Class A drug under the Misuse of Drugs Act 1975.[10]
  • Norway: DMT is a Schedule I drug.
  • Russia: The production, distribution, or possession of DMT is illegal.
  • UK: DMT is a Class A drug.
  • USA: DMT is a Schedule I drug. Rules are relaxed regarding religious use however. In the USA, dried root bark of Mimosa hostilis had been considered a "grey area" item for a long time. However, recent efforts by the DEA appear to be focusing on eliminating internet sales of the bark, citing 21 USC § 841, which states that "(IV) any compound, mixture, or preparation which contains any quantity of any of the substances referred to in subclauses (I) through (III)" is also considered an illegal substance. Many USA based vendors have since been stocking Acacia Confusa bark as a result due to its very similar alkaloid content.

Preparation methods

Preparation methods for this compound within our tutorial index include:

Experience reports

Anecdotal reports which describe this compound within our experience index include:

Additional experience reports can be found here:

See also

External links

References

  1. ↑ HELL AND BACK - National Geographic Adventure | http://www.kirasalak.com/Peru.html
  2. ↑ Ott, Jonathan (1994). Ayahuasca Analogues: Pangæan Entheogens (1st ed.). Kennewick, WA, USA: Natural Products. pp. 81–3. | http://www.worldcat.org/title/ayahuasca-analogues-pangan-entheogens/oclc/32895480
  3. ↑ Shulgin, Alexander; Shulgin, Ann (1997). "DMT is Everywhere". (page 277) TiHKAL: The Continuation (1st ed.) | http://www.worldcat.org/title/tihkal-the-continuation/oclc/38503252
  4. ↑ Erowid - DMT Basics | http://www.erowid.org/chemicals/dmt/dmt_basics.shtml
  5. ↑ Psychedelics and the human receptorome (PubMed.gov / NCBI) | https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/20126400
  6. ↑ "DMT breaking through" Google search | https://www.google.co.uk/search?btnG=1&pws=0&q=dmt+breaking+through&gws_rd=cr,ssl&ei=VuafVquUB8H_UOi9v_AJ
  7. ↑ Schaepe, Herbert (2001). "International control of the preparation "ayahuasca"" (JPG). Erowid. Retrieved November 29, 2010. | [1]
  8. ↑ Consultation on implementation of model drug schedules for Commonwealth serious drug offences". Australian Government, Attorney-General’s Department. 24 June 2010. | http://www.ag.gov.au/www/agd/agd.nsf/Page/Consultationsreformsandreviews_ConsultationonimplementationofmodeldrugschedulesforCommonwealthseriousdrugoffences
  9. ↑ Noteikumi par Latvijā kontrolējamajām narkotiskajām vielām, psihotropajām vielām un prekursoriem (Triptamīni) | http://likumi.lv/doc.php?id=121086
  10. ↑ Misuse of Drugs Act 1975 | http://www.legislation.govt.nz/act/public/1975/0116/latest/DLM436576.html
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