2,5-Dimethoxyamphetamine
| Clinical data | |
|---|---|
| Other names | 2,5-DMA; 2,5-Dimethoxy-α-methylphenethylamine; DMA; DMA-4; DOH; NSC-367445 |
| Routes of administration | Oral[1][2] |
| Drug class | Serotonin 5-HT2 receptor agonist; Serotonin 5-HT2A receptor agonist; Stimulant |
| ATC code |
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| Pharmacokinetic data | |
| Duration of action | 6–8 hours[1][2] |
| Identifiers | |
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| CAS Number | |
| PubChem CID | |
| DrugBank | |
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| CompTox Dashboard (EPA) | |
| ECHA InfoCard | 100.018.673 |
| Chemical and physical data | |
| Formula | C11H17NO2 |
| Molar mass | 195.262 g·mol−1 |
| 3D model (JSmol) | |
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2,5-Dimethoxyamphetamine (2,5-DMA), also known as DMA-4 or as DOH, is a psychoactive drug of the phenethylamine and amphetamine families.[1][2] It is one of the dimethoxyamphetamine (DMA) series of positional isomers.[1][2] The drug is notable in being the parent compound of the DOx (4-substituted-2,5-dimethoxyamphetamine) series of psychedelic drugs.[1][2] It is taken orally.[1][2][3]
Use and effects
2,5-DMA is said to be inactive as a psychedelic, at least at the doses that have been assessed.[1][2] However, it has been reported to produce some stimulant-like effects, as well as sympathomimetic effects and mydriasis.[1][2][3] The dose range is said to be 80 to 160 mg orally and its duration is 6 to 8 hours.[1][2] However, it has also been said to be active with stimulant-like effects at a dose of 50 mg.[3]
Interactions
Pharmacology
Pharmacodynamics
| Target | Affinity (Ki, nM) |
|---|---|
| 5-HT1A | 2,583–6,017 |
| 5-HT1B | 8,435 (rat) |
| 5-HT1D | ND |
| 5-HT1E | ND |
| 5-HT1F | ND |
| 5-HT2A | 211–5,200 (Ki) 160–3,548 (EC50) 58–109% (Emax) |
| 5-HT2B | 1,039 (Ki) 3,390–93,320 (EC50) 93–94% (Emax) |
| 5-HT2C | 104–>10,000 (Ki) 124–3,144 (EC50) 76–103% (Emax) |
| 5-HT3 | ND |
| 5-HT4 | ND |
| 5-HT5A | ND |
| 5-HT6 | ND |
| 5-HT7 | ND |
| α1A | 5,363 |
| α1B–α1D | ND |
| α2A | 4,385 |
| α2B–α2C | ND |
| β1, β2 | ND |
| D1 | ND |
| D2 | >13,000 |
| D3–D5 | ND |
| H1–H4 | ND |
| M1–M5 | ND |
| TAAR1 | >30,000 (EC50) (human) |
| I1 | ND |
| σ1, σ2 | ND |
| SERT | >7,000 (Ki) ND (IC50) ND (EC50) |
| NET | >8,000 (Ki) ND (IC50) ND (EC50) |
| DAT | >8,000 (Ki) ND (IC50) ND (EC50) |
| MAO-A | >100,000 (IC50) |
| MAO-B | >100,000 (IC50) |
| Notes: The smaller the value, the more avidly the drug binds to the site. All proteins are human unless otherwise specified. Refs: [4][5][6][7][8][9][10] [11][12][13][14][15][16] | |
2,5-DMA is a low-potency serotonin 5-HT2A receptor partial agonist, with an affinity (Ki) of 2,502 nM, an EC50 of 160 to 3,548 nM (depending on the signaling cascade and study), and an Emax of 66 to 109%.[8][9][12][13] It has also been assessed at several other receptors.[8][9] In a much earlier study, its affinities (Ki) were 1,020 nM at the serotonin 5-HT1 receptor and 5,200 nM at the serotonin 5-HT2 receptor.[17][18] The drug does not appear to bind to the monoamine transporters, at least at the assessed concentrations (up to 7,000 nM).[8][9] It was inactive at the human trace amine-associated receptor 1 (TAAR1).[8][9] 2,5-DMA shows dramatically reduced potency as a serotonin 5-HT2A receptor agonist compared to the DOx drugs, such as 2,5-dimethoxy-4-methylamphetamine (DOM).[8][9]
2,5-DMA produces the head-twitch response, a behavioral proxy of psychedelic effects, in rodents.[7] However, it produces a very weak head-twitch response compared to other structurally related psychedelics like DOM, DOET, DOPR, and even DOBU.[7] In addition, it is less potent in comparison.[7] 2,5-DMA substitutes for DOM in rodent drug discrimination tests, albeit with dramatically lower potency than other DOx drugs.[19] It also substitutes for 5-MeO-DMT in rodent drug discrimination tests.[20] These findings suggesting that 2,5-DMA might produce weak hallucinogenic effects at sufficiently high doses.[7][19][20] 2,5-DMA shows no substitution for dextroamphetamine in drug discrimination tests, suggesting that it lacks psychostimulant- or amphetamine-like effects, at least in rodents.[19] Unlike other DOx drugs like DOM, DOPR, DOBU, and DOAM, 2,5-DMA does not produce hyperlocomotion in rodents and instead dose-dependently produces only hypolocomotion.[7] On the other hand, it does similarly produce hypothermia at higher doses.[7]
Though 2,5-DMA appears to be inactive or of very low potency as a psychedelic in humans, it is a highly potent anti-inflammatory drug similarly to other DOx and 2C drugs.[13][21] This was in spite of it being of very low potency as a serotonin 5-HT2A receptor agonist in terms of calcium mobilization in the study (EC50 = 3,548 nM; Emax = 109.0%).[13] Based on the preceding findings, Charles D. Nichols has said that both fully anti-inflammatory non-psychedelic compounds like 2,5-DMA and fully psychedelic non-anti-inflammatory compounds like DOTFM are known.[21]
Pharmacokinetics
2,5-DMA crosses the blood–brain barrier in rodents.[7] It showed the lowest brain/plasma ratio among DOM and its higher homologues.[7]
Chemistry
Synthesis
The chemical synthesis of 2,5-DMA has been described.[1][2][22]
Analogues and derivatives
Analogues and derivatives of 2,5-DMA include the DOx series like DOM, DOB, and DOI, FLY compounds like DOB-FLY, Bromo-DragonFLY (DOB-DFLY), DOH-5-hemiFLY, 25-NB compounds like DOM-NBOMe, DOB-NBOMe, and DOI-NBOMe, and other compounds like trimethoxyamphetamines (TMAs) and pentamethoxyamphetamine (PeMA).[1][2] Methoxamine (β-hydroxy-2,5-DMA) is another derivative of 2,5-DMA.[2]
History
2,5-DMA was first described in the scientific literature by F. Benington and colleagues by at least 1968.[23][24] Subsequently, it was described in greater detail by Alexander Shulgin in his 1991 book PiHKAL (Phenethylamines I Have Known and Loved).[1]
Society and culture
Manufacturing
2,5-DMA is used by Polaroid Corporation in the manufacturing of Polaroid film.[3][25][26]
Legal status
Canada
2,5-DMA is a controlled substance in Canada.[27]
United States
2,5-DMA is a schedule I controlled substance in the United States.[28]
See also
- Dimethoxyamphetamine
- Substituted methoxyphenethylamine
- DOx (psychedelics)
- Stimulant § Serotonin 5-HT2A receptor agonists
- Motivation-enhancing drug § Serotonin 5-HT2A receptor agonists
- 2,5-Dimethoxyphenethylamine (2C-H)
- 2,4,5-Trimethoxyamphetamine (2,4,5-TMA, TMA-2, or DOMeO)
- 5-HT2A receptor § Anti-inflammatory effects
References
- ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l Shulgin AT, Shulgin A (1991). "#54 2,5-DMA; DMA; 2,5-DIMETHOXYAMPHETAMINE". PiHKAL: A Chemical Love Story (1st ed.). Berkeley, CA: Transform Press. ISBN 978-0-9630096-0-9. OCLC 25627628.
- ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l Shulgin A, Manning T, Daley PF (2011). "#36. 2,5-DMA". The Shulgin Index, Volume One: Psychedelic Phenethylamines and Related Compounds. Vol. 1. Berkeley: Transform Press. ISBN 978-0-9630096-3-0.
- ^ a b c d Shulgin AT (1978). "Psychotomimetic Drugs: Structure-Activity Relationships". In Iversen LL, Iversen SD, Snyder SH (eds.). Stimulants. Boston, MA: Springer US. pp. 243–333. doi:10.1007/978-1-4757-0510-2_6. ISBN 978-1-4757-0512-6.
Although 2,5-DMA has no medical utility and has thus been classified as a Schedule I drug by the Drug Enforcement Administration, there is a considerable demand for it as a chemical in the photographic industry. The manufacturing quota for it, for a single year's production, is 45,000,000 g as the free base (Anon., 1976), and this magnitude of commercial production, in addition to the inexpensive availability of the synthetic precursor 1-(2,5-dimethoxyphenyl)-2-nitropropene, may have accounted for its appearance in high purity and broad availability in the period prior to its legal proscription.
- ^ "Kᵢ Database". PDSP. 15 March 2025. Retrieved 15 March 2025.
- ^ Liu T. "BindingDB BDBM50005251 (+/-)2-(2,5-Dimethoxy-phenyl)-1-methyl-ethylamine::1-(2,5-dimethoxyphenyl)propan-2-amine::2,5-dimethoxy-4-bromoamphetamine::2-(2,5-Dimethoxy-phenyl)-1-methyl-ethylamine::2-(2,5-Dimethoxy-phenyl)-1-methyl-ethylamine(2,5-DMA)::CHEMBL8642::DMA". BindingDB. Retrieved 15 March 2025.
- ^ Nelson DL, Lucaites VL, Wainscott DB, Glennon RA (January 1999). "Comparisons of hallucinogenic phenylisopropylamine binding affinities at cloned human 5-HT2A, -HT(2B) and 5-HT2C receptors". Naunyn-Schmiedeberg's Archives of Pharmacology. 359 (1): 1–6. doi:10.1007/pl00005315. PMID 9933142.
- ^ a b c d e f g h i Luethi D, Glatfelter GC, Pottie E, Sellitti F, Maitland AD, Gonzalez NR, et al. (November 2025). "The 4-alkyl chain length of 2,5-dimethoxyamphetamines differentially affects in vitro serotonin receptor actions versus in vivo psychedelic-like effects" (PDF). Mol Psychiatry. doi:10.1038/s41380-025-03325-1. PMID 41193673.
- ^ a b c d e f Luethi D, Rudin D, Hoener MC, Liechti ME (2022). "Monoamine Receptor and Transporter Interaction Profiles of 4-Alkyl-Substituted 2,5-Dimethoxyamphetamines". The FASEB Journal. 36 (S1) fasebj.2022.36.S1.R2691. doi:10.1096/fasebj.2022.36.S1.R2691. ISSN 0892-6638.
- ^ a b c d e f Rudin D, Luethi D, Hoener MC, Liechti ME (2022). "Structure-activity Relation of Halogenated 2,5-Dimethoxyamphetamines Compared to their α‑Desmethyl (2C) Analogues". The FASEB Journal. 36 (S1) fasebj.2022.36.S1.R2121. doi:10.1096/fasebj.2022.36.S1.R2121. ISSN 0892-6638.
- ^ Hemanth P, Nistala P, Nguyen VT, Eltit JM, Glennon RA, Dukat M (2023). "Binding and functional structure-activity similarities of 4-substituted 2,5-dimethoxyphenyl isopropylamine analogues at 5-HT2A and 5-HT2B serotonin receptors". Frontiers in Pharmacology. 14 1101290. doi:10.3389/fphar.2023.1101290. PMC 9902381. PMID 36762110.
- ^ Dowd CS, Herrick-Davis K, Egan C, DuPre A, Smith C, Teitler M, et al. (August 2000). "1-[4-(3-Phenylalkyl)phenyl]-2-aminopropanes as 5-HT(2A) partial agonists". Journal of Medicinal Chemistry. 43 (16): 3074–3084. doi:10.1021/jm9906062. PMID 10956215.
- ^ a b Pottie E, Cannaert A, Stove CP (October 2020). "In vitro structure-activity relationship determination of 30 psychedelic new psychoactive substances by means of β-arrestin 2 recruitment to the serotonin 2A receptor". Archives of Toxicology. 94 (10): 3449–3460. Bibcode:2020ArTox..94.3449P. doi:10.1007/s00204-020-02836-w. hdl:1854/LU-8687071. PMID 32627074.
- ^ a b c d Flanagan TW, Billac GB, Landry AN, Sebastian MN, Cormier SA, Nichols CD (April 2021). "Structure-Activity Relationship Analysis of Psychedelics in a Rat Model of Asthma Reveals the Anti-Inflammatory Pharmacophore". ACS Pharmacology & Translational Science. 4 (2): 488–502. doi:10.1021/acsptsci.0c00063. PMC 8033619. PMID 33860179.
The nature of the 4-position substituent of phenethylamine psychedelics has been previously linked to 5-HT2 receptor selectivity as well as agonist properties at 5-HT2 receptors.40 Analysis of the 4-position demonstrated that the identity of the moiety at this position was rather flexible. Fully efficacious substitutions at the 4-position included the halogens iodine and bromine (R)-DOI (Figure 3), 2C-B (Figure 7A), methoxy (TMA-2) (Figure 7G), short-chain hydrocarbons (R)-DOM (Figure 7H), (R)-DOET) (Figure 7I), and a branched hydrocarbon (DOiBu) (Figure 7J). [...] In a comparison of PenH-AUC values determined for each drug as a proxy measure of anti-inflammatory efficacy (Figure 8A) to either EC50 or EMax for calcium mobilization downstream of 5- HT2A receptor activation (Table 1), [...]
- ^ Acuña-Castillo C, Villalobos C, Moya PR, Sáez P, Cassels BK, Huidobro-Toro JP (June 2002). "Differences in potency and efficacy of a series of phenylisopropylamine/phenylethylamine pairs at 5-HT(2A) and 5-HT(2C) receptors". British Journal of Pharmacology. 136 (4): 510–519. doi:10.1038/sj.bjp.0704747. PMC 1573376. PMID 12055129.
- ^ Runyon SP, Mosier PD, Roth BL, Glennon RA, Westkaemper RB (November 2008). "Potential modes of interaction of 9-aminomethyl-9,10-dihydroanthracene (AMDA) derivatives with the 5-HT2A receptor: a ligand structure-affinity relationship, receptor mutagenesis and receptor modeling investigation". Journal of Medicinal Chemistry. 51 (21): 6808–6828. doi:10.1021/jm800771x. PMC 3088499. PMID 18847250.
- ^ Reyes-Parada M, Iturriaga-Vasquez P, Cassels BK (2019). "Amphetamine Derivatives as Monoamine Oxidase Inhibitors". Frontiers in Pharmacology. 10 1590. doi:10.3389/fphar.2019.01590. PMC 6989591. PMID 32038257.
- ^ Glennon RA (January 1987). "Central serotonin receptors as targets for drug research". Journal of Medicinal Chemistry. 30 (1): 1–12. doi:10.1021/jm00384a001. PMID 3543362.
Table II. Affinities of Selected Phenalkylamines for 5-HT1 and 5-HT2 Binding Sites
- ^ Shannon M, Battaglia G, Glennon RA, Titeler M (June 1984). "5-HT1 and 5-HT2 binding properties of derivatives of the hallucinogen 1-(2,5-dimethoxyphenyl)-2-aminopropane (2,5-DMA)". European Journal of Pharmacology. 102 (1): 23–29. doi:10.1016/0014-2999(84)90333-9. PMID 6479216.
- ^ a b c Glennon RA (1989). "Stimulus properties of hallucinogenic phenalkylamines and related designer drugs: formulation of structure-activity relationships" (PDF). NIDA Research Monograph. 94: 43–67. PMID 2575229. Archived from the original (PDF) on May 11, 2023.
- ^ a b Glennon RA, Young R, Rosecrans JA, Kallman MJ (1980). "Hallucinogenic agents as discriminative stimuli: a correlation with serotonin receptor affinities". Psychopharmacology. 68 (2): 155–158. doi:10.1007/BF00432133. PMID 6776558.
- ^ a b Hamilton Morris (14 November 2021). "PODCAST 33: An interview with Dr. Charles D. Nichols". The Hamilton Morris Podcast (Podcast). Patreon. Event occurs at 48:22–53:56. Retrieved 20 January 2025.
- ^ Trachsel D, Lehmann D, Enzensperger C (2013). Phenethylamine: von der Struktur zur Funktion [Phenethylamines: From Structure to Function]. Nachtschatten-Science (in German) (1 ed.). Solothurn: Nachtschatten-Verlag. ISBN 978-3-03788-700-4. OCLC 858805226. Archived from the original on 21 August 2025.
- ^ Benington F, Morin RD (July 1968). "The chemorelease of norepinephrine from mouse hearts by substituted amphetamines". J Med Chem. 11 (4): 896–897. doi:10.1021/jm00310a048. PMID 5677681.
- ^ Shulgin AT, Sargent T, Naranjo C (February 1969). "Structure--activity relationships of one-ring psychotomimetics". Nature. 221 (5180): 537–541. Bibcode:1969Natur.221..537S. doi:10.1038/221537a0. PMID 5789297.
- ^ "Erowid Psychoactive Vault : DEA Federal Register". erowid.org. Retrieved 10 May 2025.
- ^ "Manufacturer of Controlled Substances; Notice of Registration". Federal Register. 25 April 2000. Retrieved 10 May 2025.
- ^ "Controlled Drugs and Substances Act". Department of Justice Canada. Retrieved 19 January 2026.
- ^ Orange Book: List of Controlled Substances and Regulated Chemicals (January 2026) (PDF), United States: U.S. Department of Justice: Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA): Diversion Control Division, January 2026