Entactogen

The terms entactogen and empathogen are used to describe a class of psychoactive drugs that produce distinctive emotional and social effects similar to those of MDMA. The term "empathogen" was coined in 1983 by Ralph Metzner to denote chemical agents inducing feelings of empathy. "Entactogen" was coined by David E. Nichols as an alternative to "empathogen", attempting to avoid the potential for improper association of the latter with negative connotations related to the Greek root "pathos" (suffering).

Nichols also thought the word was limiting and did not cover other therapeutic uses for the drugs that go beyond instilling feelings of empathy. The word "entactogen" is derived from the roots "en" (within), "tactus" (touch) and "gen" (produce). Neither term is dominant in usage and, despite their difference in connotation, they are essentially interchangeable as they refer to precisely the same chemicals.

History

"Therapists used entactogens such as MDMA in their practice before it was criminalized in 1985. Since that time, much effort has taken place to conduct government-approved scientific research into MDMA's therapeutic potential, which has recently been demonstrated in placebo-controlled studies of MDMA-assisted psychotherapy for subjects with chronic, treatment-resistant posttraumatic stress disorder."

—Ralph Metzner, Ph.D., MAPS

Subjective effects

Disclaimer: The effects listed below cite the Subjective Effect Index (SEI), an open research literature based on anecdotal user reports and the personal analyses of PsychonautWiki contributors. As a result, they should be viewed with a healthy degree of skepticism.

It is also worth noting that these effects will not necessarily occur in a predictable or reliable manner, although higher doses are more liable to induce the full spectrum of effects. Likewise, adverse effects become increasingly likely with higher doses and may include addiction, severe injury, or death ☠. The effect is listed and defined in its own dedicated article below:

• Empathy, love, and sociability enhancement

Alongside of this, a variety of non-essential secondary effects are often present. These generally include (but are not limited to):

• Stimulation
• Euphoria
• Thought acceleration
• Introspection

Examples

The chemicals below have varying degrees of entactogenic effects. Some of the chemicals have a minimal entactogenic effect while others may have a strong entactogenic effect. Many of these substances possess other effects including stimulant effects and psychedelic effects.

• 2C-B
• 2C-I
• 3-MMC
• 4-FA
• 5-APB
• 5-APDB
• 5-MeO-DiPT
• 5-MeO-MiPT
• 6-APDB
• 6-APB
• AMT
• Butylone
• GHB
• MBDB
• MDA
• MDAI
• MDEA
• MDMA
• Mephedrone
• Methylone
• MMA
• MMDA
• PMA
• PMMA

See also

• Responsible use
• Stimulants
• Psychedelics
• Empathy, love, and sociability enhancement

References

• Nichols, D.E., Hoffman, A.J., Oberlender, R.A., Jacob P 3rd & Shulgin A.T. Derivatives of 1-(1,3-benzodioxol-5-yl)-2-butanamine: representatives of a novel therapeutic class 1986 J Med Chem 29 2009-15
• Nichols, D.E. Differences between the mechanism of action of MDMA, MBDB, and the classic hallucinogens. Identification of a new therapeutic class: entactogens 1986 J Psychoactive Drugs 18 305-13