Aleph-2, or ALEPH-2, also known as 4-ethylthio-2,5-dimethoxyamphetamine, is a psychedelic drug of the phenethylamine, amphetamine, and DOx families. It is one of the Aleph series of compounds. The drug was encountered as a novel designer drug in Europe in 2023.
Use and effects In his book PiHKAL (Phenethylamines I Have Known and Loved), Alexander Shulgin lists Aleph-2's dose as 4 to 8mg orally and its duration as 8 to 16hours. The effects of Aleph-2 have been reported to include "almost no visual phenomena" to "extraordinary visuals and interpretations", visual distortion and movement, enhanced auditory and tactile perception, and a sensation of physical warmth, and residual shakiness and muscle tremors, among others. There is an unpredictability with the dosing and effects of Aleph-2, such that one person who took 4mg had strong effects including ending up in a fetal position, in relative hibernation for several hours, and with substantial amnesia, whereas another person who took 8mg experienced only a bare threshold including slight lightheadedness.
Interactions
Pharmacology Pharmacodynamics + Target Affinity (Ki, nM) 5-HT1A 1,674 5-HT1B 2,037 5-HT1D 1,532 5-HT1E 3,088 5-HT1F 5-HT2A 60.4 (Ki)0.489–0.898 ()104–108% () 5-HT2B 1.6 5-HT2C 50.3 (Ki)0.0912–0.401 ()105–114% () 5-HT3 >10,000 5-HT4 5-HT5A >10,000 5-HT6 3,020 5-HT7 1,322 α1A >10,000 α1B >10,000 α1D α2A 5,803 α2B 2,934 α2C 1,388 β1 6,792 β2 26.1 β3 D1, D2 >10,000 D3 618.3 D4, D5 >10,000 H1–H4 >10,000 M1, M2 >10,000 M3 1,907 M4 >10,000 M5 8,018 I1 319.8 σ1 238.9 σ2 >10,000 1,318 (Ki) >10,000 (Ki) >10,000 (Ki) 3,200–3,800 () (rat) >100,000 () (rat) Notes: The smaller the value, the more avidly the drug binds to the site. All proteins are human unless otherwise specified. Refs:
Aleph-2 acts as a serotonin 5-HT2 receptor agonist. The drug is also a weak monoamine oxidase inhibitor (MAOI), with values of 3,200nM for monoamine oxidase A (MAO-A) and >100,000nM for monoamine oxidase B (MAO-B). Aleph-2 produces anxiolytic effects in rodents.
Chemistry Synthesis The chemical synthesis of Aleph-2 has been described.
Analogues Analogues of Aleph-2 include Aleph, Aleph-4, Aleph-6, Aleph-7, and 2C-T-2, among others.
History Aleph-2 was first described in the scientific literature by Alexander Shulgin in 1978. Subsequently, it was described in greater detail by Shulgin in his 1991 book PiHKAL (Phenethylamines I Have Known and Loved). Aleph-2 was encountered as a novel designer drug in Europe in 2023.
Society and culture Legal status Canada Aleph-2 is a controlled substance in Canada under phenethylamine blanket-ban language.
United States Aleph-2 is not an explicitly controlled substance in the United States. However, it is a Schedule I controlled substance in this country as an isomer of 2C-T-4.
See also DOx (psychedelics) Aleph (psychedelics) 2C-T-2
References
External links Aleph-2 - Isomer Design Aleph-2 - PiHKAL - Erowid Aleph-2 - PiHKAL - Isomer Design Aleph-2 - The Shulgin Index