Phenethylamines

The Work of Alexander Shulgin
Dr. Alexander Shulgin, although contoversial, is perhaps the greatest living expert on phenethylamines. Dr. Friedhoff, unfortunately, is deceased. Friedhoff was an expert on dopamine and DMPEA, which he thought caused schizophrenia. This theory was rejected by Shulgin, but Shulgin may be wrong on this matter. Japanese workers have found DMPEA to be a potent mitochondrail neurotoxin.

Shown here is dimethoxyamphetamine, a drug of abuse. This drug is analyzed in the book PIHKAL (Phenethylamines I Have Known and Loved) by Alexander and Ann Shulgin. The book is a biochemical love story, but this author (Olson) hates these compounds. Shulgin is somewhat like Dr. Frankenstein in that he has created monsters. This drug is very similar to DMPEA, the chemical that is only found in schizophrenics. The only difference is an extra methyl group on the amphetamine analog.

Shown here is tyrosine, also from the U. C. Davis website. Tyrosine is the direct precursor of phenethylamines. Methionine is also used in making some of them.

This clipart from the Indiana State website shows catecholamine synthesis. This is an educational website.

Shown here in a clipart from High School Hub are various functional groups. Each phenethylamine has one amine group. Other groups are also seen in phenethylamines. Methyl and methoxy groups make the compound more fat soluble, which is a property that enables the drug to enter the cell membrane easier. These drugs are more potent.

This clipart of methionine metabolism is from a Virginia eductional website which is part of the High School Hub website. However, the drawing is on a college level. In the disease homocystinuria there is an excess of methionine. Often psychiatric symptoms resembling schizophrenia are seen. This important fact has been interpreted as supporting the famous transmethylation hypothesis of schizophrenia, favored by orthomolecular psychiatrists including Hoffer & Osmond.

This clipart shows 4-methoxyamphetamine, another psychoactive drug. The location of the methoxy group in the 4 (para) position seems to be essential for the potency of the drug. This drug is discussed in PIHKAL II, the sequel to PIHKAL.

Shown here is the amino acid phenylalanine, which is a parent of many phenethylamines. These substances can also be produced from tyrosine. The clipart is from the U. C. Davis website, which is very good for science.

This clipart is from Yahoo! Reference. Shown is an engraving of the left cerebral hemisphere as seen from above. The brain depends heavily upon phenethylamines, and, conversely, an abnormal phenethylamine can be disastrous to the brain. For example, speed, a drug of abuse, also called methamphetamine, can cause errors in judgement. Mescaline can cause hallucinations. Mescaline is also a phenethylamine. DMPEA may cause schizophrenia. It is only found in schizophrenia and in the peyote cactus.

Shown here is Alexander Shulgin, the clipart coming from one of his websites. Shulgin has published brilliant scientific papers, but he is looked upon by the government as a modern day Timothy Leary.

Shown here is a clipart of a synapse taken from Users, which is a site that is part of the High School Hub network. Dopamine is a polyphenol, a phenethylamine, and a neurotransmitter. The neurotransmitter acts at the synapse.