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2C (psychedelics)

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2C (psychedelics)

2C (2C-x) is a general name for the family of psychedelic phenethylamines containing methoxy groups on the 2 and 5 positions of a benzene ring. Most of these compounds also carry lipophilic substituents at the 4 position, usually resulting in more potent and more metabolically stable and longer acting compounds.

Most of the currently known 2C compounds were first synthesized by Alexander Shulgin in the 1970s and 1980s and published in his book PiHKAL (Phenethylamines i Have Known And Loved). Shulgin also coined the term 2C, being an acronym for the 2 carbon atoms between the benzene ring and the amino group. 2C-B is the most popular of the 2C drugs.

The 2C drugs are orally active, are used at oral doses of 6 to 150 mg depending on the drug, and have durations of 3 to 48 hours depending on the drug. However, many have doses in the range of 10 to 60 mg and durations in the range of 4 to 12 hours. The 2C drugs produce psychedelic effects. Some, such as 2C-B, have also been reported to have some entactogenic qualities, though findings appear to be mixed.

The 2C drugs are metabolized by the monoamine oxidase (MAO) enzymes, including both MAO-A and MAO-B. As a result, they may be potentiated by monoamine oxidase inhibitors (MAOIs), such as phenelzine, tranylcypromine, moclobemide, and selegiline. This may lead to overdose and serious toxicity. There is no known reversal agent for 2C drugs, and medical management for overdose involves treatment of symptoms until toxicity within the body subsides.

The 2C drugs act as agonists of the serotonin 5-HT2 receptors, including of the serotonin 5-HT2A, 5-HT2B, and 5-HT2C receptors. They are partial agonists of the serotonin 5-HT2A receptor. Most of the 2C drugs have much lower affinity for the serotonin 5-HT1A receptor than for the serotonin 5-HT2A receptor. Most of the 2C drugs have also shown about 5- to 15-fold higher affinity for the serotonin 5-HT2A receptor over the serotonin 5-HT2C receptor and about 15- to 100-fold higher affinity for the serotonin 5-HT2A receptor over the serotonin 5-HT1A receptor. The psychedelic effects of the 2C drugs are thought to be mediated specifically by activation of the serotonin 5-HT2A receptor.

Unlike many other phenethylamines, 2C drugs, including 2C-C, 2C-D, 2C-E, 2C-I, and 2C-T-2 among others, are inactive as monoamine releasing agents and reuptake inhibitors. Most of the 2C drugs are agonists of the rat and mouse trace amine-associated receptor 1 (TAAR1). However, most are inactive as agonists of the human TAAR1. The 2C drugs show very weak monoamine oxidase inhibition, including of monoamine oxidase A (MAO-A) and/or monoamine oxidase B (MAO-B).

In accordance with their psychedelic effects in humans, the 2C drugs produce the head-twitch response and wet dog shakes, behavioral proxies of psychedelic effects, in rodents. At least some 2C drugs, such as 2C-D and 2C-E, produce hyperlocomotion at lower doses in rodents. All 2C drugs produce hypolocomotion at higher doses in rodents. 2C drugs, including 2C-C, 2C-D, 2C-E, and 2C-I, substitute partially to fully for psychedelics like DOM, DMT, and LSD and/or for the entactogen MDMA in rodent drug discrimination tests. However, none of the assessed 2C drugs substituted for dextromethamphetamine, suggesting that they lack amphetamine-type or stimulant-like effects.

In contrast to most psychedelics, at least two assessed 2C drugs, 2C-C and 2C-P, have shown reinforcing effects in rodents, including conditioned place preference (CPP) and self-administration. The mechanism by which these effects are mediated is unknown. However, it may be related to reduced expression of the dopamine transporter (DAT) and increased DAT phosphorylation, in turn resulting in increased extracellular dopamine levels in certain brain areas. These 2C drugs might have misuse potential in humans. Similar reinforcing effects in animals have been observed for NBOMe analogues of 2C drugs, including 25B-NBOMe, 25D-NBOMe, 25E-NBOMe, 25H-NBOMe, and 25N-NBOMe.

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