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| Other names | ME; 3-Ethoxy-4,5-dimethoxyphenethylamine; 3,4-Dimethoxy-5-ethoxyphenethylamine |
| Routes of administration | Oral[1] |
| Drug class | Serotonergic psychedelic;Hallucinogen |
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| Pharmacokinetic data | |
| Onset of action | 0.5–1.5 hours[1] |
| Duration of action | 8–12 hours[1] |
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| Chemical and physical data | |
| Formula | C12H19NO3 |
| Molar mass | 225.288 g·mol−1 |
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Metaescaline (ME), also known as3-ethoxy-4,5-dimethoxyphenethylamine, is apsychedelic drug of thephenethylamine andscaline families related tomescaline.[1] It is theanalogue of mescaline in which themethoxy group at the 3 position has been replaced with anethoxy group.[1] The drug is also thepositional isomer ofescaline in which the methoxy group at the 3 (meta) position and the ethoxy group at the 4 position have been interchanged.[1]
In his bookPiHKAL (Phenethylamines I Have Known and Loved),Alexander Shulgin lists metaescaline's dose as 200 to 350 mgorally and itsduration as 8 to 12 hours.[1] Itsonset was described as slow and ranged from 0.5 to 1.5 hours.[1] The drug'spotency is similar to that ofmescaline.[1][2]
The effects of metaescaline were reported to include brightening of colors, mildly heightenedvisual awareness and quite heightenedauditory awareness, noclosed-eyeimagery to significant closed-eye visuals,visual distortions such as walls dissolving, thinking changes, associative thinking,introspection, andinsights.[1] Other effects included a "marvelous feeling inside",euphoria, feelingenergetic, easy talking andtalkativeness,relaxation,disinhibition, feeling connected and bonded with others, and subjective effects being more based in feelings than cognitive.[1] Nohangover was reported.[1] It was said that no one was reluctant to repeat the experience.[1]Alcohol was reported to potentiate or rekindle the effects of metaescaline in aTOMSO-like manner in one report.[1]
Metaescaline was variously described as a "sterner mescaline" and as "not dramatic like some psychedelics".[1] Unlike mescaline orpeyote, there was littlebody discomfort, nonausea, and only occasionalhyperreflexia.[1] In addition, metaescaline was said to have less exaggeration of color perception than mescaline and thatmusic was associated with little imagery in contrast to mescaline.[1] Thetransference characteristic ofMDMA were said to be basically absent, but it was felt that metaescaline might nonetheless be useful forpsychedelic-assisted psychotherapy purposes.[1]
Thechemical synthesis of metaescaline has been described.[1]
Analogues of metaescaline includemescaline,escaline,metaproscaline,asymbescaline,symbescaline, andtrisescaline (trescaline), among others.[1]
Metaescaline was mentioned in the literature byAbram Hoffer andHumphrey Osmond in their 1967 bookThe Hallucinogens.[3] It was subsequently described byAlexander Shulgin andPeyton Jacob III in 1984.[2] Following this, metaescaline was described in greater detail by Shulgin in his 1991 bookPiHKAL (Phenethylamines I Have Known and Loved).[1]
Metaescaline is not acontrolled substance inCanada as of 2025.[4]
Metaescaline is not an explicitlycontrolled substance in theUnited States.[5] However, it could be considered a controlled substance under theFederal Analogue Act if intended for human consumption. In addition, it may be considered scheduled as apositional isomer of3,4,5-trimethoxyamphetamine (TMA) andescaline.[5][6]
