DMT stands for N,N-dimethyltryptamine. It is a chemical closely related to the brain neurotransmitter serotonin, and the pineal hormone melatonin. It is a powerful hallucinogen that occurs in many plants and animals, including humans. DMT was first synthesized in the 1930s, and was known to exist in hallucinogenic Amazonian plants, but it was not until 1955 that we found out about its psychedelic effects. DMT belongs to the family of compounds called the hallucinogens or psychedelics. Other members of this family include LSD or "acid," psilocybin in "magic" mushrooms, and mescaline from the peyote cactus. Effects of DMT in many ways are typical of other psychedelics, where kaleidoscopic visual displays are common with eyes opened or closed; powerful emotions of either a positive or negative nature; new insights into personal or religious questions; and effects on our sense of bodily integrity. At high doses, DMT not infrequently seems to provide entry into a non-physical world inhabited by beings of lights with whom we interact.
DMT that is made inside the organism is called endogenous - "made within." Endogenous DMT in animals was first discovered in rodents and later in humans. Once the roadmap of its formation in the body was determined in animals - the enzymes and necessary building blocks - scientists then found a similar process exists in humans. Endogenous DMT synthesis begins with dietary tryptophan, and goes through a number of steps until it becomes tryptamine. Then an enzyme attaches two methyl groups to a nitrogen atom on the tryptamine, resulting in "N, N-dimethyltryptamine." We know endogenous DMT is made in the lung and red blood cells of humans, and perhaps our brains. While there are the necessary enzymes and building blocks for DMT synthesis in the pineal gland, we do not yet know if the pineal makes this compound. Scientists have discovered the gene that codes for the enzyme that completes the synthesis of DMT in humans and rodents. It is possible to insert this gene into a virus. When this virus is put into a Petri dish full of mammalian cells and infects those cells, they begin synthesizing DMT.
DMT was made for the first time in the laboratory in the 1930's, and in the 1940's and 1950's researchers discovered its presence in hallucinogenic plants from the Amazon. However, it was not until Stephen Szara, a Hungarian psychiatrist, experimented on himself, injecting DMT after failing to find any effect of the oral drug. Later on, researchers found out that DMT is broken down nearly instantly in the stomach, making it inactive orally; thus, we need to either smoke, snort, or inject the drug, or else work around the gut's deactivating system. Interestingly, enough, South American Indians discovered that snuffing DMT through the nose also provides for a way to bypass the gut, and makes it active. The even more remarkable thing is that they also discovered a plant which blocks the inactivating chemicals in the gut temporarily, so mixing this first plant with one that contains DMT produces an orally-active form of DMT. After DMT was found in human body fluids, there was great interest in studying its role in abnormal mental states marked by hallucinations and powerful and abnormal emotions and thoughts - such as serious forms of mental illness like schizophrenia. This was a promising area of research, but was ended when psychedelics were made illegal in 1970.
DMT has never been nearly as popular as LSD or psilocybin, probably because smoking it produces such disorienting effects. It used to be called "the businessman's trip" because effects start so quickly, and are over within 30-45 minutes. Use has increased since Terence McKenna popularized its effects in the early 1990's, and since Strassman’s research results. In addition, ayahuasca is becoming used more, both by Westerners traveling to South America to take it in shamanic rituals, as well as shamans and ayahuasca-using churches making inroads into the West.
Rick Strassman MD performed the first new DMT studies anywhere in the world in over 20 years, between 1990-1995, at the University of New Mexico School of Medicine. They gave 400 various doses of DMT to approximately 60 normal volunteers. The background of this study, its nature and performance, results, and interpretation make up the subject matter of “DMT – The Spirit Molecule” (Park Street Press, 2001).
There are no current research studies with pure DMT, although a German study several years ago published their results giving a several hour-long infusion of DMT.
DMT-containing ayahuasca is the focus of a number of research projects, both in Europe and South America. McKenna's and Strassman’s writings have been influential in raising awareness of DMT's effects, and the burgeoning popularity of ayahuasca assures that it will not be disappearing from Western consciousness any time soon.
DMT may have two roles to play in spiritual or religious experience. On one hand, endogenous DMT release may be involved in religious states that bear resemblance to the effects seen in the New Mexico DMT research. On the other hand, administering DMT either in a scientific or religious framework may trigger spiritual experiences resembling those described in religious texts and traditions.
Strassman’s DMT research suggested that administering this naturally-occurring compound in high doses brought on experiences with religious or spiritual properties. Thus, DMT may play a role in the field of neurotheology, in which the relationship between brain function and religious experience is being studied.
The ayahuasca-using churches of Brazil have made legal and social inroads into the West. These churches modify their beliefs and practices to accommodate the effects of this DMT-containing brew. These churches may provide Western religions with guidelines for the use of DMT in their theology and ritual.
DMT when smoked, snorted, or injected raises blood pressure and heart rate, similar to a short but exhaustive sprint; or running up, say, 4-5 flights of stairs at full speed. If your cardiovascular system is healthy, one can tolerate this stress. However, with any heart or blood vessel disease is an absolute reason not to use the compound.
Ayahuasca causes nausea and vomiting in most people, particularly early in one’s experience with it. Any gastrointestinal problems should be considered very seriously before ingesting this brew.
Many medications interact with DMT and with ayahuasca, and should be another reason to avoid either of these preparations. Any acute or chronic medical condition also constitutes a reason to avoid them.
Psychological effects of DMT are profound, and can be very unsettling. Being in a fragile psychological state, abusing drugs or alcohol, a personal or family history of psychiatric problems and using DMT is a bad idea. Flashbacks (reliving certain features of the psychedelic experience) can occur with DMT as with any other similar drug. People have suffered psychosis lasting for months after drinking ayahuasca.
There are no credible reports of brain damage with DMT.
DMT belongs to Schedule I of the Controlled Substances Act of 1970. Other Schedule I drugs include heroin, LSD, marijuana, mescaline, and psilocybin. Schedule I placement means that they are defined as 1) unsafe to use; 2) have no medical use; 3) are highly abusable. Working with DMT and similar drugs requires extraordinary persistence and care in development, execution, and follow-up in one’s research project. Several Schedule I drug studies followed upon Strassman’s success in initiating US research: studies using mescaline, psilocybin, LSD, MDMA (Ecstasy), ibogaine.
Ayahuasca use in Brazilian churches in the US, although the brew contains DMT, was recently granted legal protection by the US Supreme Court. This establishes religious use of ayahuasca on equal footing with that of the mescaline-contained peyote cactus of the Native American Church.