2C-B: Difference between revisions
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<titration slug="erowid-dose-oral" author="erowid-claude" | |||
title="Oral dose ladder (Erowid)"> | |||
Erowid's dosage documentation for oral 2C-B<ref name="erowid-2cb-dose"> | |||
Erowid. 2C-B Dosage. Erowid.org. | |||
https://www.erowid.org/chemicals/2cb/2cb_dose.shtml. | |||
Accessed 2026-05-25.</ref> reports the following tiers: | |||
* '''Threshold:''' 2-5 mg | |||
* '''Light:''' 5-15 mg | |||
* '''Common:''' 15-25 mg | |||
* '''Strong:''' 25-50 mg | |||
Timing data are not provided by Erowid for this substance. Nasal | |||
administration has been reported but Erowid does not provide separate | |||
insufflated dose tiers. Note that Erowid's common range (15-25 mg) | |||
approximates but is slightly broader than Shulgin's PiHKAL range | |||
(12-24 mg); both are consistent with the medicine's steep dose-response curve. | |||
</titration> | |||
| effects = | | effects = | ||
Latest revision as of 16:10, 26 May 2026
History
The compound that became 2C-B emerged from Shulgin's systematic exploration of the structure-activity relationships of mescaline analogs, a program he had begun in the mid-1960s. Shulgin's hypothesis was that modifications to the trimethoxyphenethylamine skeleton might yield compounds active at lower doses than mescaline's, with subjective profiles that varied in characteristic ways with the substituent at the 4-position of the phenyl ring. 2C-B, with bromine at the 4-position, was one of the most striking results. The first published description appeared in 1975 in Psychopharmacology Communications, the short-lived journal that was one of the few outlets willing to publish Shulgin's work in that era.[1]
The compound entered psychotherapeutic underground practice in the late 1970s, where it gained a reputation as a potential adjunct to psychotherapy.[2] Interest grew particularly after MDMA was placed in Schedule I, on an emergency basis in 1985 and permanently in 1988,[3] removing that medicine from the limited circle of therapists who had been using it adjunctively. 2C-B remained legal in the United States until 1994[4] and, for a window of years, in much of Europe. [citation needed] During that period it was used by some therapists as an MDMA-adjacent option for couples and individual work. [citation needed] It was sold commercially as an aphrodisiac under the brand name Nexus[2] and, in some accounts, the name Eroxan, with commercial sale dated to the late 1980s. [citation needed] As Nexus, 2C-B became particularly identified with South Africa, where it had a brief and conspicuous run as a legally sold aphrodisiac in the early 1990s before the South African Medicines Control Council scheduled it. [citation needed]
Commentary
The full account of the synthesis, qualitative effects, and dose range was published in 1991 in Shulgin and Shulgin's PiHKAL: A Chemical Love Story, the first half of which is autobiographical and the second half of which is a methodical catalog of 179 phenethylamines that Shulgin and his collaborators synthesized and self-tested. The book included full experimental procedures and was published as a deliberate political act: Shulgin held a Drug Enforcement Administration analytical license to possess and study scheduled compounds, and chose to make the chemistry public knowledge in the conviction that the information should not be the property of governments. In 1994 a DEA inspection of his laboratory ended with Shulgin surrendering that license, an episode Ann Shulgin recounts in the opening chapter of the companion volume TiHKAL.[5]
The United States Drug Enforcement Administration placed 2C-B in Schedule I on a temporary, emergency basis in January 1994,[4] and made the placement permanent in 1995.[6] The United Nations Convention on Psychotropic Substances added it to Schedule II in 2001.[2] Most other jurisdictions scheduled the compound on similar timelines. For roughly a decade after the US scheduling, 2C-B circulated as a clandestine product in European and South American party scenes, often sold as MDMA or under one of the brand names that survived the legal sale era. In the 2010s and 2020s a small body of formal clinical research has emerged: an observational study at the Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona reported the acute pharmacology of oral 2C-B in experienced users,[2] and groups at Maastricht University and the University of Basel have begun controlled comparisons of 2C-B with psilocybin and MDMA.
2C-B is not licensed as a medicine in any major jurisdiction. Formal clinical investigation is in early stages. Underground therapeutic use continues in the lineage that began with the late-1970s Shulgin circle. The compound's role in the modern psychedelic-medicine landscape is uncertain: its shorter duration and lower dose-response slope make it logistically tractable, but the limited modern clinical data and the absence of major-trial sponsorship have kept it on the margins of the renaissance that has gathered around psilocybin and MDMA.Experience
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Narrative
Commentary
- Threshold: 2-5 mg
- Light: 5-15 mg
- Common: 15-25 mg
- Strong: 25-50 mg
Timing data are not provided by Erowid for this substance. Nasal administration has been reported but Erowid does not provide separate insufflated dose tiers. Note that Erowid's common range (15-25 mg) approximates but is slightly broader than Shulgin's PiHKAL range
(12-24 mg); both are consistent with the medicine's steep dose-response curve.Effects
Physical
- Stimulation 100% -47.0 (n=1) no reports yetDid you experience this?How often have you seen this?How was it? (-100 worst, +100 best)How was it? (-100 worst, +100 best)
- Spontaneous bodily sensations 100% +0.0 (n=1) ~0% -62.0 (n=1)Did you experience this?How often have you seen this?How was it? (-100 worst, +100 best)How was it? (-100 worst, +100 best)
- Physical euphoria 100% +45.0 (n=1) no reports yetDid you experience this?How often have you seen this?How was it? (-100 worst, +100 best)How was it? (-100 worst, +100 best)
- Tactile intensification 100% +38.0 (n=1) no reports yetDid you experience this?How often have you seen this?How was it? (-100 worst, +100 best)How was it? (-100 worst, +100 best)
- Nausea 100% -25.0 (n=1) no reports yetDid you experience this?How often have you seen this?How was it? (-100 worst, +100 best)How was it? (-100 worst, +100 best)
- Appetite Suppression 100% +20.0 (n=1) no reports yetDid you experience this?How often have you seen this?How was it? (-100 worst, +100 best)How was it? (-100 worst, +100 best)
- Bodily control enhancement 0% — (n=1) no reports yetDid you experience this?How often have you seen this?How was it? (-100 worst, +100 best)How was it? (-100 worst, +100 best)
- Increased heart rate 0% — (n=1) no reports yetDid you experience this?How often have you seen this?How was it? (-100 worst, +100 best)How was it? (-100 worst, +100 best)
- Increased blood pressure 0% — (n=1) no reports yetDid you experience this?How often have you seen this?How was it? (-100 worst, +100 best)How was it? (-100 worst, +100 best)
- Increased bodily temperature 100% -10.0 (n=1) no reports yetDid you experience this?How often have you seen this?How was it? (-100 worst, +100 best)How was it? (-100 worst, +100 best)
- Increased perspiration 100% -10.0 (n=1) no reports yetDid you experience this?How often have you seen this?How was it? (-100 worst, +100 best)How was it? (-100 worst, +100 best)
- Dehydration 0% — (n=1) no reports yetDid you experience this?How often have you seen this?How was it? (-100 worst, +100 best)How was it? (-100 worst, +100 best)
- Pupil dilation no reports yet no reports yetDid you experience this?How often have you seen this?How was it? (-100 worst, +100 best)How was it? (-100 worst, +100 best)
- Jaw clenching / bruxism 0% — (n=1) no reports yetDid you experience this?How often have you seen this?How was it? (-100 worst, +100 best)How was it? (-100 worst, +100 best)
Visual
- Color enhancement no reports yet no reports yetDid you experience this?How often have you seen this?How was it? (-100 worst, +100 best)How was it? (-100 worst, +100 best)
- Magnification no reports yet no reports yetDid you experience this?How often have you seen this?How was it? (-100 worst, +100 best)How was it? (-100 worst, +100 best)
- Pattern recognition enhancement no reports yet no reports yetDid you experience this?How often have you seen this?How was it? (-100 worst, +100 best)How was it? (-100 worst, +100 best)
- Visual acuity enhancement no reports yet no reports yetDid you experience this?How often have you seen this?How was it? (-100 worst, +100 best)How was it? (-100 worst, +100 best)
- Drifting no reports yet no reports yetDid you experience this?How often have you seen this?How was it? (-100 worst, +100 best)How was it? (-100 worst, +100 best)
- After images no reports yet no reports yetDid you experience this?How often have you seen this?How was it? (-100 worst, +100 best)How was it? (-100 worst, +100 best)
- Color shifting no reports yet no reports yetDid you experience this?How often have you seen this?How was it? (-100 worst, +100 best)How was it? (-100 worst, +100 best)
- Depth perception distortions no reports yet no reports yetDid you experience this?How often have you seen this?How was it? (-100 worst, +100 best)How was it? (-100 worst, +100 best)
- Recursion no reports yet no reports yetDid you experience this?How often have you seen this?How was it? (-100 worst, +100 best)How was it? (-100 worst, +100 best)
- Scenery slicing no reports yet no reports yetDid you experience this?How often have you seen this?How was it? (-100 worst, +100 best)How was it? (-100 worst, +100 best)
- Symmetrical texture repetition no reports yet no reports yetDid you experience this?How often have you seen this?How was it? (-100 worst, +100 best)How was it? (-100 worst, +100 best)
- Tracers no reports yet no reports yetDid you experience this?How often have you seen this?How was it? (-100 worst, +100 best)How was it? (-100 worst, +100 best)
- Geometry no reports yet no reports yetDid you experience this?How often have you seen this?How was it? (-100 worst, +100 best)How was it? (-100 worst, +100 best)
- Transformations no reports yet no reports yetDid you experience this?How often have you seen this?How was it? (-100 worst, +100 best)How was it? (-100 worst, +100 best)
- Machinescapes no reports yet no reports yetDid you experience this?How often have you seen this?How was it? (-100 worst, +100 best)How was it? (-100 worst, +100 best)
- Internal hallucination no reports yet no reports yetDid you experience this?How often have you seen this?How was it? (-100 worst, +100 best)How was it? (-100 worst, +100 best)
- Peripheral information misinterpretation no reports yet no reports yetDid you experience this?How often have you seen this?How was it? (-100 worst, +100 best)How was it? (-100 worst, +100 best)
Cognitive
- Empathy, affection and sociability enhancement no reports yet no reports yetDid you experience this?How often have you seen this?How was it? (-100 worst, +100 best)How was it? (-100 worst, +100 best)
- Analysis enhancement no reports yet no reports yetDid you experience this?How often have you seen this?How was it? (-100 worst, +100 best)How was it? (-100 worst, +100 best)
- Conceptual thinking no reports yet no reports yetDid you experience this?How often have you seen this?How was it? (-100 worst, +100 best)How was it? (-100 worst, +100 best)
- Creativity enhancement no reports yet no reports yetDid you experience this?How often have you seen this?How was it? (-100 worst, +100 best)How was it? (-100 worst, +100 best)
- Emotion intensification no reports yet no reports yetDid you experience this?How often have you seen this?How was it? (-100 worst, +100 best)How was it? (-100 worst, +100 best)
- Immersion intensification no reports yet no reports yetDid you experience this?How often have you seen this?How was it? (-100 worst, +100 best)How was it? (-100 worst, +100 best)
- Novelty enhancement no reports yet no reports yetDid you experience this?How often have you seen this?How was it? (-100 worst, +100 best)How was it? (-100 worst, +100 best)
- Increased music appreciation no reports yet no reports yetDid you experience this?How often have you seen this?How was it? (-100 worst, +100 best)How was it? (-100 worst, +100 best)
- Increased sense of humor no reports yet no reports yetDid you experience this?How often have you seen this?How was it? (-100 worst, +100 best)How was it? (-100 worst, +100 best)
- Increased libido no reports yet no reports yetDid you experience this?How often have you seen this?How was it? (-100 worst, +100 best)How was it? (-100 worst, +100 best)
- Laughter fits no reports yet no reports yetDid you experience this?How often have you seen this?How was it? (-100 worst, +100 best)How was it? (-100 worst, +100 best)
- Thought acceleration no reports yet no reports yetDid you experience this?How often have you seen this?How was it? (-100 worst, +100 best)How was it? (-100 worst, +100 best)
- Thought connectivity no reports yet no reports yetDid you experience this?How often have you seen this?How was it? (-100 worst, +100 best)How was it? (-100 worst, +100 best)
- Time distortion no reports yet no reports yetDid you experience this?How often have you seen this?How was it? (-100 worst, +100 best)How was it? (-100 worst, +100 best)
- Wakefulness no reports yet no reports yetDid you experience this?How often have you seen this?How was it? (-100 worst, +100 best)How was it? (-100 worst, +100 best)
- Memory suppression no reports yet no reports yetDid you experience this?How often have you seen this?How was it? (-100 worst, +100 best)How was it? (-100 worst, +100 best)
- Personal bias suppression no reports yet no reports yetDid you experience this?How often have you seen this?How was it? (-100 worst, +100 best)How was it? (-100 worst, +100 best)
- Rejuvenation no reports yet no reports yetDid you experience this?How often have you seen this?How was it? (-100 worst, +100 best)How was it? (-100 worst, +100 best)
- Ego death no reports yet no reports yetDid you experience this?How often have you seen this?How was it? (-100 worst, +100 best)How was it? (-100 worst, +100 best)
- Anxiety no reports yet no reports yetDid you experience this?How often have you seen this?How was it? (-100 worst, +100 best)How was it? (-100 worst, +100 best)
- Paranoia no reports yet no reports yetDid you experience this?How often have you seen this?How was it? (-100 worst, +100 best)How was it? (-100 worst, +100 best)
- Delusion no reports yet no reports yetDid you experience this?How often have you seen this?How was it? (-100 worst, +100 best)How was it? (-100 worst, +100 best)
Auditory
- Auditory acuity enhancement no reports yet no reports yetDid you experience this?How often have you seen this?How was it? (-100 worst, +100 best)How was it? (-100 worst, +100 best)
- Auditory distortion no reports yet no reports yetDid you experience this?How often have you seen this?How was it? (-100 worst, +100 best)How was it? (-100 worst, +100 best)
- Auditory hallucination no reports yet no reports yetDid you experience this?How often have you seen this?How was it? (-100 worst, +100 best)How was it? (-100 worst, +100 best)
Multi-sensory
- Synaesthesia no reports yet no reports yetDid you experience this?How often have you seen this?How was it? (-100 worst, +100 best)How was it? (-100 worst, +100 best)
Transpersonal
- Existential self-realization no reports yet no reports yetDid you experience this?How often have you seen this?How was it? (-100 worst, +100 best)How was it? (-100 worst, +100 best)
- Spirituality intensification no reports yet no reports yetDid you experience this?How often have you seen this?How was it? (-100 worst, +100 best)How was it? (-100 worst, +100 best)
- Unity and interconnectedness no reports yet no reports yetDid you experience this?How often have you seen this?How was it? (-100 worst, +100 best)How was it? (-100 worst, +100 best)
Subjective-effect profile adapted from PsychonautWiki, CC BY-SA 4.0.
Pharmacodynamics
2C-B is a partial agonist at the serotonin 5-HT2A receptor, with additional activity at 5-HT2C and 5-HT2B and weak inhibition of monoamine transporters.[8] The pharmacological profile is intermediate between the classical 5-HT2A psychedelics such as LSD and psilocybin and the entactogens such as MDMA. The 5-HT2A action is the principal driver of the psychedelic component; the transporter activity may contribute to the entactogenic character at lower doses. Oral 2C-B has an onset of roughly 45 to 75 minutes and a duration of approximately four to eight hours, which is shorter than psilocybin and considerably shorter than LSD. The compound is structurally a phenethylamine in the mescaline lineage rather than a tryptamine; the 4-bromo substituent on the 2,5-dimethoxyphenethylamine scaffold confers substantially higher 5-HT2A affinity than mescaline's 3,4,5-trimethoxy parent compound, accounting for the dose-potency difference.
Narrative
Narrative
Interactions
Key interaction concerns for 2C-B specifically:
- Serotonergic medicines: serotonin syndrome risk. Concurrent use of SSRIs, SNRIs, MAOIs, tramadol, dextromethorphan, or other strongly serotonergic agents carries serotonin syndrome risk and should be avoided. MAOI co-administration is particularly dangerous.
- Lithium: seizure and severe-reaction risk. Lithium combined with psychedelics including 2C-B is associated with a markedly increased risk of seizures and severe adverse reactions; the mechanism is distinct from serotonin syndrome. Avoid combination.
- Psychostimulants: additive cardiovascular load. 2C-B itself produces modest sympathomimetic effects (elevated heart rate, mild blood pressure increase); concurrent psychostimulants compound the cardiovascular burden.
- CYP interactions: not well characterized. Human metabolism of 2C-B has not been comprehensively studied. In vitro work suggests CYP2D6 and CYP3A4 involvement; strong inhibitors of these enzymes may increase 2C-B exposure.
Pregnancy and lactation
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See also
References
- ↑ Shulgin AT, Carter MF. Centrally active phenethylamines. Psychopharmacology Communications. 1975;1(1):93-98.
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 2.2 2.3 Papaseit E, Farré M, Pérez-Mañá C, Torrens M, et al. Acute Pharmacological Effects of 2C-B in Humans: An Observational Study. Frontiers in Pharmacology. 2018;9:206. PMID 29593537.
- ↑ Blok G. [From Adam to ecstacy; legal use of MDMA in the 1970s and 1980s]. Tijdschrift voor Psychiatrie. 2020;62(8):702-706. PMID 32816299.
- ↑ 4.0 4.1 Drug Enforcement Administration. Schedules of Controlled Substances: Temporary Placement of 4-Bromo-2,5-dimethoxyphenethylamine Into Schedule I. Final Rule. Federal Register. 1994 Jan 6;59:671.
- ↑ Shulgin A, Shulgin A. TIHKAL: The Continuation. Berkeley, CA: Transform Press; 1997. Chapter 1, "Invasion".
- ↑ Drug Enforcement Administration. Schedules of Controlled Substances; Placement of 4-Bromo-2,5-Dimethoxyphenethylamine Into Schedule I. Final Rule. Federal Register. 1995 Jun 2;60:28718.
- ↑ Erowid. 2C-B Dosage. Erowid.org. https://www.erowid.org/chemicals/2cb/2cb_dose.shtml. Accessed 2026-05-25.
- ↑ Nichols DE. Psychedelics. Pharmacological Reviews. 2016;68(2):264-355. PMID 26841800.