DiPT
DiPT is a psychedelic substance of the tryptamine class and a structural analog of DMT.1 First described in the scientific literature in 1959, its psychoactive properties in humans were characterized by Alexander Shulgin in the mid-1970s and detailed in his 1997 book TiHKAL. DiPT is distinctive among psychedelics for producing primarily auditory rather than visual effects, including perceived shifts in pitch and harmonic distortion. Individual sensitivity varies considerably, and it has been sold as a research chemical.
Contents
Dosage & Duration
Dosage
Intensity of effects at a given dose varies widely between individuals; some users report overpowering effects at 50 mg while others report only mild effects at 100 mg. Start low to gauge individual sensitivity.
Duration
Subjective Effects
DiPT occupies a unique position among psychedelics: at common doses its effects are almost entirely confined to the auditory domain, radically transforming the perception of pitch, timbre, and harmony while leaving vision, taste, and smell essentially untouched. Effects on hearing typically emerge within the first hour and can persist for many hours, with more classically psychedelic and hallucinatory phenomena reported only at very high doses. The experience is frequently described as strange or unsettling rather than euphoric, as familiar sounds — voices, music, even the chewing of food — become foreign and wrong-sounding.
Physical
Lethargy and a desire to lie down are prominent, particularly around the peak. Other reported physical effects include ear pressure as if the eustachian tubes were clogged, mild nausea, mild diarrhea in the hours after ingestion, muscular hyperreflexia, and slight pupil dilation, with no appetite changes or sleep disruption.
Uncomfortable
Cognitive
The headspace is relatively spare, with little to no euphoria; speech clarity, comprehension, and interpretation remain normal despite the auditory chaos. Some users report a sense of distance from their surroundings and feelings, and at very high doses the experience can turn ominous, with the world seeming like a cold, empty imitation of itself.
Auditory
Auditory alteration is the defining feature of the substance and, at usual doses, essentially its entire sensory signature.
Tactile
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Pharmacology
Pharmacodynamics
DiPT acts primarily as a full agonist of the serotonin 5-HT2A, 5-HT2B, and 5-HT2C receptors, with 5-HT2A activation appearing to principally mediate its psychedelic effects in animal models. It also shows weak activity at the 5-HT1A receptor and functions as a weak serotonin reuptake inhibitor. Additional binding affinities have been reported at dopamine receptors, adrenergic receptors, and the dopamine and norepinephrine transporters, though the contribution of these interactions to its overall effects remains unclear. The mechanisms underlying DiPT's characteristic selective alterations of auditory perception are unknown.
Pharmacokinetics
Tolerance
Serotonergic psychedelics
Harm Potential
Addiction & Dependence
Psychological
Extremely LowDiPT is not habit-forming and the desire to use it can actually decrease with use. It is described as most often self-regulating.
Physical
No information exists regarding physical dependence or withdrawal symptoms. Unusually among psychedelics, DiPT did not show evidence of behavioral tolerance in rodent studies.2
Toxicity
DiPT is known to chronically alter the perception of sound and speech in some users, which may persist beyond the acute effects; ear pressure ranging from mild to painful has been reported, particularly when combined with MDMA.
Psychosis Risk
At typical doses, DiPT is described as producing lucid and clear-headed cognitive effects compared to other tryptamines. At very high doses (250mg), one report described delusional spiritual experiences including feeling spoken to by spirits and perceiving an 'anti-universe.'4 Confusion has been noted at higher doses.
Seizure Risk
DiPT produces convulsions at high doses in rodent studies.5 No human seizure cases are documented in the available literature.
History & Culture
Discovery and Development
DiPT was first characterized in the scientific literature by R.B. Barlow and colleagues in 1959.6 Alexander Shulgin began investigating the compound's effects in humans during the mid-1970s, with his initial findings dating to 1974 and basic properties…
Trip Reports
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Legality
By Country
References
Source Pages
Citations
- (1980). N, N-Diisopropyltryptamine (DIPT) and 5-methoxy-N,N-diisopropyltryptamine (5-MeO-DIPT). Two orally active tryptamine analogs with CNS activity. Communications in Psychopharmacology, 4(5), 363–369. https://bibliography.maps.org/resources/download/884412
- (December 2014). Tolerance and cross-tolerance to head twitch behavior elicited by phenethylamine- and tryptamine-derived hallucinogens in mice. J Pharmacol Exp Ther, 351(3), 485–491. https://doi.org/10.1124/jpet.114.2193371
- (October 2011). Clinical toxicology of newer recreational drugs. Clinical Toxicology, 49(8), 705–719. https://doi.org/10.3109/15563650.2011.6153181
- (1997). TiHKAL: Tryptamines I Have Known and Loved. 403–406. https://www.erowid.org/library/books_online/tihkal/tihkal04.shtml12345
- (July 2011). Abuse liability profile of three substituted tryptamines. The Journal of Pharmacology and Experimental Therapeutics, 338(1), 280–289. https://doi.org/10.1124/jpet.111.17970512
- (March 1959). Actions of some analogues of tryptamine on the isolated rat uterus and on the isolated rat fundus strip preparations. British Journal of Pharmacology and Chemotherapy, 14(1), 99–107. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1476-5381.1959.tb00934.x1
- (n.d.). Neue-psychoaktive-Stoffe-Gesetz (NpSG) — Anlage (Stoffgruppen). Bundesministerium der Justiz / Bundesamt für Justiz. https://www.gesetze-im-internet.de/npsg/BJNR261510016.html1
- (n.d.). Misuse of Drugs Act 1975 (NZ), Schedule 3 — Class C controlled drugs. New Zealand Parliamentary Counsel Office. https://www.legislation.govt.nz/act/public/1975/0116/latest/DLM436723.html1
- (n.d.). Misuse of Drugs Act 1971, Schedule 2 Part I — Class A drugs. legislation.gov.uk. https://www.legislation.gov.uk/ukpga/1971/38/schedule/21
- (n.d.). Controlled Substances — Alphabetical Order (DEA Diversion Control Division, May 2026). US Drug Enforcement Administration, Diversion Control Division. https://www.deadiversion.usdoj.gov/schedules/orangebook/c_cs_alpha.pdf1
- (n.d.). Schedules of Controlled Substances: Placement of 4-OH-DiPT, 5-MeO-AMT, 5-MeO-MiPT, 5-MeO-DET, and DiPT in Schedule I; Withdrawal of Proposed Rule and Notice of Hearing. Drug Enforcement Administration, Federal Register Vol. 87, No. 143 (July 27, 2022). https://www.govinfo.gov/content/pkg/FR-2022-07-27/pdf/2022-16102.pdf1
Further Reading
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