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Ethylone

3,4-methylenedioxy-N-ethylcathinone

bk-MDEA, MDEC, 3,4-MDEC

Psychoactive Class

Stimulant Entactogen

Chemical Class

Cathinone MDxx

Ethylone is a synthetic entactogen and stimulant of the cathinone class.¹ It is the β-keto analog of MDEA and emerged commercially around 2011 with minimal prior documentation of human use.¹² Ethylone is commonly sold as a substitute or counterfeit for MDMA and methylone due to methylone's declining market availability.¹ It is reported to be less potent than methylone, with effects that lean more toward classical stimulation than entactogenic warmth.³

Dosage & Duration

Dosage

Threshold~75 mg

Light75-150 mg

Moderate150-225 mg

Strong225-325 mg

Heavy325+ mg

Duration

Onset15-45 minutes

Peak1-1.5 hours

Offset1-2 hours

After Effects2-12 hours

Total2-4 hours

Subjective Effects

The experience is that of a mild entactogen, broadly comparable to MDMA in character but consistently reported as subtler and less satisfying. Users frequently describe the effects as underwhelming relative to expectations, with the emotional warmth and euphoria of related empathogens present in a muted form. It is also reported to be less potent than its close relative methylone.

Physical

A mild stimulating effect accompanies the experience, consistent with its cathinone stimulant profile.

Cognitive

The headspace is a gentle, empathogenic one, with mild mood elevation and social warmth that fall noticeably short of the intensity associated with MDMA.

Emotional

Empathogenic effects are present but notably weaker than those of MDMA, often leaving users underwhelmed.

Reagent Testing

Expected colorimetric results for common reagent tests. Colors show reaction change over 1–2 minutes.

Marquis(MQ)

Mecke(ME)

Mandelin(MD)

Liebermann(LB)

PROtestkit.eu

Pharmacology

Pharmacodynamics

Ethylone functions as a mixed monoamine reuptake inhibitor and releasing agent, acting on the serotonin, norepinephrine, and dopamine transporters.⁴ Relative to methylone, it displays approximately three-fold lower affinity for the serotonin transporter while maintaining similar affinity for the norepinephrine and dopamine transporters, resulting in a more balanced catecholaminergic-to-serotonergic activity profile. Although ethylone retains robust releasing capabilities, its overall pharmacological character has been described as more consistent with reuptake inhibition than with monoamine release.⁴

Pharmacokinetics

Based on analysis of human and rat urine, ethylone undergoes metabolism via two primary pathways: N-deethylation to the corresponding primary amine and reduction of the beta-keto group to the respective alcohol.⁵⁶

Interactions

Dangerous

Highest risk

These combinations are considered extremely harmful and should always be avoided. Reactions to these drugs taken in combination are highly unpredictable and have a potential to cause death.

5-HTPAlcoholCocaineDXMDissociativesMAOIsMDMAMXENBOMe compoundsSNRIsSSRIsSerotonin releasersStimulantsTramadol

TripSit

Tolerance

Full Tolerance

Repeated ethylone use over time can produce tolerance to many effects, causing users to need larger doses for comparable results.

Baseline Reset

1-2 weeks

Half Tolerance

3-7 days

Cross Tolerance

Dopaminergic stimulants

Harm Potential

Addiction & Dependence

Psychological

Moderate

Chronic use is regarded as moderately addictive, carries a high abuse potential, and can produce psychological dependence. If addiction develops, stopping suddenly may cause cravings.

Physical

Low

Withdrawal effects may occur with sudden cessation of chronic use, though the nature and severity of physical withdrawal symptoms have not been well characterized⁷ due to limited research.

Psychosis Risk

As with other stimulants, abuse at high dosages for prolonged periods may result in stimulant psychosis presenting with paranoia, hallucinations, or delusions. Psychosis very rarely arises from occasional or moderate use.

Seizure Risk

Seizure risk from ethylone alone has not been documented in the available literature.

History & Culture

Ethylone is a synthetic cathinone that represents the β-keto analogue of MDEA, a substance colloquially known as "Eve."¹ The compound has only a brief history of documented human use, with minimal records of consumption prior to its commercial emergence around…

Legality

International

Ethylone is not listed under the 1961 Single Convention on Narcotic Drugs. It is listed in a schedule of the 1971 Convention on Psychotropic Substances. It is not listed under the 1988 Convention against Illicit Traffic in Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances.

By Country

United StatesIllegalSchedule I

Controlled Substances Act; 21 CFR § 1308.11⁵⁶⁵⁷⁵⁸

Ethylone is listed in Schedule I under the federal Controlled Substances Act as 1-(1,3-benzodioxol-5-yl)-2-(ethylamino)propan-1-one. It is subject to the federal controls applicable to Schedule I controlled substances.

By state

Across the 50 states, D.C., and the permanent territories, most jurisdictions treat Ethylone consistently with federal control; listed entries record independently verified differences in state classification or coverage.

AlaskaIllegalSchedule IIA controlled substance

TexasIllegalPenalty Group 2

AustraliaIllegalControlled drugs

Criminal Code Regulations 2019¹²¹³¹⁴

Ethylone is listed under its chemical synonym 3,4-methylenedioxyethcathinone (MDEC) as a controlled drug in Schedule 1 to the Criminal Code Regulations 2019. The Commonwealth Criminal Code criminalises conduct involving controlled drugs, including trafficking, manufacture and possession, with quantity-based offences and penalties. The Schedule sets ethylone's commercial quantity at 0.75 kilograms, marketable quantity at 250 grams, and trafficable quantity at 0.75 grams.

BrazilIllegalLista F2

Portaria SVS/MS nº 344/1998, Anexo I¹⁸

Prohibited under Portaria SVS/MS nº 344. Possession, production, and sale are illegal.¹⁸

DenmarkIllegalListe B

Bekendtgørelse om euforiserende stoffer (BEK nr 405 af 26/03/2026)²⁰²¹

Ethylone is listed as Ethylon in Liste B of Denmark's Bekendtgørelse om euforiserende stoffer, which entered into force on 29 March 2026. The regulation permits use of euphoriant substances only for medical or scientific purposes and limits possession, production, sale, purchase, import, export, and related handling to the regulation's authorized channels.

FranceIllegal (analog/blanket ban)Annexe IV

Arrêté du 22 février 1990 fixant la liste des substances classées comme stupéfiants, annexe IV²⁴

France classifies cathinone and its derivatives as narcotics in Annex IV to the national narcotics schedule. Ethylone is 3,4-methylenedioxy-N-ethylcathinone and is covered by that cathinone-derivative definition.

IndiaIllegalSchedule

Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances Act, 1985, Schedule, as amended by S.O. 821(E)²⁸²⁹

Ethylone is listed as a psychotropic substance in the Schedule to India’s Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances Act, 1985. S.O. 821(E), published on 27 February 2018, inserted Ethylone at serial number 110Q. The Act prohibits possession, manufacture, production, sale, purchase, transport, warehousing, use, consumption, import into India, export from India, and transshipment of psychotropic substances except for medical or scientific purposes and in the manner authorised by the Act and its rules.

ItalyIllegalTabella I

Ministero della Salute, Decreto 25 giugno 2018, updating the tables under D.P.R. 9 ottobre 1990, n. 309³¹³²

Ethylone (bk-MDEA; 3,4-MDEC) is listed by name in Italy’s Tabella I under the Ministero della Salute decree of 25 June 2018. The decree took effect on 27 July 2018. Under Article 73 of D.P.R. 309/1990, unauthorized production, manufacture, sale, distribution, transport, import, export, acquisition, receipt, or possession for non-exclusively personal use of a Table I substance is punishable by criminal penalties.

NetherlandsIllegallijst I

Opiumwet³⁵

The Opiumwet places ethylon on lijst I. Article 2 prohibits importing or exporting, producing, preparing, processing, selling, supplying, transporting, and possessing substances on lijst I.

PolandIllegalGrupa II-P

Rozporządzenie Ministra Zdrowia z dnia 17 sierpnia 2018 r. w sprawie wykazu substancji psychotropowych, środków odurzających oraz nowych substancji psychoaktywnych³⁷³⁸³⁹

Ethylone (ETYLON; 2-etyloamino-1-(3,4-metylenodioksyfenylo)propan-1-on) is listed as a Group II-P psychotropic substance in Poland’s ministerial controlled-substances schedule. The schedule entered into force on 21 August 2018, and ethylone is subject to the controls for psychotropic substances under the Act on Counteracting Drug Addiction.

SingaporeIllegalClass A Drugs

Misuse of Drugs Act 1973⁴⁴⁴⁵

Singapore's Misuse of Drugs Act 1973 lists ethylone as a Class A controlled drug in the First Schedule. Except as authorised by the Act, trafficking, manufacture, import, export, possession and consumption of ethylone are offences.

SwedenIllegalBilaga 1

Förordning (1992:1554) om kontroll av narkotika, bilaga 1 (SFS 2024:985)⁴⁹⁵⁰

Classified as a controlled substance since 1992 under Swedish narcotics legislation.

UkraineIllegalСписок № 2

Cabinet of Ministers Resolution No. 770 of 6 May 2000, On approval of the list of narcotic drugs, psychotropic substances and precursors⁵³

Ukraine lists ethylone (bk-keto MDEA) in List No. 2 of Table I to Cabinet of Ministers Resolution No. 770. List No. 2 is the list of especially dangerous psychotropic substances whose circulation is prohibited, so ethylone is prohibited in Ukraine. The schedule identifies ethylone chemically as 2-ethylamino-1-(3,4-methylenedioxyphenyl)propan-1-one.

ArgentinaIllegalAnexo I

Decreto N° 560/2019⁹¹⁰¹¹

Argentina lists ethylone as “Etilona” (bk-MDEA), identified as 3,4-metilendioxi-N-etilcatinona, in Annex I to Decree No. 560/2019. The decree treats listed substances as estupefacientes under article 77 of the Penal Code. Unauthorised production, manufacture, trafficking, supply, and possession of estupefacientes are criminal offences under Law No. 23.737.

AustriaIllegal (analog/blanket ban)Anlage II

Neue-Psychoaktive-Substanzen-Verordnung (NPSV), Anlage II Z 4, read with § 4 Neue-Psychoaktive-Substanzen-Gesetz (NPSG)¹⁵¹⁶¹⁷

Ethylone (bk-MDEA; 3,4-MDEC) is covered as an alpha-keto-benzylamine compound under Anlage II of Austria’s Neue-Psychoaktive-Substanzen-Verordnung. The annex includes derivatives with a methylenedioxy ring system, which encompasses ethylone’s 3,4-methylenedioxy-substituted alpha-keto-benzylamine structure. Under § 4 NPSG, producing, importing, exporting, supplying, or procuring a substance covered by a defined chemical class for another person’s psychoactive use, for gain, is punishable by imprisonment of up to two years.

ChinaIllegal增补目录

Non-medical Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances Control Measures; Supplementary Control List¹⁹

Classified as a controlled substance as of October 2015 under national drug control regulations.

FinlandIllegalLista II

Valtioneuvoston asetus huumausaineina pidettävistä aineista, valmisteista ja kasveista (543/2008)²²²³

Ethylone is listed as etyloni in List II of Finland's Decree on substances, preparations and plants considered narcotics. The decree treats the substances in Annexes I–V as narcotics, and the Narcotics Act prohibits their production, manufacture, import, export, transport, distribution, trade, handling, possession and use, subject to statutory medical, research, supervisory and industrial exceptions.

GermanyIllegalAnlage I

Betäubungsmittelgesetz²⁵²⁶

Listed in Anlage I of the Betäubungsmittelgesetz (Narcotics Act, Schedule I) since December 13, 2014. Manufacturing, possession, import, export, purchase, sale, procurement, and dispensing without a license are prohibited.²⁷

IndonesiaIllegalGolongan I

Peraturan Menteri Kesehatan Republik Indonesia Nomor 30 Tahun 2023 tentang Perubahan Penggolongan Narkotika³⁰

Ethylone is listed as Etilon, with the aliases bk-MDEA and MDEC, in Indonesia's Narkotika Golongan I list. The listing expressly includes its racemic mixture and all stereoisomers. The regulation took effect on its promulgation on 22 August 2023; Group I narcotics may be used only for scientific development and not for therapy.

JapanIllegal麻薬

麻薬、麻薬原料植物、向精神薬、麻薬向精神薬原料等を指定する政令（平成2年政令第238号）³³³⁴

Ethylone (bk-MDEA) is listed as a narcotic under Japan's Cabinet Order Designating Narcotics, Narcotic Raw Materials, Psychotropics and Narcotic and Psychotropic Raw Materials. The listing includes its salts and has applied since 19 January 2014; the Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare states that manufacture, import, sale, possession, use, and administration of the newly designated narcotics are prohibited.

NorwayIllegalP II

Forskrift om narkotika (narkotikaforskriften) (FOR-2013-02-14-199)³⁶

Ethylone is listed as "Etylon (bk-MDEA)" in Norway's Narkotikalisten under P II. The listing refers to section 5 of the Narkotikaforskriften, which prohibits manufacture, acquisition, sale, import, export, storage, possession, and use of the substance.

PortugalIllegalTabela II-A

Decreto-Lei n.º 15/93, de 22 de janeiro, Table II-A, as amended by Lei n.º 8/2019^40414243

Ethylone (etilona; bk-MDEA; 3,4-MDEC) is listed in Tabela II-A of Portugal’s Decreto-Lei n.º 15/93. Lei n.º 8/2019 added ethylone to that table and took effect on 2 February 2019. The decree makes unauthorized trafficking acts involving substances in Tables I to III, including production, sale, supply, import, export, and illicit possession outside the statutory exception, punishable by four to twelve years’ imprisonment.

South KoreaIllegal (analog/blanket ban)별표 3

마약류 관리에 관한 법률 시행령⁴⁶⁴⁷⁴⁸

Ethylone is controlled as a methcathinone analogue under Annex 3 of the Enforcement Decree of the Narcotics Control Act, which classifies it as a psychotropic drug under Article 2(3)(a) of the Act. Without the approval provided by decree, the Act prohibits possession, ownership, use, management, import or export, manufacture, sale, solicitation or brokering of sale, and transfer of Annex 3 psychotropic drugs.

SwitzerlandIllegal (analog/blanket ban)Verzeichnis e

Verordnung des EDI über die Verzeichnisse der Betäubungsmittel, psychotropen Stoffe, Vorläuferstoffe und Hilfschemikalien (Betäubungsmittelverzeichnisverordnung, BetmVV-EDI; SR 812.121.11)⁵¹⁵²

Specifically named as a controlled substance under Verzeichnis D of Swiss narcotics legislation.

United KingdomIllegalClass B

Misuse of Drugs Act 1971⁵⁴

Controlled as a Class B substance under the Misuse of Drugs Act 1971 through the cathinone catch-all clause, which encompasses synthetic cathinone derivatives.⁵⁵

References

Source Pages

Citations

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