The Spectrum · Know Before You Go
The Medicine Sequencing Ladder
39 medicines. Six rungs. One principle: don't skip the ladder. This is not a recommendation. It is a map of the natural order.
The natural order of the spectrum exists for a reason. Every rung on this ladder builds the nervous system's capacity for the next. You don't go from smoking weed to finding God in an ayahuasca ceremony. You don't skip from kava to ibogaine. The ladder is not a suggestion — it is the accumulated wisdom of every tradition that has worked with these medicines for thousands of years.
This is not a recommendation engine. We are not telling you what to take. We are showing you the natural sequence so you can understand where you are, where you might go next, and what you need to build before you get there.
Half the people who go through this process will realize they're not ready. That is the system working.
Gentle altered states. No hallucinations. Legal in most places. Ideal starting point for those new to non-ordinary consciousness.
Non-psychedelic. Mambe is a sacred preparation of powdered coca leaves and plant ash used in Amazonian and Andean indigenous traditions for ceremony, focus, and heart-opening. Mild stimulant effect, lighter than half a cup of coffee, no crash, no withdrawal. 8,000 years of use with no evidence of addiction or toxicity. Distinct from cocaine in the same way potatoes are distinct from vodka.
Mambe is powdered coca leaves mixed with plant ash, usually from cecropia trees. The ash activates the alkaloids for sublingual absorption. It has been used for millennia across Amazonian and Andean cultures for ceremony, healing, focus, and what ethnobotanist Wade Davis calls a slight lightness of being... a slight skip in your step... a sense of well-being that dissolves the existential little neuroses we all carry around. In most traditions it is paired with Ambil, a sacred tobacco paste. The coca opens the heart. The tobacco grounds the intention. Tim Ferriss, Dr. Andrew Weil, and Wade Davis did a full episode on this in June 2026: The Divine Leaf with 8,000 Years of Use (tim.blog/2026/06/25/coca/). Worth your time. Davis: Coca has been used in South America by virtually every culture of the Andean and Northwest Amazon for 8,000 years. During that time there has been no evidence whatsoever of any toxicity, let alone addiction.
Altitude sickness relief is the most documented use and it works fast. Beyond that: appetite regulation, sustained energy without the crash, digestive support, and what practitioners describe as ceremonial heart-opening. Dr. Andrew Weil points out that coca has 14 alkaloids. Cocaine is one of them. Nobody has studied the other 13. Emerging research out of UAB suggests mambe may actually help treat cocaine use disorder. The plant that cocaine comes from may be part of the cure for cocaine addiction. Sit with that for a second.
Accessible to most people. No known contraindications for healthy adults. If you have cardiac arrhythmias, skip it (mild stimulant effect). If you are on MAOIs, skip it. This is not a psychedelic. It does not produce altered states, hallucinations, or ego dissolution. It produces clarity, warmth, and a kind of focused presence that is hard to describe until you have experienced it. If you are curious about plant medicine traditions but not ready for intensity, this is a genuinely good place to start.
Central to the Kogi, Arhuaco, Wiwa, and Kankuamo peoples of the Sierra Nevada de Santa Marta. Used by virtually every Amazonian and Andean culture for longer than most civilizations have existed. The anthropologist Catherine Allen put it plainly: to deny people coca in the Andes is not like denying the Germans beer or the British tea. It is an act of cultural genocide. Mambe ceremonies involve extended sitting in circle, storytelling, and collective intention-setting. You are not taking a supplement. You are entering a tradition.
Aporphine alkaloids produce mild sedation and lucid dreaming. Legal globally. No hallucinations. Ancient ceremonial use — the gentlest altered state in the catalog.
The sacred flower of ancient Egypt — depicted in hieroglyphics as a symbol of creation and rebirth. Aporphine alkaloids (apomorphine, nuciferine) produce mild sedation, euphoria, and lucid dreaming. Not a classic psychedelic but produces genuine altered states at higher doses. Legal in most countries.
Sleep enhancement, lucid dreaming, mild anxiety relief, ceremonial use.
Very Low. Contraindicated with dopamine medications (apomorphine is a dopamine agonist).
Central to ancient Egyptian religious practice — used in ceremony, depicted in the Book of the Dead.
Serotonin reuptake inhibitor — not a classic psychedelic. No hallucinations at standard doses. Gentle mood elevation. The softest entry point in the pharmacopoeia.
Sceletium tortuosum — a South African succulent used for millennia by the Khoikhoi and San peoples. Mesembrine alkaloids act as serotonin reuptake inhibitors and PDE4 inhibitors. Produces gentle mood elevation, anxiety reduction, and mild empathogenic warmth. Not a classic psychedelic — no hallucinations at standard doses. Increasingly used as a microdose entry point.
Anxiety, depression, social anxiety, burnout, mild mood elevation. Excellent entry point for those new to plant medicines.
Very Low. Contraindicated with SSRIs and MAOIs due to serotonergic activity.
Khoikhoi and San peoples of South Africa chewed, smoked, or snuffed Sceletium for thousands of years.
GABA-A modulation. No serotonergic or psychedelic activity. Noble kava at ceremonial doses produces genuine anxiolysis and social opening but no ego dissolution. The ideal first medicine.
Noble kava at ceremonial doses (4–8 shells) produces genuine altered states: profound anxiolysis, muscle relaxation, mild euphoria, social opening, and enhanced dream states. Kavalactones act on GABA-A receptors and voltage-gated ion channels. The gentlest entry point in the entire psychoactive spectrum. See the Kava Encyclopedia on this site.
Anxiety, social anxiety, insomnia, mild depression, ceremony preparation and integration.
Very Low. Contraindicated with alcohol and hepatotoxic medications. Noble cultivars only — never tudei kava.
Central to Fijian, Tongan, Vanuatuan, and Hawaiian culture for 3,000+ years.
Mild to moderate altered states. Short duration. Relatively forgiving. Some prior experience helpful but not required.
NMDA antagonist. 2–5 minute duration. Safest dissociative available. Useful as a 'test' altered state. Vitamin B12 depletion is the primary long-term risk. Never use alone — hypoxia risk.
The oldest known psychoactive inhalant — used recreationally since the 1790s. NMDA receptor antagonist producing 2–5 minute dissociative euphoria. Increasingly used in harm reduction contexts and emerging therapeutic protocols.
Acute anxiety relief, dental and procedural anxiety, labor pain, emerging use in treatment-resistant depression protocols.
Low-Moderate. Safest dissociative available. Contraindicated with B12 deficiency. Never use alone.
Humphry Davy's 'laughing gas' parties (1799). William James wrote about its philosophical revelations. Used in dentistry since 1844.
Significant altered states. 4–12 hours. Prior psychedelic experience strongly recommended. Requires preparation and support.
Not psychedelic — cornerstone of the Stamets Microdosing Stack (psilocybin + lions mane + niacin). Stimulates NGF and BDNF for neuroplasticity.
Neuroplasticity, cognitive enhancement, nerve regeneration, dementia prevention.
None. Supplement. Start anytime.
TCM: mountain priest mushroom. Centuries of use in China and Japan.
Sub-perceptual doses (1/10–1/20 full dose) of psilocybin, LSD, or mescaline on schedule (Fadiman 4-day, Stamets stack). Improves mood, creativity, focus, neuroplasticity.
Depression, ADHD, anxiety, cluster headaches, creativity, productivity. Stamets Stack: psilocybin + lions mane + niacin.
Very Low. Ideal starting point for any readiness level.
Modern Western innovation 2010s. James Fadiman systematized. Mainstream in tech culture.
Full-dose ceremonial cacao (40–50g) produces gentle heart-opening, mild euphoria, and enhanced presence through theobromine, PEA, and anandamide.
Heart opening, emotional availability, mild mood elevation, community connection.
Minimal. Accessible to virtually everyone. Perfect community medicine.
Mayan and Aztec sacred tradition. Modern ceremonial use revived by Keith Wilson (Guatemala).
Intense eye drops from Tabernaemontana root. Applied directly to eyes — intense burning 3–10 min, followed by visual clarity, emotional release, and energetic clearing.
Vision improvement (traditional), energetic clearing, emotional release. Growing use in trauma-sensitive therapy preparation.
Minimal. Perfect entry point — no psychoactive effect. Only openness to discomfort required.
Huni Kuin and Matses peoples. Traditionally before hunting to sharpen vision.
Nicotiana rustica: 20x the nicotine of commercial tobacco. Master plant in Amazon tradition for protection, grounding, and clearing.
Grounding, protection, ceremony gating. Traditional healers use for diagnosis.
Low. Primarily facilitator-administered.
Central to all Amazonian traditions. Not addictive form — used with intention and brevity.
Sacred Amazonian snuff: powdered Nicotiana rustica plus tree ash and plant admixtures. Administered via blowpipe to each nostril. 5–20 min centering, grounding, and clearing effects.
Mental clarity, grounding, sinus clearing, energy centering. Paired with ayahuasca or sananga as preparatory medicine.
Low-Moderate. Most accessible entry into Amazonian medicine. Nicotine sensitivity awareness.
Huni Kuin, Yawanapi, Katukina, Nukini tribes. Masculine medicine with tribal-specific formulations.
High-THC cannabis combined with intention and somatic awareness can serve as a genuine psychedelic primer. CBD-dominant cultivars reduce anxiety and aid integration.
Anxiety, PTSD adjunct, sleep, pain, creative blocks. Important integration medicine after more intense journeys.
Very Low. Legal in most US states. Perfect entry point.
Global ancient use: Vedic bhang, Scythian sweat lodges, Rastafarian sacrament, Taoist medicine.
Iboga root bark at sub-flood doses — retaining the full alkaloid profile of the whole plant without the cardiac risk of a flood dose. Stimulant, grounding, mild visionary effects. This is whole-plant Iboga (not isolated ibogaine) at microdose levels. The companion alkaloids provide sustained grounding effects distinct from ibogaine HCl microdosing.
Post-flood integration, addiction maintenance, mental clarity, grounding, sustained energy. The full-spectrum alkaloid profile at low doses supports longer-term neuroplasticity.
Moderate. Cardiac awareness still required even at low doses. Consult practitioner.
Bwiti initiates take small daily doses of root bark after initiation flood. This is the traditional maintenance practice — always whole plant.
Ayahuasca vine without DMT-containing admixtures. Gentle MAOI-based sedation, dreaming, emotional opening, mild visionary states.
Gentle emotional processing, dreaming enhancement, grief, depression.
Low-Moderate. Still requires tyramine dietary protocol and no SSRIs.
Some Peruvian curanderos use vine alone. Don Francisco Montes Shuna lineage.
Mysterious Vedic sacrament of the Rigveda — identity debated (Wasson: Amanita; others: Ephedra, Peganum harmala).
Spiritual exploration, consciousness research, philosophical inquiry.
High. Strong spiritual framework and prior psychedelic grounding required.
Rigveda: 120 hymns to Soma. Ancient Indo-Aryan sacrament.
Only FDA-approved and DEA-legal psychedelic-adjacent therapy in the US. NMDA receptor antagonist producing dreamlike dissociative states lasting 45–90 minutes. Spravato (esketamine nasal spray) approved for treatment-resistant depression. At low doses, ketamine acts as a powerful nervous system regulator, creating calm and potentially resetting an overactive, hypervigilant nervous system. The therapeutic effects begin rapidly after administration and continue to increase neuroplasticity for days to weeks — loosening stuck patterns of thoughts, behaviors, and emotional responses. At higher doses, the psychedelic experience facilitates an altered state of consciousness allowing deeper access to emotions, memories, and internal insight. Patients often report greater clarity, perspective, and connection with what practitioners call ‘inner healing intelligence.’
Treatment-resistant depression, suicidal ideation, PTSD, anxiety, chronic pain, OCD. Most accessible legal psychedelic option. Ketamine-Assisted Psychotherapy (KAP) combines low-dose ketamine with structured psychotherapy — particularly Internal Family Systems (IFS) therapy — to deepen the therapeutic window. IFS views the mind as interconnected parts: protective managers, wounded exiles, and the core Self. Ketamine softens protective defenses, allowing access to buried emotions and memories that talk therapy alone may not reach. KAP is structured around three phases: preparation (setting intentions, building safety, reviewing health history), medicine session (2 hours, IM injection starting at 10–15mg, guided IFS facilitation, 2–4 doses per session), and integration (weekly or biweekly sessions translating insights into lasting change). Particularly effective for complex PTSD, developmental trauma, and treatment-resistant conditions.
Low-Moderate. Most accessible starting point. Physician evaluation required. Pre-session: no alcohol/cannabis/substances 3 days prior, medications discussed 72 hours before, no food 2 hours before, limit caffeine. Arrange transportation — cannot drive 4–6 hours after. Post-session: rest for the day, journal while fresh, avoid major decisions for 24 hours, attend integration session.
Developed 1962 (Parke-Davis). Vietnam War anesthetic. Therapeutic use pioneered by John Lilly and Stanislav Grof. Modern KAP practice integrates evidence-based psychotherapy frameworks — particularly IFS (developed by Richard Schwartz) — with ketamine’s neuroplasticity window. IFS is especially helpful for developmental trauma, abuse, neglect (Complex PTSD), anxiety, depression, and addiction. From an IFS perspective, there is nothing pathologic about protective parts — they developed in response to life experience and carry burdens that can be released through compassionate therapeutic work.
Empathogen-entactogen. Reduces amygdala hyperactivity while increasing oxytocin, creating a window of heightened empathy and reduced fear ideal for trauma processing. FDA Phase 3.
PTSD: 67–71% no longer meet diagnostic criteria after 3 sessions (MAPS Phase 3). Couples therapy, autism social anxiety.
Moderate. Cardiovascular screening essential. Contraindicated with bipolar I, schizophrenia, many psychiatric meds.
Developed by Alexander Shulgin. Therapeutic use pioneered by Ann Shulgin and MAPS. Originally used by couples therapists before 1985 scheduling.
The iconic red-white mushroom. Acts via GABA-A muscimol receptor — entirely different from psilocybin. Dreamlike, somnolent, dissociative states. Legally unscheduled in most US states.
Sleep, anxiety, pain. Muscimol research at Eleusis Benefit Corp. Different neural pathway helps where serotonergic medicines fail.
Low-Moderate. Legal advantage. Dosing requires care.
Vedic Soma hypothesis (Wasson). Siberian shamanic use: Koryak, Evenki peoples.
Shulgin phenethylamine. 4–6 hours. Strong visual and empathogenic. More controllable than mescaline or LSD. Growing European clinical research. Distinct mechanism from tryptamines. Prior psychedelic experience recommended.
Alexander Shulgin's most celebrated phenethylamine — synthesized 1974, described in PiHKAL. 4–6 hour duration, strong visual and empathogenic properties, more controllable than mescaline. Growing clinical research interest in Europe.
Trauma processing, relationship healing, body awareness, sexual healing. European therapists increasingly using 2C-B for its shorter duration and more manageable profile.
Moderate-High. Prior psychedelic experience recommended. Cardiac screening. MAOI absolute contraindication.
Synthesized by Alexander Shulgin (1974). Described in PiHKAL (1991). Used in underground therapeutic circles since the 1980s.
The most clinically researched psychedelic. Acts as serotonin 5-HT2A agonist. FDA Breakthrough Therapy designation for depression and PTSD. Produces 4–6 hour journeys with profound introspective, emotional, and perceptual shifts.
Treatment-resistant depression, end-of-life anxiety, addiction (alcohol, tobacco, opioids), OCD, PTSD. Johns Hopkins smoking cessation trials: 80%+ quit rates.
Moderate. Requires psychological stability, no personal/family psychosis history, supportive set and setting, trusted guide.
Mazatec velada ceremonies (Maria Sabina lineage), Aztec teonanácatl. Now central to modern western therapeutic containers.
Longer and more psychedelic than MDMA (8–12 hours). Strong visual and introspective qualities. Harder on the body. Requires prior psychedelic experience. MAOI absolute contraindication.
MDA (3,4-methylenedioxyamphetamine) — the 'love drug' that preceded MDMA. Longer duration (8–12 hours), more psychedelic and introspective than MDMA, with strong empathogenic and visual qualities. Distinct from MDMA: more visual, more introspective, longer-lasting, harder on the body.
Trauma processing, relationship healing, spiritual exploration. Used in early psychedelic therapy research before MDMA became the clinical focus.
High. Prior psychedelic experience strongly recommended. Cardiac screening required. MAOI absolute contraindication.
Synthesized by Manske (1930s), popularized by Alexander Shulgin. Preceded MDMA in underground therapeutic use.
Huachuma (the one who teaches) — Andean San Pedro with gentler mescaline profile. Heart-opening, nature-connected, daytime outdoor ceremonies. 8–14 hour journey.
Heart-opening, nature connection, relational healing, grief, community healing.
Moderate. Gentler than ayahuasca. Outdoor daytime setting ideal.
Andean mesa tradition across Peru and Ecuador. Q'ero and curanderismo lineages.
Mescaline-containing cacti. 8–12 hour journeys. Heart-opening, visionary, deeply connected to nature. Primary action via 5-HT2A partial agonism with unique D1/D2/D3 and adrenergic receptor profile. Agin-Liebes 2021 (n=452): 86% depression improvement, 80% anxiety, 76% PTSD.
Depression (86% improved), anxiety (80%), PTSD (76%), alcohol use disorder (76%), drug use disorder (68%). Heart-opening qualities distinct from other psychedelics.
Moderate-High. 8–12hr duration demands mental stability. Cardio clearance needed. MAOI/Lithium contraindicated.
NAC peyote: protected indigenous sacrament (10,000+ years). San Pedro: Andean mesa tradition, curanderismo lineages.
DMT combined with MAO-inhibiting herbs (B. caapi, Syrian rue) in smokeable form. 20–45 minute experience — longer and smoother than pure DMT.
Trauma, purpose, spiritual connection.
High. Prior psychedelic experience required. MAOI interaction risks identical to ayahuasca.
Julian Palmer coined 'changa' 2003 (Australia).
Albert Hofmann 1943 discovery. 8–12 hour duration. Powerful cognitive and perceptual effects. High potential for meaning-making and creative breakthroughs.
Anxiety, alcohol dependence (Sandoz-era data), cluster headaches. LSD-assisted psychotherapy research resuming in Switzerland and US.
High. Long duration demands psychological resilience. Contraindicated with most psychiatric medications.
No indigenous tradition. Entirely modern Western. 1960s counterculture, Leary/Kesey era. Now reclaimed therapeutically.
Seed powder containing bufotenine, DMT, and 5-MeO-DMT. Snuffed nasally. 20–45 min intense psychedelic with significant physical component.
Vision and purpose, shamanic healing, deep introspection.
High. Intense physical and psychedelic experience.
South American tribes: Yanomami, Piaroa, Guahibo. Seeds toasted and mixed with lime/ash.
Giant monkey frog secretion applied to small burns on skin. Peptides trigger intense 30–45 min physiological purge. Not a classical psychedelic. Altered state through physical ordeal.
Immune system activation, addiction (empirical reports), chronic conditions. Bioactive peptides under UCSF research interest.
Moderate. Cardiac screening required. Not for hypertension, heart conditions, eating disorders.
Matses and Amazon tribes: Peru, Brazil, Colombia. Traditional hunting preparation.
Unique kappa-opioid receptor agonist — entirely different from all other psychedelics. 5–20 min intensely dissociative, reality-fracturing.
Research interest: depression via kappa-opioid pathway, addiction. Limited therapeutic application currently.
Moderate-High. Despite short duration, experience can be terrifying. Sitter mandatory.
Mazatec shamanic divination — fresh leaf quid for velada healing.
The vine of the soul. DMT-containing brew requiring MAO inhibition. Produces 4–8 hour cathartic ceremonies with visions, purging, and deep emotional processing.
PTSD, trauma, depression, addiction. Brazil observational studies: 80%+ reduction in addiction severity. Profound for complex trauma and grief.
High. Requires 2-week tyramine-free diet, no SSRIs/MAOIs, cardiac screening, qualified curandero.
Amazon basin: Shipibo, Shuar, Yawanpi lineages (1,000+ years). Santo Daime and União do Vegetal churches.
Ibogaine HCl is the primary psychoactive alkaloid isolated from Tabernanthe iboga root bark. Unlike whole-plant Iboga (which contains 12+ synergistic alkaloids), ibogaine HCl is a single molecule used in clinical addiction treatment. It resets opioid receptors, produces 24–36 hour life-review visions, and interrupts addiction at the neurological level. The clinical isolate allows precise dosing and cardiac monitoring but lacks the full-spectrum spiritual depth of whole-plant Iboga.
Opioid addiction: 50–80% report significant reduction after single flood dose. Alcohol, methamphetamine, cocaine, nicotine. PTSD. The isolate is the focus of FDA clinical trials and Western medical research.
Extreme. Full cardiac workup (ECG with QTc measurement, comprehensive bloodwork) mandatory. Liver panel required. No methadone/buprenorphine for 7+ days prior. Medical supervision with cardiac monitoring throughout. Duration: 24–36 hours.
Western clinical use pioneered by Howard Lotsof (1962), who accidentally discovered ibogaine’s anti-addictive properties. No traditional precedent — indigenous Bwiti practitioners use whole root bark exclusively. Clinical ibogaine is a Western pharmaceutical adaptation.
The whole root bark of Tabernanthe iboga — containing ibogaine plus 12+ companion alkaloids (ibogamine, tabernanthine, voacangine, noribogaine) that work synergistically. Bwiti tradition uses the whole plant, never the isolate. The full alkaloid profile produces a deeper, longer (36–72 hr), more spiritually complete experience than ibogaine HCl alone. The companion alkaloids modulate cardiac risk differently and provide sustained integration effects.
Spiritual initiation, addiction interruption (opioid, alcohol, stimulant), life-review visions, existential reset. The full-spectrum alkaloid profile offers broader therapeutic action than ibogaine alone — particularly for spiritual and psychological dimensions.
Extreme. Full cardiac workup (ECG, QTc, bloodwork, liver panel) mandatory. No methadone/buprenorphine for 7–14 days prior. Traditional Bwiti context requires cultural preparation and initiated guide. Duration: 36–72 hours.
Bwiti tradition of Gabon and Cameroon. Sacred initiation sacrament of the Fang, Mitsogo, and Babongo peoples. Pygmy origins predating recorded history. The root bark is consumed whole — never as an isolate — in multi-day ceremonies guided by N’ganga (initiated healers).
The spirit molecule. Endogenously produced, found in hundreds of plants. Smoked DMT: 15–20 min intense experience. 5-MeO-DMT: complete ego dissolution within seconds.
5-MeO-DMT: PTSD, depression, addiction. Hopkins study: 80%+ rated among most meaningful experiences of their lives.
Extreme. Requires prior psychedelic experience, psychological grounding, no psychiatric contraindications. Complete surrender required.
Ayahuasca contains DMT. Standalone from Jurema, Acacia. 5-MeO: Sonoran Desert Toad ceremony from 1980s.
Profound altered states. Ego dissolution possible. Clinical or experienced facilitation required. Not for the unprepared.
Active metabolite of psilocybin — bypasses the conversion step. Faster onset (15–20 min), shorter duration (3–4 hours), more precise dosing. Clinical research only. Requires full medical and psychiatric screening.
The active metabolite of psilocybin — what psilocybin converts to in the body. Synthetic psilocin bypasses the conversion step: faster onset (15–20 min vs 30–60 min), slightly shorter duration (3–4 hours vs 4–6 hours), more predictable dosing. Being studied separately from psilocybin in clinical trials.
Treatment-resistant depression, anxiety, addiction — same indications as psilocybin but with more precise dosing control.
High. Clinical setting only. Requires full medical and psychiatric screening. Not available outside clinical trials.
No traditional use — purely synthetic. Emerged from Hofmann's psilocybin research (1958). Now studied at Johns Hopkins, Imperial College, and MAPS-affiliated centers.
Pharmaceutical-grade compounds in FDA-approved or clinical trial settings only. Not available outside supervised medical protocols.
Single-enantiomer (R-only) MDMA — distinct from racemic MDMA (MAPS protocol). Indication: Social Anxiety Disorder. Potentially cleaner cardiovascular profile than racemic. Now under Eli Lilly. Clinical setting only.
EMP-01 is AtaiBeckley's single-enantiomer MDMA (R-enantiomer only, not racemic). Distinct from the MAPS racemic MDMA protocol for PTSD. Indication: Social Anxiety Disorder. The R-enantiomer may have a cleaner cardiovascular profile than racemic MDMA. Now under Eli Lilly following the $2.8B acquisition (July 2026).
Social Anxiety Disorder. Potentially broader anxiety indications. Complements the MAPS racemic MDMA-PTSD protocol.
Clinical Only. Not available outside FDA-approved trials.
No traditional use. Entirely clinical. Represents the pharmaceutical refinement of the MDMA molecule.
DMT in a buccal film (dissolves under the tongue). Controlled onset and duration. Phase 2b completed for TRD, Phase 3 planned. Now under Eli Lilly. Clinical setting only.
VLS-01 is a proprietary oral transmucosal buccal film formulation of N,N-DMT — developed by AtaiBeckley (now Eli Lilly, $2.8B acquisition July 2026). The film dissolves under the tongue, providing a controlled onset and duration distinct from smoked or injected DMT. Phase 2b completed (last patient dosed July 6, 2026). Phase 3 for Major Depressive Disorder being planned.
Treatment-Resistant Depression, Major Depressive Disorder. The controlled delivery format makes this more clinically manageable than inhaled DMT.
Clinical Only. Not available outside FDA-approved trials.
No traditional use. Entirely clinical. Represents the pharmaceutical domestication of the DMT experience.
Pharmaceutical-grade LSD (D-tartrate salt). Phase 3 trials underway for Generalized Anxiety Disorder. Published in JAMA 2025. Single dose produced dose-dependent anxiety reduction. The clinical pathway for LSD — distinct from underground or recreational use.
MM-120 (lysergide D-tartrate) is MindMed's pharmaceutical-grade LSD. Phase 3 trials underway for Generalized Anxiety Disorder (GAD) — the Panorama study (NCT06809595). Phase 2 results published in JAMA (2025, cited 35 times): single dose produced dose-dependent reduction in anxiety. This is the clinical pathway for LSD — distinct from the underground or recreational LSD entry. Represents the formal medicalization of Albert Hofmann's 1943 discovery.
Generalized Anxiety Disorder (GAD). Phase 3. Also being studied for cluster headaches and alcohol dependence.
Clinical Only. Not available outside FDA-approved trials.
No traditional use. Entirely modern Western. Hofmann's 1943 discovery now in Phase 3 trials 83 years later.
Pharmaceutical-grade intranasal 5-MeO-DMT. Phase 2b completed with positive results for treatment-resistant depression. Now under Eli Lilly ($2.8B acquisition, July 2026). Clinical setting only — not available outside trials. The most advanced psychedelic pharmaceutical in the pipeline.
BPL-003 (mebufotenin benzoate) is Beckley Psytech's synthetic intranasal formulation of 5-MeO-DMT — now under Eli Lilly following the $2.8B acquisition of AtaiBeckley on July 16, 2026, the largest acquisition in psychedelic medicine history. Phase 2b completed with positive topline results for treatment-resistant depression (TRD). Distinct from ceremonial Bufo alvarius toad — same molecule, pharmaceutical-grade delivery, clinical protocol, psychological support integrated.
Treatment-Resistant Depression (TRD), Alcohol Use Disorder. Phase 2b positive. Phase 3 planning under Lilly.
Clinical Only. Not available outside FDA-approved trials.
No traditional use. Entirely clinical. Developed from Beckley Psytech research (Amanda Feilding, Oxford). Now the flagship psychedelic asset of Eli Lilly.
NOT psychedelics. Anticholinergic deliriants that produce genuine delirium. No therapeutic application. Listed to protect you.
NOT A PSYCHEDELIC. Anticholinergic deliriant. Produces genuine delirium — complete inability to distinguish reality from hallucination, with full amnesia. Responsible for deaths and permanent psychosis. No therapeutic application. Listed as a protective warning.
HARD STOP — NOT A PSYCHEDELIC. Brugmansia is an anticholinergic deliriant containing scopolamine, atropine, and hyoscyamine. Produces genuine delirium — not altered consciousness but the complete inability to distinguish reality from hallucination, with full amnesia afterward. Responsible for numerous deaths and permanent psychosis. No therapeutic application. Listed here as a protective warning.
None. No evidence-based therapeutic application.
ABSOLUTE CONTRAINDICATION for self-directed use. If you are considering this, stop. Speak with a harm reduction specialist immediately.
Used by Kamsá and Ingano peoples of Colombia for divination — always facilitator-administered, never self-directed.
NOT A PSYCHEDELIC. Anticholinergic deliriant. Far narrower margin between active and lethal dose than Brugmansia. Grows wild across North America. Produces true delirium. Responsible for deaths every year. No therapeutic application. Listed as a protective warning.
HARD STOP — NOT A PSYCHEDELIC. Datura is an anticholinergic deliriant — same alkaloid class as Brugmansia (scopolamine, atropine, hyoscyamine) but with a far narrower margin between active and lethal dose. Grows wild across North America and is frequently encountered by curious seekers who do not understand what it is. Produces true delirium, not psychedelic experience. Responsible for deaths every year. No therapeutic application. Listed here as a protective warning.
None. No evidence-based therapeutic application.
ABSOLUTE CONTRAINDICATION. The line between an active dose and a lethal dose is invisible.
Used in some Native American vision quest traditions — always with experienced guidance, never recreationally.
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