Lesson plan
Α-Ethyltryptamine
α-Ethyltryptamine (αET, AET), also known as etryptamine, is an entactogen and stimulant drug of the tryptamine family. It was originally developed and marketed as an antidepressant under the brand name Monase by Upjohn in the 1960s before being withdrawn due to toxicity. Side effects of αET include facial flushing, headache, gastrointestinal distress, insomnia, irritability, appetite loss, and sedation, among others. A rare side effect of αET is agranulocytosis. αET acts as a releasing agent of serotonin, norepinephrine, and dopamine, as a weak serotonin receptor agonist, and as a weak monoamine oxidase inhibitor. It may also produce serotonergic neurotoxicity. αET is a substituted tryptamine and is closely related to α-methyltryptamine (αMT) and other α-alkylated tryptamines. αET was first described in 1947. It was used as an antidepressant for about a year around 1961. The drug started being used recreationally in the 1980s and several deaths have been reported. αET is a controlled substance in various countries, including the United States and United Kingdom. There has been renewed interest in αET, for instance as an alternative to MDMA, with the development of psychedelics and entactogens as medicines in the 2020s.
Article summary
α-Ethyltryptamine (αET, AET), also known as etryptamine, is an entactogen and stimulant drug of the tryptamine family. It was originally developed and marketed as an antidepressant under the brand name Monase by Upjohn in the 1960s before being withdrawn due to toxicity. Side effects of αET include facial flushing, headache, gastrointestinal distress, insomnia, irritability, appetite loss, and sedation, among others. A rare side effect of αET is agranulocytosis. αET acts as a releasing agent of serotonin, norepinephrine, and dopamine, as a weak serotonin receptor agonist, and as a weak monoamine oxidase inhibitor. It may also produce serotonergic neurotoxicity. αET is a substituted tryptamine and is closely related to α-methyltryptamine (αMT) and other α-alkylated tryptamines. αET was first described in 1947. It was used as an antidepressant for about a year around 1961. The drug started being used recreationally in the 1980s and several deaths have been reported. αET is a controlled substance in various countries, including the United States and United Kingdom. There has been renewed interest in αET, for instance as an alternative to MDMA, with the development of psychedelics and entactogens as medicines in the 2020s.
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Discussion questions
- Summarise the article in your own words. Which single claim would you verify first, and why?
- Which claim in this article is most likely to be revised as the sources update? How would you check its current status?
- If two sources disagreed about one of these facts, what would you need in order to trust one over the other?
Bibliography
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Key claims and bibliography are generated from the same tracked claims and sources as the article page.