Why Synthetic and Clinical Substances Are Included in This Library

The short answer

This library is about psychedelics and related psychoactive substances, not only natural ones. Research, regulators and public conversation treat natural and laboratory-made substances together, so readers need accurate, side-by-side information. Including a substance here is not an endorsement of it, and this site gives information only: no sourcing, preparation, dosing or treatment advice.

How the field groups these substances

The US National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA) describes psychedelic and dissociative drugs together. It says many psychedelic drugs derive from plants and fungi, some with long traditional use, and that some psychedelic and dissociative drugs are also synthetic (lab-made). [1] NIDA separates them by how they act in the brain:

[1]

The US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) uses "psychedelic drug" in its development guidance as shorthand for classic psychedelics (5-HT2A receptor agonists such as psilocybin and LSD) as well as entactogens or empathogens such as MDMA. It says the same ideas may apply to related products that cause perceptual disturbances and changes in consciousness. [2] Terms differ between agencies, so this library keeps the groups separate. See Classic Psychedelics, Entactogens and Dissociatives.

Why the synthetic and clinical substances are here

• They are the ones with regulator decisions. NIDA notes that the FDA has approved esketamine (Spravato) for treatment-resistant depression, while MDMA is not approved for any condition. [1][3] Readers who want to understand where psychedelic medicine actually stands need to see those decisions.
• They shape the research on natural substances. Clinical trial methods, such as functional unblinding and the role of psychological support, are discussed in FDA guidance that covers both natural-origin and synthetic psychedelic drugs. [2] See Psychedelic Clinical Trials and Mental Health Research.
• They are often confused with each other. Online, "psychedelic" is used for LSD, MDMA and ketamine as if they were interchangeable. They are not. See Why Different Substances Cannot Be Treated as Equivalent.

Naming accuracy: natural, semisynthetic, synthetic

We follow these rules throughout the library:

• We do not call MDMA a classic psychedelic or ketamine a natural substance.
• We do not merge ketamine with esketamine, DMT with 5-MeO-DMT, or DMT with ayahuasca.
• A traditional preparation, an isolated compound and a standardized clinical product are three different things. See Traditional Preparations vs Isolated Compounds and Clinical Products.
• Where a classification could not be confirmed in a source we read, we write "not verified".

What this library will and will not do

It will explain what each substance is, what regulators and research say, and what the risks are, with sources and dates. It will not tell anyone how to obtain, make, prepare or take any substance, or recommend using one to self-treat. If you are thinking about treatment, talk with a licensed health professional. See Safety and Legal Basics for Specialty Topics and Natural vs Synthetic Psychoactive Substances.