Alpha-Methyltryptamine (aMT)

Alpha Methyltryptamine is a psychedelic, stimulant, and entactogen of the tryptamine chemical class.Originally believed to act merely as monoamine oxidase inhibitors (MAOIs), αMT, along with its close structural analogue α-ethyltryptamine (αET), were first used as antidepressants in the 1960s under the trade names Indopan and Monase, respectively.

However, within a short amount of time, both drugs fell out of clinical use due to toxicity concerns. αMT was also lightly abused as a street drug for its psychedelic effects during this time period. αMT is tryptamine with a methyl substituent at the alpha carbon. Its chemical relation to tryptamine is analogous to that of amphetamine to phenethylamine, amphetamine being α-methylphenethylamine. αMT is closely related to the neurotransmitter serotonin, which is 5-hydroxytryptamine, partially explaining its mechanism of action.