N-Methyl-N-isopropyltryptamine (MiPT) is a synthetic psychedelic tryptamine featuring one methyl and one isopropyl group on the terminal nitrogen. It is the non-hydroxylated base compound corresponding to the more widely discussed 4-HO-MiPT (miprocin) and 4-AcO-MiPT — the 4-substituted variants that act as more potent psychedelics through 5-HT2A receptor activation. The unsubstituted MiPT has been documented by Alexander Shulgin in TiHKAL, where it was described as a psychedelic compound active in the 15–20 mg range orally.
Community documentation of MiPT base (as opposed to its 4-HO/4-AcO variants) is limited. The available data suggests psychedelic effects broadly consistent with the tryptamine class, though with a character that some distinguish from the 4-substituted analogs. The 4-hydroxy substitution in miprocin (4-HO-MiPT) substantially increases potency at 5-HT2A receptors, making the base MiPT less potent per milligram than its 4-HO counterpart.
Duration is reported in the 3–5 hour range. Like MET and DET, MiPT is expected to have partial oral bioavailability due to reduced MAO-A affinity relative to DMT, conferred by the isopropyl group.
Safety at a Glance
High Risk- Shulgin's documented range: 15–20 mg orally
- Conservative first-time dose: 10–15 mg orally
- Toxicity: Acute Toxicity No formal data in humans. Safety profile inferred from class membership and Shulgin's personal documen...
- Overdose risk: Fatal overdose from MiPT alone, at doses within the typical recreational range, is extremely unli...
If someone is in crisis, call 911 or Poison Control: 1-800-222-1222
Dosage
oral
Duration
oral
Total: 3 hrs – 8 hrsHow It Feels
The onset of MiPT is subtle and measured. Thirty to fifty minutes after ingestion, a gentle warmth begins to build in the body, accompanied by a very mild tingling in the extremities. The transition from baseline is gradual and undemanding — a slow, steady shift in the quality of awareness that feels more like a change in lighting than a change in channel. Colors may brighten marginally, and there is a growing sense of quiet presence, as though attention has been gently focused on the immediate moment.
As the experience develops over the next hour, the effects remain in the realm of the subtle. Visual changes are minimal: perhaps a soft enhancement of color, a slight increase in the apparent detail of textures, or a barely perceptible drift in surfaces. The primary effects are felt internally — a mild mood elevation, a gentle warmth of emotional tone, and a contemplative quality to thought that invites unhurried self-reflection. There is something cozy about the MiPT headspace; it creates a sense of inner comfort and quietude that is pleasant without being remarkable.
The peak, arriving around sixty to ninety minutes and lasting two to three hours, is a gentle plateau. The headspace is clear and accessible — conversations flow naturally, cognitive function is unimpaired, and there is no sense of disorientation or overwhelm. Music is subtly enhanced, carrying slightly more emotional weight than usual. Touch may be modestly heightened. The body feels warm and relaxed, with a mild but persistent pleasantness that pervades the physical experience. There is an introspective openness that makes it easy to sit with thoughts and feelings, examining them without the anxiety or intensity that stronger psychedelics sometimes provoke.
The comedown is smooth and gradual, the mild enhancement fading over one to two hours until baseline is reached without fanfare. The total duration is four to six hours. There is a subtle afterglow of warmth and contentment that may linger briefly. MiPT is among the mildest of the base tryptamines, offering a gentle, warm, and psychologically comfortable experience that serves as a quiet introduction to the tryptamine space — a substance of soft edges and understated character.
Subjective Effects
The effects listed below are based on the Subjective Effect Index (SEI), an open research literature based on anecdotal reports and personal analyses. They should be viewed with a healthy degree of skepticism. These effects will not necessarily occur in a predictable or reliable manner, although higher doses are more liable to induce the full spectrum of effects.
Cognitive & Perceptual Effects
Visual(1)
- Geometry— The experience of perceiving complex, ever-shifting geometric patterns superimposed over the visual ...
Cognitive(3)
- Anxiety— Intense feelings of apprehension, worry, and dread that can range from a subtle background unease to...
- Introspection— An enhanced state of self-reflective awareness in which one feels drawn to examine their own thought...
- Psychosis— Psychosis is a serious psychiatric state involving a fundamental break from consensus reality — char...
Auditory(2)
- Auditory distortion— Auditory distortion is the experience of sounds becoming warped, pitch-shifted, flanged, or otherwis...
- Auditory misinterpretation— Auditory misinterpretation is the brief, spontaneous misidentification of real sounds as entirely di...
Pharmacology
5-HT2A Partial Agonism
MiPT acts as a partial agonist at serotonin 5-HT2A receptors, consistent with other classical psychedelic tryptamines. The isopropyl group, with its branched three-carbon structure, confers greater steric bulk than the ethyl or propyl groups of MET and DPT, respectively. This may affect receptor binding geometry and intrinsic efficacy.
Oral Activity
The isopropyl group substantially reduces MAO-A affinity relative to DMT — indeed, more so than linear alkyl groups of similar carbon number. MiPT is documented as orally active by Shulgin, consistent with this prediction.
Relationship to 4-HO-MiPT
The base MiPT is the de-hydroxylated precursor to miprocin (4-HO-MiPT). The 4-hydroxy group in miprocin creates direct hydrogen bonding capacity with the serotonin receptor binding site, substantially increasing receptor affinity and pharmacological potency. This relationship — base tryptamine to 4-hydroxy tryptamine — parallels the relationship between DMT and psilocin.
Pharmacokinetics
Shulgin's documented active dose: 15–20 mg orally. Onset: estimated 45–90 minutes. Duration: 3–5 hours. No formal pharmacokinetic study.
Detection Methods
Urine Detection
MiPT is not targeted by standard immunoassay-based urine drug screens. As a tryptamine, it is metabolized through monoamine oxidase pathways and produces hydroxylated and deaminated metabolites that are excreted renally. Specialized LC-MS/MS methods can detect tryptamine metabolites in urine for approximately 24 to 48 hours after ingestion. The short duration of action of most base tryptamines results in a relatively brief detection window compared to longer-acting psychoactive substances.
Blood and Serum Detection
Blood detection windows for MiPT are short, typically 4 to 12 hours after oral administration. If smoked or insufflated, peak concentrations occur within minutes and clearance is more rapid. LC-MS/MS is required for reliable blood detection at the low concentrations characteristic of tryptamine compounds. The rapid metabolism by MAO-A significantly limits the time window in which blood sampling can capture meaningful concentrations.
Standard Drug Panel Inclusion
MiPT is NOT included on standard 5-panel, 10-panel, or 12-panel drug screens. Tryptamines do not cross-react with immunoassay targets for amphetamines, cannabinoids, cocaine metabolites, opiates, PCP, or any other standard panel analyte. Detection requires specific testing at a reference laboratory capable of novel psychoactive substance analysis. Even extended clinical panels rarely include base tryptamines.
Confirmatory Methods
Confirmatory identification of MiPT relies on LC-MS/MS or GC-MS with appropriate reference standards. GC-MS analysis of tryptamines may require derivatization for optimal sensitivity and chromatographic performance. Reference laboratories specializing in novel psychoactive substances provide the most comprehensive detection capabilities. Standard clinical toxicology laboratories generally do not maintain validated methods for base tryptamines.
Reagent Testing (Harm Reduction)
The Ehrlich reagent produces a purple to violet reaction with MiPT, confirming the presence of an indole ring system. This is the primary field identification tool and should be used as the first screening test. The Hofmann reagent provides a confirmatory blue to purple reaction. The Marquis reagent typically shows no reaction or a slight brown-yellow discoloration with base tryptamines. A positive Ehrlich result confirms the tryptamine class but does not identify the specific compound. Multiple reagents should be used together for greater confidence in identification.
Interactions
| Substance | Status | Note |
|---|---|---|
| 2-Aminoindane | Caution | Increases anxiety, cardiovascular stress, and psychological intensity |
| 2-FA | Caution | Increases anxiety, cardiovascular stress, and psychological intensity |
| 2-FEA | Caution | Increases anxiety, cardiovascular stress, and psychological intensity |
| 2-FMA | Caution | Increases anxiety, cardiovascular stress, and psychological intensity |
| 2,5-DMA | Caution | Increases anxiety, cardiovascular stress, and psychological intensity |
| 1,3-Butanediol | Low Risk & Synergy | Cross-tolerance exists; effects compound |
| 1B-LSD | Low Risk & Synergy | Cross-tolerance exists; effects compound |
| 1cP-AL-LAD | Low Risk & Synergy | Cross-tolerance exists; effects compound |
| 1cP-LSD | Low Risk & Synergy | Cross-tolerance exists; effects compound |
| 1cP-MiPLA | Low Risk & Synergy | Cross-tolerance exists; effects compound |
History
Shulgin Documentation
MiPT was documented by Alexander Shulgin in TiHKAL (1997) as part of his comprehensive cataloging of N-methyl-N-alkyl tryptamine pharmacology. Shulgin described it as orally active and psychedelic, providing a foundational account that sparked later community interest.
Community Context
MiPT base remains less commonly discussed and used than its 4-HO and 4-AcO variants. The 4-substituted compounds substantially increase potency and have the pharmacological profile more similar to psilocybin, making them more attractive for psychedelic use. MiPT base occupies a structural and historical interest role, serving as the foundation from which the more potent miprocin (4-HO-MiPT) is derived by addition of the 4-hydroxy group.
Harm Reduction
Dosing
- Shulgin's documented range: 15–20 mg orally
- Conservative first-time dose: 10–15 mg orally
- Milligram-accurate scale required
- Do not confuse with 4-HO-MiPT dosing, which is substantially different
Distinguish from 4-HO-MiPT
MiPT (base) and 4-HO-MiPT (miprocin) are different compounds with different potencies. Confirm which compound you have before dosing. Dosing errors between these compounds are possible if samples are mislabeled.
Standard Psychedelic Harm Reduction
Test with Ehrlich reagent. Prepare carefully. Sober companion available. Avoid dangerous combinations.
Toxicity & Safety
Acute Toxicity
No formal data in humans. Safety profile inferred from class membership and Shulgin's personal documentation (no adverse physiological effects reported at the doses he explored).
Psychological Risks
Standard tryptamine class risks. Psychosis contraindication applies. MAOI combination risks are relevant given oral activity (which implies MAO interaction).
Addiction Potential
not habit-forming
Overdose Information
Fatal overdose from MiPT alone, at doses within the typical recreational range, is extremely unlikely based on the available evidence for classical psychedelics. The therapeutic index for most psychedelics is very wide.
However, psychological emergencies can occur and require appropriate response:
- Severe anxiety, panic, or psychotic episodes
- Dangerous behavior due to impaired reality testing
- Self-harm in the context of a distressing experience
Emergency management: If someone is experiencing a severe adverse reaction, move them to a calm, quiet environment. Speak reassuringly. Do not restrain unless there is immediate danger. Benzodiazepines (if available and the person is conscious and able to swallow) can reduce acute anxiety. If psychotic symptoms, self-harm risk, or medical distress is present, seek emergency medical attention.
Medical attention: Seek help immediately for seizures, extremely elevated body temperature, signs of serotonin syndrome (agitation, tremor, diarrhea, rapid heart rate), or if the substance consumed is uncertain.
Tolerance
| Full | almost immediately after ingestion |
| Half | 3 days |
| Zero | 7 days |
Cross-tolerances
Legal Status
Due to its relative obscurity, the possession and sale of MiPT is unscheduled in most countries.
Germany: MiPT is controlled under the NpSG (New Psychoactive Substances Act) as of July 18, 2019. Production and import with the aim to place it on the market, administration to another person and trading is punishable. Possession is illegal but not penalized.
Sweden: Sweden's public health agency suggested classifying MiPT as a hazardous substance, on May 15, 2019.
Switzerland: MiPT is not controlled under Buchstabe A, B, C and D. It could be considered legal.
United Kingdom: MiPT is a Class A controlled substance in the United Kingdom as a result of the tryptamine catch-all clause.
United States: MiPT is considered a schedule 1 controlled substance as a positional isomer of Diethyltryptamine (DET). MiPT is specifically mentioned by name in the DEA Orange Book, which lists all the controlled substances and other regulated chemicals in the US.
Responsible use
Research chemical
Psychedelic
Tryptamine
MiPT (Wikipedia)
MiPT (Erowid Vault)
MiPT (TiHKAL / Isomer Design)
Discussion
The Big & Dandy MiPT Thread (Bluelight)
Experience Reports (1)
Tips (6)
Set and setting are paramount with MiPT. Choose a familiar, comfortable environment where you feel safe. Have trusted company or a trip sitter, especially for your first experience. Avoid stressful locations or social obligations.
Start with a low dose of MiPT if it is your first time. You can always take more next time but you cannot take less once ingested. The difference between a comfortable and an overwhelming experience can be surprisingly small.
Psychedelic tolerance builds rapidly. Wait at least 1-2 weeks between uses of MiPT for full tolerance reset. Taking the same dose the next day would require roughly double the amount for comparable effects.
MiPT and its analogs can produce strong body load and nausea during the come-up. Having ginger tea on hand and eating lightly several hours before dosing can help manage gastrointestinal discomfort.
Water does not significantly degrade MiPT potency for short-term storage. Making a drink is fine for immediate consumption, but do not store solutions for extended periods as tryptamines can degrade over time.
MiPT (and especially 4-HO-MiPT) has a notably unpleasant taste often compared to nutmeg. Dissolving it in a flavored drink or using capsules can help with the taste, though water solubility is limited.
Community Discussions (1)
See Also
References (5)
- Psilocybin produces substantial and sustained decreases in depression and anxiety — Griffiths et al. Journal of Psychopharmacology (2016)paper
- Neural correlates of the LSD experience revealed by multimodal neuroimaging — Carhart-Harris et al. PNAS (2016)paper
- PubChem: MiPT
PubChem compound page for MiPT (CID: 29935323)
pubchem - MiPT - TripSit Factsheet
TripSit factsheet for MiPT
tripsit - MiPT - Wikipedia
Wikipedia article on MiPT
wikipedia