List of designer drugs


s are structural or functional analogues of controlled substances that are designed to mimic the pharmacological effects of the parent drug while avoiding detection or classification as illegal. Some designer drugs are structural analogues of psychoactive tryptamines or phenethylamines but there are many other chemically unrelated psychoactive substances that can be considered part of the designer drug group. Designer drugs also include analogues of controlled anabolic steroids. The pharmaceutical activities of these compounds might not be predictable based strictly upon structural examination. Many of the substances have common effects while structurally different or different effects while structurally similar due to SAR paradox. As a result of no real official naming for some of these compounds, as well as regional naming, this can all lead to potentially hazardous mix ups for users. The following list is not exhaustive.

Psychedelics

A psychedelic substance is a psychoactive drug whose primary action is to alter cognition and perception. Psychedelics tend to affect and explore the mind in ways that result in the experience being qualitatively different from those of ordinary consciousness. The psychedelic experience is often compared to non-ordinary forms of consciousness such as trance, meditation, yoga, religious ecstasy, dreaming and even near-death experiences.

Lysergamides

s are amide derivatives of the alkaloid lysergic acid.

Tryptamines

Drugs containing the tryptamine moiety are typically substrates for the serotonin receptors, in keeping with their close structural resemblance to serotonin, a neurotransmitter.

Benzofurans

Phenethylamines

Drugs containing the phenethylamine moiety bear close structural resemblance to dopamine but substitution on the benzene ring gives rise to drugs with a much higher affinity for serotonin receptors.

2C-x

class of psychedelics are 2,5-dimethoxy-phenethylamine derivatives.

NBxx

DOx

The DOx family of psychedelics are also known as "substituted amphetamines" as they contain the amphetamine backbone but are substituted on the benzene ring. This gives rise to serotonin agonists similar to the 2C-X class but more resistant to elimination in the body.

Dissociatives

s are a class of hallucinogens which distort perceptions of sight and sound and produce feelings of detachment - dissociation - from the environment and self. This is done through reducing or blocking signals to the conscious mind from other parts of the brain. Although many kinds of drugs are capable of such action, dissociatives are unique in that they do so in such a way that they produce hallucinogenic effects, which may include sensory deprivation, dissociation, hallucinations, and dream-like states or trances. Some, which are nonselective in action and affect the dopamine and/or opioid systems, may be capable of inducing euphoria. Many dissociatives have general depressant effects and can produce sedation, respiratory depression, analgesia, anesthesia, and ataxia, as well as cognitive and memory impairment and amnesia.

Arylcyclohexylamines

s are the oldest and most widely used dissociatives. The class includes the well known anaesthetic, ketamine.

Diarylethylamines

began to appear on grey markets only as recently as 2013.

Misc

containing designer drugs have effects similar to MDMA. This class of drugs are mimics of serotonin that activate 5-HT receptor subtypes that release norepinephrine and dopamine.

Empathogens

are a class of psychoactive drugs that produce distinctive emotional and social effects similar to those of MDMA. Users of empathogens say the drugs often produce feelings of empathy, love, and emotional closeness to others.

MDxx

are a large chemical class of derivatives of the phenethylamines, which includes many psychoactive drugs that act as entactogens, psychedelics, and/or stimulants, as well as entheogens.

Benzofurans

s are similar in structure to MDA but differ in that the methylenedioxy groups have been modified, removing one of the two oxygens in the methylenedioxy ring to render a benzofuran ring.

Miscellaneous polycyclic phenethylamines

and tetralin-type phenethylamines are vaguely related to their amphetamine analogues.
Only one non-tryptamine indole has been sold, 5-IT. It shows strong MAOI activity.
Drugs containing the tryptamine moiety are typically substrates for the serotonin receptors, in keeping with their close structural resemblance to serotonin, a neurotransmitter.

Amphetamines

s are a chemical class of stimulants, entactogens, hallucinogens, and other drugs. They feature a phenethylamine core with a methyl group attached to the alpha carbon resulting in amphetamine, along with additional substitutions.

Stimulants

s produce a variety of different kinds of effects by enhancing the activity of the central and peripheral nervous systems. Common effects, which vary depending on the substance and dosage in question, may include enhanced alertness, awareness, wakefulness, endurance, productivity, and motivation, increased arousal, locomotion, heart rate, and blood pressure, and the perception of a diminished requirement for food and sleep.

Amphetamines

are a chemical class of stimulants, entactogens, hallucinogens, and other drugs. They feature a phenethylamine core with a methyl group attached to the alpha carbon resulting in amphetamine, along with additional substitutions.

Cathinones

include some stimulants and entactogens, which are derivatives of cathinone. They feature a phenethylamine core with an alkyl group attached to the alpha carbon, and a ketone group attached to the beta carbon, along with additional substitutions.

Pyrrolidines and Pyrrolidinophenones

s are amphetamines with a pyrrolidine group. Pyrrolidinophenones are cathinones with a pyrrolidine group.

Thiophenes

s are stimulant drugs which are analogues of amphetamine or cathinone where the phenyl ring has been replaced by thiophene.

Tropanes and Piperidines

s occur in plants of the families erythroxylaceae. Piperidine and its derivatives are ubiquitous building blocks in the synthesis of many pharmaceuticals and fine chemicals.

Oxazolidines

s are a five-membered ring compounds consisting of three carbons, a nitrogen, and an oxygen. The oxygen and NH are the 1 and 3 positions, respectively. In oxazolidine derivatives, there is always a carbon between the oxygen and the nitrogen.

Phenylmorpholines

Phenylmorpholines are a class of stimulants containing a phenethylamine skeleton in which the terminal amine is incorporated into a morpholine ring.

Misc

Sedatives

s are substances that induces sedation by reducing irritability or excitement. At higher doses they may result in slurred speech, staggering gait, poor judgment, and slow, uncertain reflexes. Doses of sedatives such as benzodiazepines, when used as a hypnotic to induce sleep, tend to be higher than amounts used to relieve anxiety, whereas only low doses are needed to provide a peaceful effect.
Sedatives can be misused to produce an overly-calming effect. In the event of an overdose or if combined with another sedative, many of these drugs can cause unconsciousness and even death.

Opioids

s have pharmacologic actions resembling morphine and other components of opium.

Benzodiazepines

Thienodiazepines

GHB analogues

Methaqualone analogues

Misc

Synthetic cannabinoids

Agonists of the central cannabinoid receptor type 1 mimic the behavioral effects of cannabis.

Classical cannabinoids

Miscellaneous cannabinoids

Indazole based

containing cannabinoid receptor agonists include:

Indole based

containing cannabinoid receptor agonists include:

Quinolinylindoles

Benzoylindoles

Adamantoylindoles

Naphthoylindoles

Phenylacetylindoles

Androgens

Androgenic anabolic steroids have approved medical uses as well as used illicitly as performance-enhancing drugs to build muscle mass and strength. Anabolic steroids that have been designed to evade detection in sport doping tests are known as "designer steroids".

Testosterone">Testosterone (medication)">Testosterone based

DHT">Dihydrotestosterone">DHT based

[Estranes]

SARMs

s are a novel class of androgen receptor ligands. They are intended to maintain the desirable muscle building effects of anabolic steroids while reducing undesirable androgenic actions. SARMs that are more selective in their action potentially could be used for a wider range clinical indications than the relatively limited legitimate uses that anabolic steroids are currently approved for.

Others

GHRH analogues

stimulate the release of growth hormone.

Growth hormone secretagogue receptor agonists

Agonists of the growth hormone secretagogue receptor regulate energy homeostasis and body weight.

Others

PDE5 inhibitors

s are typically used to treat erectile dysfunction and improve sexual stamina.

Nootropics