N,N-Dimethyltryptamine (
DMT) is a
naturally occurring hallucinogenic compound of the
tryptamine family. DMT is found not only in several plants,
[3] but also in trace amounts in humans and other mammals, where it is originally derived from the
essential amino acid tryptophan, and ultimately produced by the enzyme
INMT during normal
metabolism.
[4] The natural function of its widespread presence remains undetermined.
Structurally, DMT is analogous to the
neurotransmitter serotonin (5-HT), the
hormone melatonin, and other
psychedelic tryptamines, such as
5-MeO-DMT,
bufotenin, and
psilocin.
Many cultures, indigenous and modern, ingest DMT as a
psychedelic drug, in either extracted or synthesized forms.
[5] When DMT is inhaled or consumed, depending on the dose, its subjective effects can range from short-lived milder
psychedelic states to powerful immersive experiences, which include a total loss of connection to conventional reality, which may be so extreme that it becomes
ineffable.
[6] DMT is also the primary psychoactive in
ayahuasca, an Amazonian Amerindian brew employed for divinatory and healing purposes. Pharmacologically, ayahuasca combines DMT with an
MAOI, an enzyme inhibitor that allows DMT to be orally active.
[7]