2C-X for Healthy Volunteers

Acute dose-dependent effects of 4-bromo-2,5-dimethoxyphenethylamine (2C-B) compared with 3,4-methylenedioxymethamphetamine (MDMA) and psilocybin in a double-blind, placebo-controlled study in healthy participants

This double-blind, randomised, placebo-controlled crossover study (n=24) in healthy adults compared acute effects of 2C-B, MDMA and psilocybin. A 30 mg dose of 2C-B produced effects similar to MDMA and some psychedelic changes, while MDMA caused the strongest cardiovascular stimulation and psilocybin caused more anxiety and unpleasant effects.

Published: April 28, 2026
Journal: Neuropsychopharmacology
Authors: Arikci, D., Borgulya, J., Straumann, I., Vizeli, P., Luethi, D., Thomann, J., Rudin, D., Vukalovic, I., Eckert, A., Liechti, M. E., Holze, F.

Open Accessindividual

The forgotten psychedelic: Spatiotemporal mapping of brain organisation following the administration of 2C-B and psilocybin

Using 7T resting-state fMRI in a double-blind, placebo-controlled crossover study, the authors show that acute 2C-B and psilocybin both reduce intra-network static connectivity while increasing between-network and subcortical–cortical coupling and brain complexity, but 2C-B causes less between-network desynchronisation and relative elevations in transmodal connectivity compared with psilocybin. These spatially divergent effects align with monoaminergic transporter and serotonergic receptor distributions and link transmodal-axis desynchronisation to behavioural measures, highlighting 2C-B as a distinct tool for psychedelic neuroscience and potential pharmacotherapies.

Published: February 3, 2026
Journal: Molecular Psychiatry
Authors: Mallaroni, P., Singleton, P., Mason, N. L., Satterthwaite, T. D., Ramaekers, J. G.

Paywallindividual

Psilocybin and 4-Bromo-2,5-Dimethoxyphenethylamine (2C-B) at Encoding Distort Episodic Familiarity

This re-analysis of an RCT study (n=20) tested the acute effects of psilocybin and 2C-B on the encoding of emotional episodic memories. The study finds that both psychedelics impair estimates of recollection and familiarity, increase familiarity-based false alarms for emotional stimuli, and affect metamemory, indicating a common neurocognitive mechanism across these drugs.

Published: October 1, 2024
Journal: Biological Psychiatry
Authors: Doss, M. K., Mallaroni, P., Mason, N. L., Ramaekers, J. G.

Open Accessindividual

Assessment of the acute effects of 2C-B vs psilocybin on subjective experience, mood and cognition

In a within‑subjects, double‑blind, placebo‑controlled study (n=22) of psychedelic‑experienced volunteers, 20 mg 2C‑B produced acute psychedelic alterations of moderate experiential depth but elicited less dysphoria, subjective impairment, auditory changes and ego‑dissolution than 15 mg psilocybin. Both drugs produced comparable psychomotor slowing, spatial memory impairments and transient pressor effects, while 2C‑B’s subjective effects were shorter in duration (largely resolving within ~6 hours).

Published: June 11, 2023
Journal: Clinical Pharmacology and Therapeutics
Authors: Mallaroni, P., Mason, N. L., Reckweg, J. T., Paci, R., Toennes, S. W., Theunissen, E. L., Kuypers, K. P. C., Ramaekers, J. G.

Open Accessindividual

Acute pharmacological effects of 2C-B in humans: An observational study

This open-label observational study (n=16) assessed the acute subjective, physiological, and pharmacokinetic effects of 2C-B (10, 15, or 20 mg), and found that it produces a constellation of psychedelic-psychostimulant like effects. Mood changes were more prominent than perceptual changes, and the profile of physiological effects entailed a moderate increase of blood pressure and heart rate parameters that were lower than that of MDMA by comparison.

Published: March 13, 2018
Journal: Frontiers in Pharmacology
Authors: Souza, D. C. D., Pérez, C., Papaseit, E., Farré, M., Pérez-Mañá, C., Torrens, M., Ventura, M., Pujadas, M., De La Torre, R., González, D.

Open Accessindividual

Acute Effects of the Novel Psychoactive Drug 2C-B on Emotions

This open-label study (n=20) in healthy volunteers found that a 20mg self-administered dose of 2C-B produced predominantly positive subjective effects, including euphoria and mild hallucinogenic states, reduced anger, and caused mild cardiovascular stimulation, while also increasing reactivity to negative emotional stimuli and impairing recognition of happiness, supporting its classification as an entactogen with psychedelic properties.

Published: January 1, 2015
Journal: BioMed Research International
Authors: González, D., Torrens, M., Farré, M.

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Academic Research

Acute dose-dependent effects of 4-bromo-2,5-dimethoxyphenethylamine (2C-B) compared with 3,4-methylenedioxymethamphetamine (MDMA) and psilocybin in a double-blind, placebo-controlled study in healthy participants

The forgotten psychedelic: Spatiotemporal mapping of brain organisation following the administration of 2C-B and psilocybin

Psilocybin and 4-Bromo-2,5-Dimethoxyphenethylamine (2C-B) at Encoding Distort Episodic Familiarity

Assessment of the acute effects of 2C-B vs psilocybin on subjective experience, mood and cognition

Acute pharmacological effects of 2C-B in humans: An observational study

Acute Effects of the Novel Psychoactive Drug 2C-B on Emotions

Clinical Trials

Acute Effects of 2C-B Compared With MDMA and Psilocybin in Healthy Subjects (2C-B)

Sub(acute) Profiling of 2C-B Versus Psilocybin

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