Skip to main content
Psychedex
Article

MDEA Facts

Stimulant; Entactogen; MDxx; Serotonin releasing agent

Description

MDEA (3,4-methylenedioxy-N-ethylamphetamine) — Eve — is a synthetic empathogen of the phenethylamine class. It floods synapses with serotonin, dopamine, and norepinephrine,[1][2] producing the emotional warmth and openness that define the entactogen class.

Subjective effects include emotional warmth, mood elevation, mild stimulation, empathic openness, and subtle perceptual shifts.[3][4] The experience is quieter and more sedating than MDMA — more inwardly focused, with clear-headed warmth rather than outward social drive.

MDEA does not produce physical dependence; the acute dangers are overheating and cardiovascular stress.[5][6] Hot, crowded environments amplify the primary lethal pathway, and pre-existing heart conditions or MAOI drug combinations carry the highest individual risk.[4]

Dose and durationby route · individual sensitivity varies

Oral(mg)
Threshold< 40 mgLight40 – 80 mgCommon80 – 150 mgStrong150 – 200 mgHeavy200+ mg

Starts in 20 – 40 minLasts 3 – 6 hoursAfter-effects 2 – 24 hours

Body and dependence

Acute toxicity
Moderate
Chronic toxicity
Moderate
Physical dependence
Low
Psychological dependence
Moderate
Withdrawal
Mild
Compulsive redosing
Low

Tolerance

Builds
Rapid
Fully resets after
14 days
Carries over to
MDMA; MDA; serotonin releasing agents; stimulants

Effectslikely at a common dose

Perception
Touch enhancement; Music enhancement; +9 possible, including Visual haze / noise
Body
Spontaneous body sensations; Pupil dilation; Body high; Tactile euphoria; Body scan awareness; +27 possible, including Dehydration sensation, Excessive sweating, Bruxism
Thinking
Immersion enhancement; Openness enhancement; +24 possible, including Suggestibility enhancement, Memory suppression, Decision impairment
Feeling
Empathy enhancement; Euphoria; Emotional enhancement; +9 possible, including Depression, Emotional lability, Dysphoria
Self
Sociability enhancement; Social connection; Trust enhancement; +8 possible, including Craving, Social disconnection
Time
none likely · 3 possible, including Temporal disorientation
Transpersonal
none likely · 1 possible
Awareness
none likely · 3 possible

Who shouldn't take it

Absolute
Cardiac arrhythmia; Long QT syndrome; Pregnancy; MAO inhibitor therapy
Relative
Psychotic disorders; Hepatic impairment

Combinations62 recorded

Lethal (3)
Cocaine; MAOIs; Tramadol
Dangerous (33)
Anticholinergics; Atypical antipsychotics; Caffeine; Dopamine agonists; Ephedrine, Pseudoephedrine; Local anesthetics; MDMA, Amphetamines; MDMA, MDA; NDRIs (Wellbutrin); NRIs; Opioids; Psychedelics; SNRIs; SSRIs; Stimulants; 5-HTP, Tryptophan; Alpha-2 adrenergic receptor antagonist; Antihistamines; Antipsychotics; Buspirone; Clonidine, Guanfacine; DXM; GHB, Baclofen; GHB, GBL; and 9 more, see full page
Caution (23)
See full page: psychedex.org/substances/mdea
Not graded (3)
Not listed never means safe.

Seek help immediately if

  • Overheating / very high body temperature — heavy sweating, then hot dry skin (the leading cause of MDMA deaths, worse when dancing in hot venues)
  • Muscle rigidity, jaw clenching, tremor, or twitching (possible serotonin syndrome)
  • Fast, pounding heartbeat; chest pain
  • Agitation, confusion; seizures
  • Hyponatremia (water intoxication) — headache, confusion, drowsiness, vomiting, and seizures from drinking too much water
  • Nausea/vomiting; collapse or unconsciousness

What to do

  1. Move them somewhere cool and help them cool down — overheating is the main danger
  2. Sip water to stay hydrated but DO NOT overdrink — roughly a cup (250 ml) per hour if active; too much water can be deadly (hyponatremia)
  3. Get them to rest and stop dancing
  4. For overheating, seizures, chest pain, muscle rigidity/tremor, confusion, or unresponsiveness, call emergency services
  5. Recovery position if drowsy or vomiting; stay with them
  6. Be ready to give rescue breaths / CPR

Most resolve with cooling, rest, sensible hydration, and time. The life-threatening dangers are hyperthermia, serotonin syndrome, and hyponatremia (too much water) — each a medical emergency, not something to wait out.

988 Suicide & Crisis LifelineFireside Project: 62-FIRESIDE

Version r1 · Not medical advice

References

  1. [1]
    ^Nichols DE (1986) Differences between the mechanism of action of MDMA, MBDB, and the classic hallucinogens. Identification of a new therapeutic class: entactogens — Journal of Psychoactive Drugs PMID:2880944
  2. [2]
    ^Nichols DE (2022) Entactogens: How the Name for a Novel Class of Psychoactive Agents Originated — Frontiers in Psychiatry doi:10.3389/fpsyt.2022.863088
  3. [3]
    ^Freudenmann RW, Spitzer M (2004) The Neuropsychopharmacology and Toxicology of 3,4-methylenedioxy-N-ethyl-amphetamine (MDEA) — CNS Drug Reviews doi:10.1111/j.1527-3458.2004.tb00007.x
  4. [4]
    ^abGouzoulis-Mayfrank E, Hermle L, Kovar KA, Sass H (1996) Entactogenic drugs 'ecstasy' (MDMA), 'eve' (MDE) and other ring-substituted methamphetamine derivatives. A new class of substances among illegal designer drugs? — Der Nervenarzt PMID:9005345
  5. [5]
    ^Dowling GP, McDonough ET, Bost RO (1987) 'Eve' and 'Ecstasy'. A report of five deaths associated with the use of MDEA and MDMA — JAMA PMID:2881002
  6. [6]
    ^Gouzoulis E, von Bardeleben U, Rupp A, Kovar KA, Hermle L (1993) Neuroendocrine and cardiovascular effects of MDE in healthy volunteers — Neuropsychopharmacology PMID:8507346
Print version
Report an issue