Chemistry
Tryptamine
A class of organic compounds that share an indole ring structure, including many well-known psychedelics.
Many psychedelic substances are tryptamines, including psilocybin, DMT, and 5-MeO-DMT. They tend to act on serotonin receptors, particularly the 5-HT2A receptor, which is believed to mediate their consciousness-altering effects. The tryptamine backbone is also found in serotonin itself and in melatonin, suggesting a deep evolutionary relationship between these signaling molecules and the compounds that modulate them.