4-HO-DET, also known as ethocin, is a synthetic tryptamine with a hydroxy group at the 4-position of the indole ring and two ethyl groups attached to the terminal nitrogen. It is structurally related to psilocin, but its N,N-diethyl substitution gives it a distinct receptor profile. Laboratory studies have confirmed agonist activity at several serotonin receptors, although human clinical evidence remains limited.
Chemistry and identification
4-HO-DET is 4-hydroxy-N,N-diethyltryptamine. It belongs to the 4-substituted tryptamine group and is sometimes discussed alongside 4-AcO-DET, its acetylated analogue. The two compounds are chemically distinct: one carries a free hydroxy group, while the other has an acetate ester.
Receptor pharmacology
A 2023 study examined 4-HO-DET at human 5-HT1A, 5-HT2A and 5-HT2C receptors. It showed agonist activity at 5-HT2A, with an EC50 of approximately 296 nM and efficacy around 80% of the serotonin reference response. The study also found activity at 5-HT2C and 5-HT1A, demonstrating that its pharmacology is not restricted to one receptor subtype (Kozell and colleagues, 2023).
Reported effects
Published descriptions of 4-HO-DET are largely based on user reports and older descriptive literature. Accounts compare its effects with other 4-hydroxy tryptamines and describe changes in perception, thought and mood. These accounts are not controlled clinical observations and cannot predict an individual response.
The laboratory receptor findings support a serotonergic mechanism associated with psychedelic activity, but they cannot determine how a person will experience the compound or how long effects may last.
Metabolism and clinical evidence
There is no well-established human pharmacokinetic profile for 4-HO-DET. Its acetoxy analogue, 4-AcO-DET, has been examined in human liver S9 preparations and zebrafish larvae, but those findings do not establish the metabolism of 4-HO-DET itself (Gampfer and colleagues, 2024).
No controlled human safety study has defined its acute toxic range, dependence potential or long-term effects. The available evidence is stronger for receptor activity than for clinical outcomes.
Research limitations
4-HO-DET is better characterised pharmacologically than many newer tryptamines, but the evidence still relies heavily on in-vitro assays and anecdotal descriptions. Findings for 4-HO-DMT or 4-AcO-DET cannot substitute for clinical evidence about 4-HO-DET itself.
Related tryptamines
4-HO-DET is related to 4-AcO-DET, 4-HO-DiPT, 4-HO-MET and 4-HO-DPT. Its N,N-diethyl group distinguishes it from the diisopropyl and mixed-alkyl analogues.
