MDEA (Eve)
MDEA (3,4-methylenedioxy-N-ethylamphetamine, "Eve") is the N-ethyl homolog of MDMA. It produces a milder, more sedating and less euphoric entactogenic effect than MDMA, with a shorter duration. It shares the same serotonergic mechanism and neurotoxicity, hyperthermia, and serotonin-syndrome concerns.
01 Overview
MDEA appeared as a legal MDMA substitute in the 1980s before being scheduled. Users describe it as a softer, more introspective and physically heavier version of MDMA with less pronounced euphoria and shorter effects, around 3-5 hours.
Several fatalities in the 1990s ecstasy scene were attributed to MDEA-containing tablets, usually involving hyperthermia. It is controlled in most countries.
02 Mechanism
Substrate-type releaser at the serotonin transporter with weaker dopamine/norepinephrine activity than MDMA, producing more serotonergic and sedating effects relative to stimulation.
03 Dosing
| Tier | Dose | Route | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Light | 50–100 mg | Oral | Threshold-to-light |
| Common | 100–200 mg | Oral | Typical dose; less potent by weight than MDMA |
04 Effects
| Effect | Magnitude | Evidence | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Gentle empathogenesisEmotional openness and calm sociability, softer than MDMA. | Moderate | Anecdotal | |
| Sedation and body heavinessMore relaxing and less stimulating than MDMA. | Moderate | Anecdotal |
05 Side effects
| Effect | Severity | Frequency | Evidence | Countermeasures |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| HyperthermiaOverheating, particularly in warm, crowded settings; historically linked to MDEA tablet fatalities. | Life-threatening | Uncommon but implicated in deaths | Observational | |
| Serotonergic neurotoxicitySerotonergic axonal damage in animal models similar to MDMA. | Severe | Dose-dependent, uncertain in humans | Preclinical | |
| Serotonin syndromeHyperthermia, agitation, and autonomic instability with serotonergic drug combinations. | Life-threatening | Rare, higher with serotonergic combinations | Observational |