^ That would imply that the dose of mescaline needed by injection would be a hell of a lot less, but as far as I know, the IM dose of mescaline isn't much less than the oral dose.
The 3,4,5-trimethoxy substitution probably allows the mescaline molecule to fit into the active site of MAO, but doesn't allow it to change to active conformation. 2,4,5-THPEA is inactive orally, so it would seem that the 4,5-dimethoxy groups need to have the 3 position free to be metabolized by MAO (3-methoxy-4,5-methylenedioxy is supposedly active at around the 250mg mark, but doesn't produce it's unique effects until 400-500mg). That in comparison to 3,4-methylenedioxyPEA, which is also inactive orally (same thing as the 4,5-dimethoxy groups of 2,4,5-TMPEA).
Other than the 3,4,5-trisubstitution pattern, the 2,4,5-pattern compounds are active if the oxygen on the 4 position (the methoxy group) is replaced by another atom, such as chlorine or carbon (methyl group). The 2C-T-x series exert a significant MAOI activity because of the similarity between the oxygen and sulphur atoms. The S of methylthio group interacts with the active site in the same way oxygen does, but prevents change to the active conformation of the enzyme. Not only does it do this, but it refuses to get out of the active site, so effectively inhibiting the enzyme
) and had a hell of a trip. Long ago it was postulated that a similiar mechanism may be at work with mescaline, ie enzymatic or whatever activity in the body that because of the 2 carbon 3,4,5 pattern we encounter in nature our body has a limited ability to break this down, but once we get over around 200 mg of mescaline we are "overwhelmed" and the drug becomes active, which does correspond to the relatively steep does response curve above this amount. *warning* while this "speculation" wasnt conceived over bong hits it may well have been, i remember this idea being tossed around years ago but i dont believe there is anything but anecdotal evidence to support.....but back to the shamanic colonic....
