Alpha-PCYP is classified as a novel stimulant and substituted cathinone. In layman’s terms, it’s a stimulant drug that is similar to the Khat plant, but gives signs and symptoms of influence similar to cocaine and methamphetamine. Alpha-PCYP was developed last year, but has been showing up in crime labs recently. Novel stimulants like Alpha-PCYP have also caused adverse events, including deaths, as described in prior studies. Structurally similar compounds include alpha-pyrrolidinopentiophenone (alpha-PVP), alphapyrrolidinobutiophenone (alpha-PBP), alpha-pyrrolidinohexanophenone (alpha-PHP), and alphapyrrolidinoisohexanophenone (alpha-PiHP). Alpha-PVP, alpha-PHP, and alpha-PBP are Schedule I substances in the United States; alpha-PCYP is not explicitly scheduled. The potency of alpha-PCYP was previously studied alongside similar pyrrolidine cathinone analogues, in which alpha-PCYP was found to be twice as potent as alpha-PVP.
It’s Worse than Flakka
Some people call these types of drugs Bath Salts. Alpha-PCYP is similar to a drug called “Flakka”, which was being used throughout southern Florida. However, Alpha-PCYP is twice as potent. If this drug were to become widespread, we could anticipate worse problems than we saw in Florida a few years ago.
Pricing and Effects of Alpha-PCYP
Alpha-PCYP is sold widely by Chinese chemical suppliers on the open internet. Currently, most companies are charging $1 per gram. It comes as a solid crystalline, much like methamphetamine. A dosage unit, according to users reporting on the internet, is 1/10th of a gram. Many users turn to reddit and other online sources to describe their use of the drug by writing “trip reports.” One reddit user described his high:
- Ingested about 10mg. Felt some stimulation as before, though it lasted longer, maybe 2-4 hours.
- I attempted to smoke a couple more times in about 10-15mg increments. Maybe I’m a noob but it seemed hard to vaporize without burning. I did manage to inhale a bit of it and felt some euphoria. And then once I started to get the hang of it I of course broke my pipe trying to clean it.
The same user described taking the drug rectally (please not, “boofing” is taking a drug rectally):
Boofed 10mg in solution. It appears to be water soluble, but it takes a long time to dissolve. I could only hold it in for less than 5 minutes since it made me have to shit, so I likely didn’t absorb all of it. Felt stimulation for about 1.5 hours, slight euphoria, and some bowel discomfort at first. I feel some burning in my rectum, perhaps due to causticity. I don’t think I would boof it again.
Signs and Symptoms
Abusing Alpha-PCYP can lead to a psychological dependence. Over time, the user develops a tolerance, meaning they have to take more to get the same effects. Some signs can include:
- Redness of the skin
- Slurred speech
- Depression
- Rapid eye movements
- Insomnia|
- Irritability
- Antsy behavior
- Loss of coordination
- Disorientation
- Respiratory distress
- Nausea and vomiting
- Psychotic episodes and hallucinations
- Slowed movement
- Impaired cognitive function
- Numbness
- Elevated heart rate and blood pressure
- Impaired judgment
- Impaired motor function
- Distorted perceptions of sight and sound
