4F-EPH

4F-EPH (also known as 4'-fluoro-ethylphenidate) is a recently released designer drug and research stimulant of the substituted piperidine classes. It can be considered to be a close structural analog of ethylphenidate and methylphenidate (Ritalin) and likely acts as some form of monoamine reuptake inhibitor.

4F-EPH
Chemical Nomenclature
Common names	4F-EPH, 4-FEPH
Substitutive name	4-Fluoroethylphenidate
Systematic name	Ethyl 2-(4-fluorophenyl)-2-(piperidin-2-yl)acetate
Class Membership
Psychoactive class	Stimulant
Chemical class	Phenidate
Routes of Administration
WARNING: Always start with lower doses due to differences between individual body weight, tolerance, metabolism, and personal sensitivity. See responsible use section. ⇣ Oral Dosage Threshold < 5 mg Light 5 - 10 mg Common 10 - 15 mg Strong 15 - 30 mg Heavy 30 mg + Duration Total 5 - 6 hours Onset 10 - 25 minutes After effects 4 - 12 hours DISCLAIMER: PW's dosage information is gathered from users and resources for educational purposes only. It is not a recommendation and should be verified with other sources for accuracy.
Interactions

Summary sheet: 4F-EPH

4F-EPH has little to no history of human usage prior to its design and distribution by vendors online as a research chemical in 2016. It was initially developed as a replacement for ethylphenidate which became illegal in the United Kingdom due to a temporary blanket ban that was placed. Like other members of the substuted phenidate family anecdotal reports suggest that 4F-EPH can be caustic to the nasal cavities, although notably, not as much as ethylphenidate.

Chemistry

4F-EPH, or 4-fluoroethylphenidate, is a synthetic molecule of the substituted phenethylamine class. It contains a phenethylamine core featuring a phenyl ring bound to an amino -NH2 group through an ethyl chain. It is structurally similar to amphetamine, featuring a substitution at R_α which is incorporated into a piperdine ring ending at the terminal amine of the phenethylamine chain. It contains an ethyl acetate bound to R₂ of its structure and is fluorinated at R₄ of its phenyl ring.

4F-EPH is the 4-substituted flourine derivative of ethylphenidate, and is structurally different to methylphenidate by elongation of the carbon chain and the addition of a fluorine group. Ethyl- regards the side chain of two carbon atoms, phen- indicates the phenyl ring, id- is contracted from a piperidine ring, and -ate indicates the acetate group containing the oxygens. 4F-EPH is a chiral compound, presumably produced as a racemic mixture.

Pharmacology

4F-EPH is believed to act as a higher efficiency dopamine reuptake inhibitor than the closely related methylphenidate, meaning that it effectively boosts the levels of dopamine neurotransmitters in the brain by binding to and partially blocking the transporter proteins that normally remove those monoamines from the synaptic cleft. This allows dopamine to accumulate within the certain focalized regions of the brain, resulting in stimulating and euphoric effects.

Subjective effects

This subjective effects section is a stub. As such, it is still in progress and may contain incomplete or wrong information. You can help by expanding or correcting it.

The effects listed below are based upon the subjective effects index and personal experiences of PsychonautWiki contributors. The listed effects will rarely (if ever) occur all at once, but heavier dosages will increase the chances and are more likely to induce a full range of effects.

Physical effects

• Stimulation
• Dehydration
• Appetite suppression
• Increased heart rate
• Teeth grinding - This component can be considered to be less intense when compared with that of MDMA.

Cognitive effects

• Thought acceleration
• Analysis enhancement
• Wakefulness
• Focus enhancement
• Motivation enhancement
• Euphoria
• Cognitive fatigue
• Increased music appreciation

After effects

The effects which occur during the offset of a stimulant experience generally feel negative and uncomfortable in comparison to the effects which occurred during its peak. This is often referred to as a "comedown" and occurs because of neurotransmitter depletion. Its effects commonly include:

• Anxiety
• Cognitive fatigue
• Depression
• Irritability
• Motivation suppression
• Thought deceleration
• Wakefulness

Toxicity and harm potential

Main article: Research chemicals § Toxicity and harm potential

The toxicity and long-term health effects of recreational 4F-EPH use do not seem to have been studied in any scientific context and the exact toxic dosage is unknown. This is because 4F-EPH is a research chemical with very little history of human usage. Anecdotal evidence from people who have tried 4F-EPH suggests that there are no negative health effects attributed to simply trying the drug by itself at low to moderate doses and using it very sparingly (but nothing can be completely guaranteed).

It is strongly recommended that one use harm reduction practices when using this drug.

Tolerance and addiction potential

As with other stimulants, the chronic use of 4F-EPH can be considered moderately addictive with a high potential for abuse and is capable of causing psychological dependence among certain users. When addiction has developed, cravings and withdrawal effects may occur if a person suddenly stops their usage.

Tolerance to many of the effects of 4F-EPH develops with prolonged and repeated use. This results in users having to administer increasingly large doses to achieve the same effects. After that, it takes about 3 - 7 days for the tolerance to be reduced to half and 1 - 2 weeks to be back at baseline (in the absence of further consumption). 4F-EPH presents cross-tolerance with [[Cross-tolerance::all dopaminergic stimulants]], meaning that after the consumption of 4F-EPH all stimulants will have a reduced effect.

Dangerous interactions

Warning: Many psychoactive substances that are reasonably safe to use on their own can suddenly become dangerous and even life-threatening when combined with certain other substances. The following list provides some known dangerous interactions (although it is not guaranteed to include all of them).

Always conduct independent research (e.g. Google, DuckDuckGo, PubMed) to ensure that a combination of two or more substances is safe to consume. Some of the listed interactions have been sourced from TripSit.

• "[[DangerousInteraction" contains a listed "[" character as part of the property label and has therefore been classified as invalid.]] & "[[DangerousInteraction" contains a listed "[" character as part of the property label and has therefore been classified as invalid.]] - 25x compounds are highly stimulating and physically straining. Combinations with 4F-EPH should be strictly avoided due to the risk of excessive stimulation and heart strain. This can result in increased blood pressure, vasoconstriction, panic attacks, thought loops, seizures, and heart failure in extreme cases.
• "[[UncertainInteraction" contains a listed "[" character as part of the property label and has therefore been classified as invalid.]] - Combining alcohol with stimulants can be dangerous due to the risk of accidental over-intoxication. Stimulants mask alcohol's depressant effects, which is what most people use to assess their degree of intoxication. Once the stimulant wears off, the depressant effects will be left unopposed, which can result in blackouts and severe respiratory depression. If mixing, the user should strictly limit themselves to only drinking a certain amount of alcohol per hour.
• "[[UnsafeInteraction" contains a listed "[" character as part of the property label and has therefore been classified as invalid.]] - Combinations with DXM should be avoided due to its inhibiting effects on serotonin and norepinephrine reuptake. There is an increased risk of panic attacks and hypertensive crisis, or serotonin syndrome with serotonin releasers (MDMA, methylone, mephedrone, etc.). Monitor blood pressure carefully and avoid strenuous physical activity.
• "[[UnsafeInteraction" contains a listed "[" character as part of the property label and has therefore been classified as invalid.]] - Any neurotoxic effects of MDMA are likely to be increased when other stimulants are present. There is also a risk of excessive blood pressure and heart strain (cardiotoxicity).
• "[[UncertainInteraction" contains a listed "[" character as part of the property label and has therefore been classified as invalid.]] - Some reports suggest combinations with MXE may dangerously increase blood pressure and increase the risk of mania and psychosis.
• "[[UncertainInteraction" contains a listed "[" character as part of the property label and has therefore been classified as invalid.]] - Both classes carry a risk of delusions, mania and psychosis, and these risk may be multiplied when combined.
• "[[UnsafeInteraction" contains a listed "[" character as part of the property label and has therefore been classified as invalid.]] - 4F-EPH may be dangerous to combine with other stimulants like cocaine as they can increase one's heart rate and blood pressure to dangerous levels.
• "[[DangerousInteraction" contains a listed "[" character as part of the property label and has therefore been classified as invalid.]] - Tramadol is known to lower the seizure threshold and combinations with stimulants may further increase this risk.
• "[[DangerousInteraction" contains a listed "[" character as part of the property label and has therefore been classified as invalid.]] - This combination may increase the amount of neurotransmitters such as dopamine to dangerous or even fatal levels. Examples include syrian rue, banisteriopsis caapi, and some antidepressants.
• MDMA - The neurotoxic effects of MDMA may be increased when combined with other stimulants.
• Cocaine - This combination may increase strain on the heart.

Legal issues

This legality section is a stub. As such, it may contain incomplete or wrong information. You can help by expanding it.

• United Kingdom - It is illegal to produce, supply, or import this drug under the Psychoactive Substance Act, which came into effect on May 26th, 2016.

See also

• Responsible use
• Designer drug
• Methylphenidate
• Ethylphenidate
• Stimulant
• Substituted phenidate