It’s hard to picture a psychedelic more powerful than DMT (dimethyltryptamine) — especially its intense variant, 5-MeO-DMT (5-methoxy-N,N-dimethyltryptamine, also known as O-methyl-bufotenin).

This compound belongs to the tryptamine family, meaning it interacts with serotonin receptors to produce its profound psychoactive effects.

5-MeO-DMT occurs naturally in several plants and animals, but it’s most famously sourced from the Bufo alvarius toad (also called the Colorado River Toad or Sonoran Desert Toad). It’s also available in synthetic form, typically consumed by vaporizing, smoking, or insufflation (snorting).

Known for its rapid onset and extremely short duration, 5-MeO-DDM T delivers an experience that feels outside time and space. A single inhalation can launch users into an overwhelming state of expanded consciousness — a realm where some report encounters with strange entities or what have been described as “machine elves.” While the journey can feel endless, most people return to baseline in under 45 minutes.

Despite its brevity, an experience with 5-MeO-DMT can dramatically shift one’s outlook. Intense, awe-inspiring, and occasionally overwhelming, this compound’s power has the capacity to both humble and transform.