Evidence map›Paper›PMID 39838235›Full record

SynthesisClinical pharmacokinetics2025

Clinical Pharmacokinetics of N,N-Dimethyltryptamine (DMT): A Systematic Review and Post-hoc Analysis.

K V van der Heijden, M E Otto, J W Schoones, M J van Esdonk, L G J M Borghans, J G C van Hasselt, J M A van Gerven, G Jacobs

Abstract readSystematic Review
In one paragraph

Synthesis in Clinical pharmacokinetics, 2025. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 8 papers, 1 of them a synthesis that pooled it.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
8citing papers in PubMed, 1 pooled it
–field-weighted citation impact
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

8 citing papers in PubMed, 1 synthesis or guideline pooled it.

  1. Pooled it
  2. Trial
  3. Article
  4. Trip killers: Addressing a critical knowledge gap in psychedelic research.Journal of psychopharmacology (Oxford, England) · 2026
    Review
  5. Review
  6. Review
  7. Article
  8. Article
4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

8 authors.

K V van der HeijdenCentre for Human Drug Research (CHDR), Leiden, The Netherlands. kvdheijden@chdr.nl.ORCID 0009-0006-1783-357X
M E OttoCentre for Human Drug Research (CHDR), Leiden, The Netherlands.ORCID 0000-0002-5767-604X
J W SchoonesDirectorate of Research Policy, Leiden University Medical Center (LUMC), Leiden, The Netherlands.ORCID 0000-0003-1120-4781
M J van EsdonkIndependent Researcher, Leiden, The Netherlands.ORCID 0000-0001-8159-0273
L G J M BorghansCentre for Human Drug Research (CHDR), Leiden, The Netherlands.ORCID 0000-0001-5580-1153
J G C van HasseltLeiden Academic Centre for Drug Research (LACDR), Leiden University, Leiden, The Netherlands.ORCID 0000-0002-1664-7314
J M A van GervenCentre for Human Drug Research (CHDR), Leiden, The Netherlands.ORCID 0000-0002-1444-7415
G JacobsCentre for Human Drug Research (CHDR), Leiden, The Netherlands.

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

BACKGROUND AND

objectiveN,N-Dimethyltryptamine (DMT) is currently being studied for its therapeutic potential in various psychiatric disorders. An understanding of its pharmacokinetics (PK) is essential to determine appropriate dose ranges in future clinical studies. We conducted a systematic literature review on the PK of DMT.

methodsClinical studies that administered known amounts of DMT and reported PK data and/or parameters in humans were included. Additionally, raw PK data were requested from authors and/or extracted from publications.

resultsIn total, 219 references were retrieved, of which 13 publications were included, covering eight distinct datasets. All studies administered DMT intravenously in various infusion schemes, except for one intramuscular administration. High variability in dose-normalized exposure parameters and differences in exposure for bolus versus infusion administration were observed. DMT is extensively redistributed to other tissues, based on its biphasic elimination profile and high volume of distribution in the terminal elimination phase (range 123-1084 L). It is eliminated rapidly, with a half-life of 4.8-19.0 min and clearance of 8.1-46.8 L/min. This is a result of the rapid metabolization of DMT to indole-3-acetic acid (IAA), which is also reflected in the fact that the time of maximum concentration of IAA is similar to that of DMT.

conclusionThis review demonstrates that the PK of DMT in humans have been characterized to a limited extent, and publications lack details with regards to demographics, absolute doses, and PK parameters. Additional studies are necessary to investigate high intersubject variability and differences in exposure following bolus or prolonged infusion. Addressing these issues is essential for the development of DMT as a pharmacotherapeutic in neuropsychiatry.

Indexed as

N,N-DimethyltryptamineHalf-LifeHumansInfusions, IntravenousTissue DistributionN,N-Dimethyltryptamine

Identifiers

PMID39838235
PMCPMC11782443

What Socratic holds

Textmetadata
LicenceCC BY-NC
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Registered trials

None linked

Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the Socratic graph.