PiHKAL

PiHKAL, short for Phenethylamines I Have Known and Loved, is a book by American chemist Alexander Shulgin with co-author Ann Shulgin. First published in 1991 by Transform Press, it serves as a comprehensive reference on phenethylamines, a class of psychoactive compounds, and their effects.

The work is structured in two parts. Part I presents individual phenethylamines with detailed synthesis procedures, dosage ranges, and duration of effects, accompanied by the authors’ qualitative notes from personal experimentation and observation. Part II comprises essays on the chemistry, pharmacology, and broader context of phenethylamines, expanding on the scientific and historical background behind the compounds.

PiHKAL catalogs a large number of phenethylamines, with many entries including specific dosage information and reported effects. The book is well known for including the authors’ experiential descriptions, as well as entries marked with information not listed when data were unavailable. It also notes the variability and uncertainties inherent in self-experimentation.

Publication of PiHKAL has influenced both psychedelic research and drug culture, and it has been the subject of controversy due to the inclusion of synthesis methods for psychoactive substances. In 1997, Shulgin and Shulgin published a companion volume, TiHKAL (Tryptamines I Have Known and Loved), which focuses on tryptamines. PiHKAL remains a frequently cited reference in discussions of phenethylamines, chemistry, and pharmacology, while also attracting scrutiny within drug policy debates.