6-APB

6-APB, informally sold as 'Benzo Fury', is a synthetic entactogen and stimulant of the benzofuran class, structurally related to MDA. It was first made in research settings and emerged around 2010 as a 'legal high' sold as a research chemical, in powder, pellet, or tablet form. It never became mainstream but briefly gained popularity in club scenes before being banned in several countries.

6-APB acts as a releaser and reuptake inhibitor of serotonin, dopamine, and norepinephrine, raising their levels in the brain in a manner similar to MDA and MDMA, which produces its stimulant and empathogenic effects. Like related compounds it also has activity at serotonin 5-HT2 receptors. Its agonism at the 5-HT2B receptor raises specific concern about heart-valve toxicity with repeated use, a risk shared with other 5-HT2B agonists.

Reported effects resemble MDMA — euphoria, emotional openness, energy, and heightened senses — often with a slower onset and longer duration, which can lead users to redose. Physical effects include raised heart rate and blood pressure, dilated pupils, jaw tension, and insomnia. Because it is little studied, its effects and risks are poorly characterized.

6-APB has only a brief history of human use and little formal safety data, so its risks are poorly understood — an uncertainty that is itself dangerous. It has been linked to deaths in the UK and Sweden, alone and in combination. As a strong serotonin releaser it strains the cardiovascular system and can cause overheating (hyperthermia), and its long duration and slow onset invite redosing that compounds the load. Its 5-HT2B activity raises concern about heart-valve damage with repeated use. Combining it with other serotonergic drugs — SSRIs, MAOIs, other stimulants or empathogens — raises the risk of serotonin syndrome, a potentially fatal reaction. A specific market hazard: products sold as 'Benzo Fury' have on analysis contained other, sometimes more dangerous substances rather than 6-APB, and any illicit pill or powder may be adulterated, including with fentanyl. Identity and dose cannot be judged by eye. Anyone with a very high temperature, chest pain, seizures, collapse, or severe agitation needs emergency care — call 911, and Poison Control at 1-800-222-1222 can advise. This page has not yet been medically reviewed.