Fungi an aphrodisiac for women? (Mamalo O Wahine)

[nabraxas]

from

http://www.bio.net/bionet/mm/mycology/2002-May/008772.html

"Perhaps the most interesting Hawaiian mushroom story involves legend

meeting reaity in the kipuka ecosystems of the Big Island. There is an

ancient legend in the Hawaiian Islands of a mushroom with peculiar

properties. The legend is known throughout the high islands of

Polynesia, the islands of Tahiti, Samoa, Rarotonga and the Marquesas

and in various forms throughout the world; all have similar tales. It

tells of women who encounter this mushroom in the forest and go into

fits of sexual ecstasy. Mushrooms: they are not just for dinner.

Kipukas are areas that have older vegetation than the surrounding

areas. This is the result of lava flows covering the surrounding

areas, missing the kipuka and sparing its vegetation. As a result,

there is a very large difference in the species and their size between

the outside and inside of a kipuka. Kipukas tend to be found in hot,

dry areas with a climate that almost mandates fast life cycles for

fungal species. A fungus similar to Dictyphora indusiata is one such

species.

The tropical version of D. indusiata must spread its spores via

insects. To attract insects to the kipuka rapidly and over great

distances, the lifetime of the fungus is often only three to four

hours, and its flesh is very pungent (so pungent, in fact, that it

attracts species other than insects).

It has been reported that women living on the Big Island gather to

seek out this fungus because its odor is arousing when sniffed. John

Holliday came across a nurse in a doctor's office whose mother

apparently engaged in this activity. This woman was curious if John

knew shy her mother and friends went out smelling mushrooms on Sunday

mornings.

In an attempt to confirm or deny the reputed effects, John Holliday

offered a fresh specimen for sniffing to a nubmer of randomly chosen

subjects, both male and female. Of 20 males who took part, all found

the smell repulsive and declined any further testing. No physiological

responses were noted in any of the male test subjects. Women, however,

found the smell pleasant. In a controlled clinical trial involving 16

women, six had orgasms while smelling the fruiting body of the fungus.

The other 10 experienced physiological changes, most notably increased

heart rates. These 10 received smaller doses, so it is possible their

responses were dose-related (I have a copy of a paper on this trial by

John Holliday and Noah Soule.) According to John, the results suggest

that the hormone-like compounds present in the volatile portion of the

spore mass may have some similarity to human neurotransmitters

released in females during sexual encounters.

The occurrence of mammalian pheromoes in the fungal kingdom is not

unprecedented. The tuber genus contains the chemical

alpha-androstenol. Attempts to isolate and identify the compounds in

the Dictyphora sp. with a gas chromatograph/mass spectrometer have

thus far failed.

As with the morels and boletes, I was unable to obtain any first-hand

validation. First, I was on Maui, not the Big Isaldn. Second, this was

my honeymoon and I thought such a mushroom experiment could have been

a deal breaker.

The legend says that only when the gods are pleased will they bring

forth this magical plant, the Mamalo o Wahine, the mushroom that makes

women go made with desire. And only if a woman leads a good and

virtuous life will the gods reward her with this special treat just

for her pleasure. Of course, you could lead a non-virtuous life and

get in the next clinical trial.

The above paragraphs are not a paid advertisement of the Hawaiian

Tourist Board."

[spiders]

sounds better than ketamine. I remember reading about the boletes in Papua New Guinea providing or allowing a similar reaction in participants, but i dont remember whether it was exclusively females.

Either way i want some!