I'm wondering what it is (if anything) that I can do to change the legal status of certain plants, or at least halt the progression of criminalisation of others? can the TGA be lobbied? Can MP's do anything? Would they do anything? Even the Greens have stated that they do not support legalising any drug that is currently illegal.
Should we make the TGA's job as difficult and costly as possible, within the bounds of the law of course - and then complain about the cost to the tax-payer? Maybe. Or not as I think the TGA actually turns a considerable profit.
Should we put all our efforts into finding new plants and novel actives not covered by existing laws/shedules? Almost certainly
Should we take action that attacks the analogue clauses eg: try to get chocolate made illegal as an analogue of 'naughty' PEA's? Not sure.
I worry that an ill-thought-out action could only make matters worse. But I would love to see the TGA drown in red tape, that is for sure.
I know that it takes a lot of people to make a difference, and that we need to be patient, but I want there to be something constructive that we can do now.
Edit: We should all also develop an interest in a career in politics.
"Naming a phantom – the quest to find the identity of Ulluchu, an unidentified ceremonial plant of the Moche culture in Northern Peru"
http://www.ethnobiomed.com/content/5/1/8
Also cool.
Haves
Note - I've just moved, so some of this stuff I have less available than usual, and it might take me longer to get my act together than I'd like.
Seeds:
M.G. Heavenly Blue - have plenty of these
Hemia salicifolia (and who doesn't?) Shitloads!
The rest I only have a small amount of each:
Delosperma bosseranum
Salvia splendens
Withania somniferum
L.williamsii
T. spach cuts - about 48cm tip and 40cm (I think) center cuts, some scarring and sunburn.
Other stuff I'll have for trade in spring will (hopefully) include:
Artemnisia verlotiorum plantlets
D.bosseranum plants
Sceletium tortuosum plants/cuttings
Salvia elegans - Pinapple Sage
Salvia involucrata (?)
Erythrina sp seeds and plant material
Plants/cuttings:
Bramhi
Aptenia cordifolia
Wants
Fittonia sp especial albivenis or verschaffeltii
Geogenanthus sp
M.hostilis
Any Cacti!
The Victorian drug statistics handbook 2003: Patterns of drug use and related harm in Victoria
http://www.health.vic.gov.au/drugservices/downloads/hbook_2003.pdf Not much use, messy and inconsistent stats - sometimes MDMA is included as a hallucinogen ( eg for health reporting purposes), sometimes not
2007 National Drug Strategy
Household Survey
http://www.aihw.gov.au/publications/phe/ndshs07-df/ndshs07-df.pdf Form of hallucinogens used, recent users aged 14 years or older - Datura/angel’s trumpet comes in at a staggering 4.7%, but they admit there isRESEARCH CHEMICAL DRUG USE a "Relative standard error greater than 50%."
AUSTRALIAN DRUG TRENDS 2010
Findings from the
Illicit Drug Reporting System (IDR
http://ndarc.med.unsw.edu.au/NDARCWeb.nsf/resources/Conference1/$file/IDRS+&+EDRS+2010.pdf - Not a lot of people using tropanes, though why it was included under the heading of "RESEARCH CHEMICAL DRUG USE" is a mystery...(Thanks for this qualia )
Louisiana State law banning a number of plants, including such deadly varieties as Mugwort, Lions tail and Damiana: http://www.legis.state.la.us/billdata/streamdocument.asp?did=722309
and their law that banned Salvia Divinorum, plus datura, galangal (yes, that's right), Calea and many more.
But don't feel left out, our glorious federal government is giving their own band of stupidity a red-hot go
Apocynum venetum http://0-www.thieme-connect.com.library.ne.../s-2008-1075172
Planta Med 2008; 74
DOI: 10.1055/s-2008-1075172
Anxiolytic Activity of Apocynum venetum L. and its Proposed Mechanism of Action
O Grundmann1, J Nakajima2, V Butterweck1
1 College of Pharmacy, Department of Pharmaceutics,University of Florida, FL, 32610, USA
2 Tokiwa Phytochemical Co., Chiba 285–0801, Japan
Apocynum venetum (AV, Apocynaceae) is a wild shrub native to parts of northern Asia and the Mediterranean region. A leaf extract from AV has been shown to possess various beneficial effects including antidepressant and anxiolytic activities [1]. This study evaluated further the anxiolytic-like activity of five fractions (A, B, C, D, and E) prepared from an ethanolic AV leaf extract using the elevated plus-maze (EPM) test in mice. Male C57BL/6 mice were either treated orally with AV extract and fractions or diazepam and buspirone as positive control 1 hour before behavioral evaluation in the EPM. A single treatment of AV extract markedly increased the percentage time spent on the open arms of the EPM in doses of 30 mg/kg p.o. and 125 mg/kg p.o., indicating an anxiolytic-like activity. These anxiolytic-like effects were partially antagonized by the benzodiazepine antagonist flumazenil (3 mg/kg i.p.) and the 5-HT1A receptor antagonist WAY-100635 (0.5 mg/kg i.p.). Active fractions of AV according to 30 (fractions C, D, and E) and 125 (fractions A, C, and E) mg/kg of whole extract were also antagonized using flumazenil and WAY-100635. While flumazenil blocked the anxiolytic action of the fractions in a dose equivalent to 125 mg/kg whole extract, WAY-100635 antangonized the fractions according to 30 mg/kg of AV extract. In conclusion, these results indicate that the anxiolytic activity of an AV extract acts via both the GABA (in 125 mg/kg) and serotonin (in 30 mg/kg) receptor systems in a dose dependent manner. References: [1] Grundmann O, et al. (2007)J Ethnopharmacol. 110(3): 406–11.
Salvia cinnabarina http://0-www.thieme-connect.com.library.ne...5/s-2004-818954
A New Diterpenoid with Antispasmodic Activity from Salvia cinnabarina
From the leaf surface exudate of the aerial parts of Salvia cinnabarina a new secoisopimarane diterpenoid with a non-specific spasmolytic activity on histamine-, acetylcholine-, and barium chloride-induced contractions in the isolated guinea-pig ileum was obtained. The IC50 value obtained was comparable with that obtained for papaverine. The structure of 3,4-secoisopimara-4(18),7,15-triene-3-oic acid was established by 1D and 2D NMR spectroscopic techniques.
Egletes viscosa http://0-www.thieme-connect.com.library.ne...5/s-2006-931564
http://rain-tree.com/macela.htm
12-Acetoxyhawtriwaic Acid Lactone, a Diterpene from Egletes viscosa, Attenuates Capsaicin-Induced Ear Edema and Hindpaw Nociception in Mice: Possible Mechanisms
Caroline M. Melo1, Juliana L. Maia1, Ítalo J. M. Cavalcante1, Mary Anne S. Lima2, Gizelle Angela B. Vieira2, Edilberto R. Silveira2, Vietla S. N. Rao1, Flávia A. Santos1
1 Department of Physiology and Pharmacology, Federal University of Ceará, Fortaleza, CE, Brazil
2 Department of Organic and Inorganic Chemistry, Federal University Ceará, Fortaleza, CE, Brazil
Abstract
The diterpene, 12-acetoxyhawtriwaic acid lactone (AHAL, tanabalin) isolated from the flower buds of Egletes viscosa Less. (Asteraceae) was evaluated on capsaicin-induced ear edema and hindpaw nociception in mice. AHAL (12.5, 25 and 50 mg/kg, p. o.) significantly attenuated the ear edema response to topically applied capsaicin (250 μg), in a dose-related manner. At similar doses, AHAL also suppressed the nocifensive paw-licking behavior induced by intraplantar injection of capsaicin (1.6 μg). These responses to capsaicin were also greatly inhibited by ruthenium red (3 mg/kg, s. c.), a non-competitive capsaicin receptor (TRPV1) antagonist. The anti-edema effect of http://www.shaman-australis.com/forum/inde...id=542&st=0
The Corroboree -> Edit entry Yeti101's BlogAHAL (50 mg/kg) seems unrelated to either blockade of mast cell degranulation or to histamine and serotonin receptor antagonism since AHAL did not modify the paw edema response induced by intraplantar injections of compound 48/80, histamine or serotonin. However, the hindpaw edema induced by substance P and vascular permeability increase induced by intraperitoneal acetic acid were significantly suppressed by AHAL. The antinociceptive effect of AHAL (50 mg/kg) was unaffected by naloxone pretreatment but was significantly antagonized by theophylline and glibenclamide, the respective blockers of adenosine and KATP-channels. AHAL (50 mg/kg, p. o.) did not impair the ambulation or motor coordination of mice in open-field and rota-rod tests. These data suggest that AHAL inhibits acute neurogenic inflammation possibly involving capsaicin-sensitive TRPV1-receptors, endogenous adenosine and ATP-sensitive potassium channels.
Perovskia Tetracyclic diterpenes(?) http://0-www.thieme-connect.com.library.ne...5/s-2006-951766
KT botanicals has Perovskia atriplicifolia listed as potentially interesting - roots apparently has similar phytochems as Salvia miltiorrhiza.
Aquired a couple of new things the other day:
Perovskia atriplicifolia 'Blue Spire' This stuff smells great! Can't wait to test the roots for activity,
Salvia 'Blue Chiquita' This will probably turn out to be nothing spectacular. But no one seems to know what sp it actually is. Have tasted it: Leaves have a strange odour, like both officianalis and Pineapple sage at the same time. It is also fiercely bitter in a way that I have not tasted for a long time. Will post follow ups later;)
Faucaria tigrina
I noticed that there seems to be much more effort (per head of community population) going into researching alternative (not currently in popular useage in the west) entheogens in Australian based communities such as the Coroborree, than there is at eDot or TheNook ( at least until recently). European enthnonbotay sites such as Psychonaut.com have virtually no knew research done by members.
Now there are a number of viable explanations I'm sure.
But here is what I think: Australia had Salvia Divinorum and Kratom made illegal first, and has more restrictions on what can be openly traded. In the US, Salvia is still legal in most states, as is Kratom.
Having Salvia and Kratom legal has caused the US communities to rely on them, and having no reason to research alternatives, they didn't. We on the other hand, have had years of incentive to search for alternatives.
I believe the current increase in interest in alternatives can be mapped against the beginning of the state by state legislation to criminalise Salvia Divinorum, and too a lesser extent Kratom.
Hypothesis: Hostile legislation drives innovative enthnogenic grassroots research.
If his is true, then as Salvia and Kratom (in particular, but not exclusively) are legislated against in more states of the US, more people will put effort into finding alternatives. More people looking equals more potential finds.
A good sociologist should be able test this, especially in retrospective.
It's interesting to note that in countries where salvia and other entheogens are more widely available commercially, this commercial activity does not seem to drive innovation, but often the opposite. If vendors can keep selling Salvia d and Kratom, then why would they bother doing research, other than to find ever stronger extracts. This strikes me as particularly harmful, as the stronger extracts make easier targets (ironically) for hostile legislation.
Therefore I'd further hypothesise that commercialisation of trade in ethnobotanicals can have an adverse effect on their legality. Bt this is a bit more complicated. A better way of putting it might be: Commercialisation of trade in ethnobotanicals can have an adverse effect on their legality, in the absence of research aimed at laterally diversifying the range of species and products available, and a willingness of the vendors to embrace this diversification.
If you chase two rabbits, you will loose them both (Hopi proverb?) The anti-drug/anti-entheogen movement is part of the establishment, and can chase a lot of rabbits at once. In the pat we have given them too few rabbits, now we must endeavour to give them more than even they can chase.
So where does that leave us in term of what to do next. The first step is to avoid despair. A researcher at my uni just finished his PhD on how innovation drives sustainability at a systemic level. Well, if he is right the legislation is forcing us to become more sustainable. Essentially what we nee to do is this: Research, and lots of it. There are bound to be many more plants out there that are useful to us, and even if they are not, our speculations will make good reading for the people watching us, and they might well spend (waste) some time figuring out that we are barking up the wrong tree.
Vendors and customers need to increase the breadth of what they sell and what they buy (respectively). This will make it more difficult for the authorities to pick out an easy target.
Sadly, the hardest thing that we need to do, and this is a lesson that the US community is having a hard time learning, is stop making our activities so media accessible. Without this the previous two suggestions will be less effective, though I believe that they will still work to some extent.
Following the dicussion with Mindexpansion, JDanger, Vertemorphous etc, here is the start of my collection of relevant research. This will be transferred to a thread shortly, and (if I had my way), would be avalable through the eventual (possible) website set up to provide advocacy and information to defend ethnobotanical cultivation and practices. Note that due to my university web access most of these links won't work, so you may have to use the citation provided and find a copy yourself. Enjoy!
"Development of a rational scale to assess the harm of drugs of potential misuse"
Prof David Nutt FMedScia, , Leslie A King PhDb, William Saulsbury MAc and Prof Colin Blakemore FRSd, The Lancet, Volume 369, Issue 9566, 24 March 2007-30 March 2007, Pages 1047-1053. http://www.sciencedirect.com/science?_ob=A...1e5ba85078e08ff
Summary(Abstract)
Drug misuse and abuse are major health problems. Harmful drugs are regulated according to classification systems that purport to relate to the harms and risks of each drug. However, the methodology and processes underlying classification systems are generally neither specified nor transparent, which reduces confidence in their accuracy and undermines health education messages. We developed and explored the feasibility of the use of a nine-category matrix of harm, with an expert delphic procedure, to assess the harms of a range of illicit drugs in an evidence-based fashion. We also included five legal drugs of misuse (alcohol, khat, solvents, alkyl nitrites, and tobacco) and one that has since been classified (ketamine) for reference. The process proved practicable, and yielded roughly similar scores and rankings of drug harm when used by two separate groups of experts. The ranking of drugs produced by our assessment of harm differed from those used by current regulatory systems. Our methodology offers a systematic framework and process that could be used by national and international regulatory bodies to assess the harm of current and future drugs of abuse.
"The Use of Hallucinogens in the Treatment of Addiction"
Author: John H. Halpern
DOI: 10.3109/16066359609010756, Journal Addiction Research & Theory, Volume 4, Issue 2 June 1996 , pages 177 - 189
http://www.informaworld.com/smpp/content~c...84956538~db=all
Abstract
Research into treating drug dependence with hallucinogens, although promising, ended with questions still unanswered because of varying, in some cases skeptical, methodology and insufficient adherence to a double-blind, placebo-controlled design. Interest is again emerging, especially with the recent patenting in the United States of ibogaine for its apparent anti-craving properties. A review of the literature shows that these properties may be present across the entire family of hallucinogens. Potential efficacy may be tied to their agonism and antagonism at specific serotonin receptor sites. After the administration of a hallucinogen, there is a positive “afterglow” lasting weeks to months which might be extended through repeated dosing. Ibogaine and LSD both have lengthy periods of action, making their application unwieldy. However, tryptamines, such as N,N-Dimethyltryptamine (DMT), are so short-acting that they could easily be administered in an office setting. With numerous hallucinogens yet to be tested, a hallucinogen might well be discovered with superior anti-craving properties and non-deleterious side-effect profile.
From harm reduction to human rights: bringing liberalism back into drug reform debates"
Author: Andrew D. Hathaway
DOI: 10.1080/0959523021000023270, Drug and Alcohol Review, Volume 21, Issue 4 December 2002 , pages 397 - 404
http://www.informaworld.com/smpp/content~c...13659788~db=all
"Andrew Hathaway notes that harm reduction seldom articulates or acknowledges the moral foundation on which it might build to affect meaningful changes in policy. He argues that despite the rhetorical strengths of empiricism, an openly liberal, human rights orientation imbues rational argument with the principles needed to sustain pragmatic drug reform solutions. Liberalism, with its norms of social tolerance and respect for civil liberties, is presented here as key to the future development of harm reduction discourse as a way of advancing human rights themes in contemporary drug policy debates."
More to follow.
In searching for NMDA antagonists in nature, I came across this species. Research on it seems quite new (relatively).
Planta Medica 2000; 66: 770-772
"Antinociceptive Profile of Hodgkinsine"
To further understand the mechanism of analgesic activity and structural requirements of pyrrolidinoindoline alkaloids identified in Psychotria colorata, we here report the analgesic activity of the trimer hodgkinsine on thermal and chemical models of analgesia. Results show that hodgkinsine produces a dose-dependent naloxone reversible analgesic effect in thermal models of nociception, suggesting that activation of opioid receptors participates in hodgkinsine's mode of action. Hodgkinsine shows a potent dose-dependent analgesic activity against capsaicin-induced pain, indicating the participation of NMDA receptors in hodgkinsine-induced analgesia. Such a dual mechanism of action may be of interest for developing innovative analgesics.
http://0-www.thieme-connect.com.library.ne...055/s-2000-9604
"Synthesis of All Low-Energy Stereoisomers of the Tris(pyrrolidinoindoline) Alkaloid Hodgkinsine and Preliminary Assessment of Their Antinociceptive Activity"
The discovery that alkaloids isolated from Psychotria colorata Muell Arg (RUBIACEAE), a medicinal species traditionally used as an analgesic in the Brazilian Amazon,9 have a distinctive analgesic profile generated substantial interest.10-12 The mechanisms of action by which these alkaloids exert antinociceptive action were investigated by in vivo and in vitro techniques, particularly regarding their involvement with opioid and glutamatergic pathways.10,13-15 We reported that the natural alkaloid hodgkinsine (1) acts dose-dependently as a potent analgesic in mice.13 Hodgkinsine's effects in thermal models of nociception were naloxone reversible, suggesting that activation of opioid receptors is involved in its mode of action.13 Indeed, binding data revealed that hodgkinsine binds specifically to opioid receptors.15 Hodgkinsine also showed a potent dose-dependent analgesic effect in capsaicin-induced pain,13 suggesting the participation of NMDA receptors in its mode of action.
http://pubs.acs.org/cgi-bin/article.cgi/jo.../jo7013643.html
If this isn't worth looking into, I don't know what is.
One sourse has the common name as perpetua-do-mato, but this seems more commonly applied to Alternanthera brasiliana.
AKA(?): # Cephaelis amoena Bremek.
* Reference article Steyermark, J. et al. 1995. Flora of the Venezuelan Guayana Project.
# Cephaelis colorata Willd. ex Roem. & Schult.
* Reference article Steyermark, J. et al. 1995. Flora of the Venezuelan Guayana Project.
On a side note, perhaps some more research (on our part, and in our own way) into neuro-protective plants such as those that protect against serotonin syndrome, might be very constructive.
More to follow...
Links:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Psychotria_colorata
http://www.springerlink.com/content/n03277u1l9h3h363/
Evodia fruits (Evodia rutaecarpa, Rutaceae) "evodiamine shows the analgesic action by desensitizing sensory nerves" "The Nociceptive and Anti-Nociceptive Effects of Evodiamine from Fruits of Evodia rutaecarpa in Mice", Yoshinori Kobayashi, Planta Medica 2003; 69: 425-428
Distribution of Alkaloids in Some Western Australian Plants
T. E. H. Aplin and J. R. Cannon
Economic Botany, Vol. 25, No. 4 (Oct. - Dec., 1971), pp. 366-380
But there was also this: Ochrosia poweri
Alkaloids of Ochrosia poweri Bailey. II. The 2-acylindole stem-bark bases
B Douglas, JL Kirkpatrick, BP Moore and JA Weisbach
Abstract
Stem-bark of Ochrosia poweri Bailey furnished isoreserpiline, elliptamine, and three new indole alkaloids, ochropamine (C22H26O3N2), ochropine (C23H28O4N2), and powerchrine (C22H26O3N2). Ochropamine and ochropine are 2-acylindole derivatives closely related to the alkaloid vobasine. Their structures have been assigned as (XVI) and (XVII), respectively, by means of a combination of chemical and spectroscopic techniques.
Australian Journal of Chemistry 17(2) 246 - 255 http://www.publish.csiro.au/paper/CH9640246.htm
Also known as Neisosperma poweri http://plantnet.rbgsyd.nsw.gov.au/cgi-bin/...sosperma~poweri
Very interesting
Notes on an argument against criminalisation
What is the philosophical position of the TGA? Are they swayed by rational argument or only raw power? Determining these answers will provide direction in our way forward.
How to combat the position that any drug other than the legal 3 (Alcohol, Tobacco and Pharmaceuticals) should be criminalised? Well that depends on what underlies that position.
"If it's not broken don't fix it" conservatism - respond with 'but it is broken'
"Drugs are dangerous" So are the ones you can buy
"New drugs have unknown potential" - This isn't true as things like saliva are not 'new', so anecdotal data on long term effects is available at least. In any case 'old' drugs esp alcohol have known dangers. How do you weigh an unknown danger vs a known one? It is analytically (in philosophically at least) questionable at best.
"If as many people took new drug A as take old& legal drug B the sky would fall" - respond by calling them out on the basis for this. If everyone smoked SD instead of getting on the piss, then mayhem could ensue, except, if this scenario did come to pass, the situation would be necessarily different to the one we find ourselves in. In any case, what would they base this inference on? Where is the proof? This may be a convenient time to suggest a conspiracy.
"Hallucinogens are inherently bad" - Tricky. Construct parallel arguments showing all intoxicants are inherently bad and then perform reducto ad absurdum. Alternativelty argue that nothing is inherently bad and that any claim that hallucinogens are inherently bad is irrational. Denounces them in the media where you can.
No more obsessively scanning through electronic archives of other peoples work in search of exciting things!
Quit living vicariously and go bioassay something yourself!
"Effect of Triterpenoid Saponins from Bacopa monniera on Scopolamine-Induced Memory Impairment in Mice" Yun Zhou1, Ling Peng2, Wei-Dong Zhang3, De-Yun Kong4, Planta Medica, 2009; 75: 568-574
Given the mode of action this suggests, maybe brahmi can be utilised as a treatment or preventative when anticholinergic compounds are causing problems.
Polygala tenuifolia - Chinese Senega, Yuan Zhi
The methanol fraction of an ethanolic extract from the roots of Polygala tenuifolia Willd. showed antagonistic action on neurotoxicity induced by glutamate and serum deficiency in PC12 cells. Bioassay-guided fractionation led to the isolation of six new triterpenoid saponins, onjisaponins V - Z, and Vg (1 - 6), together with ten known saponins (7 - 16). The structures of 1 - 6 were elucidated by spectroscopic and chemical methods. Screening results indicated that compounds 1 - 16 showed neuroprotective effects against serum deficiency and glutamate at the concentration of 10-5 mol/L.
"Triterpenoid Saponins with Neuroprotective Effects from the Roots of Polygala tenuifolia" Planta Medica 2008; 74: 133-141
http://0-www.thieme-connect.com.library.ne.../s-2008-1034296
* amnesia
* anxiety, often combined with the herbs Kava, Passionflower, Schisandra and Zizyphus
* constrained emotions
* dream-disturbed sleep, often combined with the herb Schisandra
* excessive brooding
* fear, often combined with the herb Schisandra
* forgetfulness
* insomnia, often combined with the herb Schisandra
* mental disorientation
* neuresthenia, often combined with the herb Schisandra
* palpitations, often combined with the herbs Kava, Passionflower, Schisandra and Zizyphus
* pent-up emotional states
* restlessness
Interesting, I wonder what the mechanism of protection from glutamate toxicity is? Is it an NMDA receptor antagonist? NMDA receptor antagonists include things like ethanol, K, PCP, DXM, Ibogaine etc. Not only this, but some NDMA antagonists have other actions on GABA, 5HT and opioid receptors.
More research needed.
