Yeti101

Ah that book again, I'll have to get a copy eh? Thanks for the tip. Either way I'm going to collect a stack of seeds later in the year as the uni here is covered in them (along with some other interesting looking specimens). I guess I'll just have to do some hands-on research for a change.

What are you talking about, Alcohol isn't the same as illegal drugs, Miranda Devine says so!

Yeah, Happy Birthday for yesterday

BUMP! I don't know how long it has been like this, but the Wikipedia (veritable fount of all knowledge worth knowing) has this sp as having 0.5- 2.0 % DMT in "fresh bark" giving a book in German as a reference. I call bullshit on this one, because the reference (which is in g00gle books) does not back this up, and nor does any other reference I can find. Send complaints about this http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Psychedelic_p...lic_tryptamines to WriterHound http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/User:WriterHound Anyway, I was reading about tryptamine the other day, particularly it's entry in TIKHAL: http://www.erowid.org/library/books_online.../tihkal53.shtml and here: Tryptophan metabolism: http://www.genome.jp/dbget-bin/www_bget?path:hsa00380. I'm pretty sure I don't understand most of this, but it sure is interesting stuff.

It seems that there are several Psychotria sp that either contain Hodgkinsine or related compounds. Psychotria beccarioides contains Psychotridine, which has u-opioid, but no NMDA antagonist activity (I did have a reference, but it might take me a few days to find it again). Where Hodgkinsine has 3 Nb-Methyltryptamine units, this compound is composed of 5. This sp is found in PNG. It is also found in Calycodendron milnei which is found "on Pacific Islands" (because that narrows it down!), but since Calycodendron is syn with Psychotria, I'm not sure what this actually is. It might be Psychotria lyciiflora and Psychotria oleoides, because these are apparently found in New Caledonia. As well as looking at Hodgkinsonia ovatiflora, I think some previously overlooked Psychotria species could be worthwhile. I know that for a long time I was only interested in them if they contained a less obscure tryptamine, but this kind of compound opens up some interesting possibilities.

Here are some of the molecules:

Nice work T, Now we get to see how good everyones memory really is: Everyone remembers promising to send me loads of cool free stuff right?

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/

Certainly other factors have to be ruled out before you can make a really strong claim of cause and effect, rather than just correlation. What, something that shrinks your brain when you use it heavily for years is bad?

I heard about this recently as well. TRPV3 eh? I'll bet that it's not the only button that it pushes. Menthol interacts with both TRPV3 and TRPM8 and k-opioid receptors, so who knows what else is going on with incensole acetate.

Keep us posted. It's about time I met some more of you lot in the flesh

I certainly agree that things might be different if people would get used to the idea of not voting for the major parties. That said, in terms of electoral/constitutional reform, I'm not sure what the answer is. Voting systems such as the Quota-Borda system and Cumulative voting have been suggested to me as being able to lessen the tyranny and plutocracy of the majority, because they give the major political parties strong incentive to not earn the disapproval of minorities. But at this time I see electoral reform as pretty well dead in the country, so I wouldn't hold my breath.

From the ABC website: The New South Wales corruption watchdog has confirmed one of its workers is the girlfriend of a top crime investigator accused of trying to help with one of Australia's biggest-ever drug importations The Commissioner of the NSW Independent Commission Against Corruption, Jerrold Cripps, says Standen's girlfriend works for the watchdog in assessments and is on secondment from the Crime Commission. http://www.abc.net.au/news/stories/2008/06/04/2264305.htm

Eris eh? You're a fucking Discordian aren't you?

I can see this ending badly.

This is the Chill Space after all, so just chill, take a deep breath calm down and run that by me again in simpler terms.

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.

I couldn't work out why the crushed young leaves of this smelled so familiar, and then I realised, they smell like Vicks Vaporub!

I know I can get these over the web from other places, but I'd prefer to at least try to do my business here first. Sceletium emarcidum Sceletium sp. 'Nova' Helichrysum foetidum I'm also keen to lay my hands on some Trichocereus bridgesii and M.hostilis seeds but I don't really need them till closer to spring so they're not a top priority at the moment. Anyway, I only have little bits and pieces to trade currently so this may well end up being a cash transaction. Have a look at my trade list, but if there's nothing there that takes your fancy, I'm happy to pay.

Found one place that stocks it online in Aus so far: http://www.ahlanwasahlan.com.au/index.php?...3&subcat=81 Hopefully I can find a grocer up here that has it though.

It's not a bad idea. I've heard that to get elected to the federal Senate you need to get 14.3% of the votes (including preferences) in your state. I don't know what the equivalent is for state upper houses, but you get the idea. With enough money, connections, friends and lots of luck you might get in. But politics is a nasty, dirty business and I don't know if the personal cost would be too high.

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 was more thinking of this than any specific variety you are working on at them moment. Frivolous really, sorry.

Hey Daylight, this fits your criteria: low to the ground etc Pity I have no idea where to get it, and I can't even tell if it's ID'd properly Found it on http://www.robinssalvias.com/gallery1.shtm

I guess I'll see you all there