theobromos

You are aware that some Teucrium species are toxic to the liver?

The vegetarian Cordyceps eats a false truffle called Elaphomyces. These infected truffloids were sold in British markets as aphrodisiacs some time ago. It is found in Mexico and Britain to my certain knowledge, so probably some other places as well. I thought C.sinensis had been cultured on rice by Mycoherb?

Some Erythrinas have large quantities of the toxic N,N,N-trimethyl derivative of tryptophan - hypaphorine. I believe it has been suggested that distillation might produce methylmethanoate and DMT but destructive distillation is likely to produce a lot of nasty crap (a technical chemical term) including the possibility of skatole. Erythrina indica is the Parijata (Fairy Tree or Wishing Tree?) of India, sacred to Indra, a God closely associated with Soma.

I am intrigued by the possibility that opium or cannabis mixed with ephedra may have been the original soma, especially as traces of all these substances had been found on ritual vessels found in proto-hindu/proto-Zoroastrian temples in Central Asia. I know these plants have flowers, etc, but the vedic source could be referring to the fact that it is an extract that is the true Soma, not the plant it comes from. It has been contested that urine use seemed likely from the Vedic sources. So I have looked up the excretion of the relevant compounds in AC Moffat "Clarke´s Isolation and Identification of Drugs in pharmaceuticals, body fluids and post-morem material" 2nd Edition (1986, The Pharmaceutical Press). Ephedrine has 90% excreted in 24 hours, with 55-75% of the dose unchanged and 8-20% as norephedrine. In alkaline urine the proportion of norephedrine is increased. Morphine has 60% excreted in 24 hours, mostly in the still equally potent conjugates, such as morphine glucuronide. In acidic urine there is more free morphine. It is stated that an addict can tolerate ten times the minimum lethal dose of 200 mg. So, if we assume that the priests had a habit and that 50 mg were a sufficient entheogenic dose of morphine for the non-addicted parishioners then one priest could produce enough intoxicating urine for 24 people in 24 hours. Perhaps they also kept the urine for longer than a day. The priests´ use of ephedrine could be more excessive. The major excretion route of THC is in the faeces, with only 65% of the dose eliminated over 5 days, making it difficult to recycle and unlikely to be a regular part of a religious ritual

Capsicum chinese var. fatalii sounds like a deadly chili

Certainly the major actives are terpenes but I wouldn´t rule out the effects of the alkaloids. A tea from the roots cured my hayfever for three days.

There are a lot more problems with it, especially long-term use. It can alter adrenaline production causing obesity, for example.

Are there not smooth-podded D. stramonium that are not D. s. var tatula?

I have eaten 100 grammes of the fresh plant with no side-effects except mild drowsiness.

It should be available for a few dollars a kilo from good herbal suppliers as "mouse-ear hawkweed". An ethanol extraction is more active. I found it similar to lettuce opium but didn't pursue it due to lethargy.

There may be some compounds that would be more active in those people who are not sensitive to Salvia divinorum. If it were the deacetylated form that was active but the acetrylated form was present and inactive then someone who deacetylates slowly may get no effect. Come to think of it, is there any evidence that salvinorin A is active at the unknown receptor rather than deacetylated to S B after a successful journey to the brain? I have assumed that a fast deacetylator will get less effect from Salvia because it is metabolised before it can cross the blood-brain barrier in sufficient quantities. Fast acetylation could be induced by taking acetylated compounds regularly. Aspirin is not safe for daily high dose use and heroin and acetyl-THC are illegal. Any other suggestions? Possibly frankincense tincture, though this has some strange psychoactivity of its own. Perhaps pickles would be effective. Any of you hardheads and sensitives care to comment on whether you eat a lot of pickles or take acetylated pharmaceuticals regularly?

A reason, yes, but pretty far-out with this one. I have never seen analyses of Nepalese Tribulus. However it is called Zoma in Tibet and it would be a possible original for Soma if it were one of the ones that produce tryptamines in the shoots.

Do you have Leonotis around there?

Probably not a wise assumption, most substances you might smoke will be destroyed in flame to some degree. Which is why vapourisation is an efficient use of many recreationals.

I know hemlock as a field weed (usually of rapeseed in the south of England. Perhaps they have a need for some light before germination, to tell them they have been ploughed up to the top of the soil, like poppies.

I know hemlock as a field weed (usually of rapeseed in the south of England. Perhaps they have a need for some light before germination, to tell them they have been ploughed up to the top of the soil, like poppies.

Cordyceps ophioglossoides is a naturally vegetarian species with the same medicinal qualities.

Or the sweetpea relatives?

The tree or the waterlilies? The British ones could also take a lot of cold. Nymphaea alba and Nuphar lutea are both easy and beautiful and psychoactive. Nelumbo nucifera, the sacred lotus of Asia, can take some frost if the pond is covered for winter in the south of England, perhaps it could survive Melbourne.

The discoverer of the effects of (and first producer of the pure gas) Nitrous Oxide, Humphry Davy, made his discovery in 1799. When he was in his early twenties. Coleridge first mentioned his poem "Kubla Khan" six months after his first nitrous party with Davy. For fifty years after it was only used for parties and circus sideshows. The use as an anaesthetic came after someone watching a laughing man at a circus noticed that he didn't appear to feel pain when injured. Davy went on to try several other gases, nitrogen dioxide being the most painful, probably. When he died thirty years later someone remarked that he was over fifty, a remarkable age for Mr Davy. http://etext.lib.virginia.edu/stc/Coleridg...Kubla_Khan.html

I woke up one night with the first few lines of this in my head and wrote the rest in an hour. I then tried to finish writing Coleridge's poem, but failed. ********************************************* In Bristol did Humphry Davy a gaseous pleasure drug distil And breathed deep of the vapours that some said would kill. Then the begemmed legions fought under stained-glass trees Over misty flowers perfuming zephyr-blessed breeze. From thunderous deeps to wondrous heights his gobsmacked mind was thrown. Delight and fear, love and hate, all Yin and Yang were known. Dread him for on honeydew he fed and gave the recipe to all. Fearless he, eager to learn from Apocalypse to Fall. Dreamtime singing, making the Earth beneath his feet Playing with Coyote, laughing with the beat Dancing with Shiva, wherever he may be Crying with Demeter, tears for you and me. So young Davy inspired, by a salt decomposed A group of friends saddened that the Monarchy was not deposed. New hope they found for Liberty beyond kingly chains In visions profound on astral ground, free from the mundane pains. Some captured their dreams in rhyme, for all time bound. Filling our hearts with the Truth that every soul is crowned. And doesn't every spine tingle when they hear those echoing deeps As Coleridge takes a measured run, then leaps down to a sunless sea?

The European lotus tree is Zizyphus lotus. The fruits of the closely related jujube have sedative qualities used in Chinese medicine.

I'll never forget the image in a film of some Hell's Angels sitting round a table doing their embroidery. How did you think they get all those patches on their jackets? Only a wimp uses a sewing machine, real men use a needle and thread.

Remember to take a vitamin B12 supplement the day after enjoying the nitrous oxide.

Ta, Torsten. It can't be said often enough.