Dodonaea Viscosa Psycho-activity

[EthnoDan]

Hi all could anyone share their experiences or knowledge of traditional uses of Dodonaea Viscosa?

I have found next to no info on this native.

Cheers

Dan

Edited July 9, 2020 by EthnoDan

[Xperiment]

I've heard it was used as a tea for calming or relaxation by white early settlers, in the same way as hops, thus the common name hop bush. No personal experience though

 

[Freakosystem]

The new growth covered with a viscous resin is supposed to be chewed for a stimulant effect. I've never managed to figure out which subspecies is preferred. There is apparently a significant cyanide content in leaves and they are possibly carcinogenic. All I've heard is word of mouth with no scientific backing or word from our first nation people so I've never been game to try.

[Micromegas]

I did some research on this after I saw the same hop bushes I planted in my garden in Oz growing in the hills around Chavin:

 

 

Quote

 

Hop bushes are medicinally important in all the widely separated countries where they grow. It is uncanny that similar cultural and medicinal uses have evolved from the local indigenous populations in each of these disparate countries. 
This is revealed by findings from recent pharmacological analyses of hop bushes which reveal a common set of active ingredients represented by alkaloids, tannins, flavonoids, organic acids and 1-8 dneole rich oils. The variations in its medicinal usage relates to changes in relative concentrations of these ingredients, which is determined by soil types and environmental conditions typical of the countries and habitats in which they occur. Within each country another variation in relative potency of active ingredients is also related to seasonal differences at the time of harvest. Although the hop bushes are found in many distant countries, it is uncanny how unrelated local indigenous populations had attributed similar cultural and medicinal uses to this ubiquitous species. The following paragraphs highlight some of its key medicinal uses.

It has been recorded that the South American Peruvian Indians developed a culturally accepted practise of chewing the hop bush leaves in the knowledge that it acted as a valued substitute for Coca (Erythroxylum coca). Like betel nut, the younger viscous (sticky appearing) leaves were often chewed with ash, lime or magnesia to neutralise the organic acids binding the active ingredients, thus enhancing its stimulant and euphoric effects. Of course, akin to betel nut chewers, the lime would have caused rapid tooth decay.
http://asgap.org.au/APOL2007/feb07-2.html

 

 

 

That link is broken I found this many years ago, 2013,14 maybe.
 

[tryptamine]

I chewed a NZ grown mouthful of fresh leaves for some time before spitting to not much effect unfortunately. Will have to try again with the lime.

[solomon]

On 24/09/2020 at 5:40 PM, tryptamine said:

I chewed a NZ grown mouthful of fresh leaves for some time before spitting to not much effect unfortunately. Will have to try again with the lime.

I tried some NZ grown cv. Purpurea with baking soda, no noticeable effects.

Can't remember the time of the year but I used old and new leaves rather than the tips alone.

[Halcyon Daze]

I chewed it once with no effect at all. I remember a discussion where it was assumed that only the South American plants were active, or possibly only rare patches of the plant here and there may be active, similar to many other plants. You'd have to keep trying different plants everywhere you go, and maybe eventually you'd find a patch that were active. Good luck with your quest, Can't wait to peruse the mountain of data you get back to us with