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Torsten

Psychoactive Saffron (Crocus sativus)

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more "saffron" thrown in the bin...another brand...having looked up common ways of faking it, my best guess is that it's made from gelatin...it looks like plastic pressed into a vaguely familiar shape...funny thing is the yellow styles thrown in for a bit of an authentic look. once it gets wet if you press it between your fingers it just disappears

another product to now buy online

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So 60mg Codein Phosphate(2 pills), 1g paracetamol, and 40 threads, will make me feel like im rocking 120-180 mg of codein?

in theory i could take 1 instead fo the normal 2 codein....like 20 threads...and get a full 60mg hit from the one 30mg pill?

Heard anything about long term usage Torsten? Saw up to 1,5g was safe for use, but i wonder if i could use 100mg daily for a prolonged period.

I want to potentiate the codein without too much/no effect from the safrole...is it possible?

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you can by the plants/ bulbs from a Tasmanian supplier they are available now. Too hot for me to grow here but.

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i'm pretty sure to remeber that, the fresher the better, so home grown would be the way to go.

maybe even other crocuses are a bit active aswell?

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Saffron (Crocus sativus) is also cultivated in Europe in Wallis (Switzerland) and here in Lower Austria (Wachau) and the Burgenland (pannonic saffron) The most saffron comes from Iran, but from Spain and Kaschmir comes the best from the gastronomic view.

It was already used entheogenic in old Greece. The origin of the plant is believed to be in Crete, where the ancestor Crocus cart wrightianus grows in the wild. In the minoan civilisation it was regarded as sacred and had ritual importance.

The action is considered very similar to opium. The high price results from the eleborate harvest: 20.000 stigmas yield only 125g and each flower-stigma must be harvested particularly by hand.

Saffron is an important ingredient in Laudanum, the opium tincture and the oriental joy pills. In Yemen still today it is used as aromatic stimulant.

Aphrodisiac, sedative (depends on the dose), anticonvulsant and antidepressant actions were already proven clinically. Smaller doses act stimulating and greater doses sedative. Newer studies refer to an action against opiate-addiction.

Safranfaden aus der La Mancha in Spanien 24-fach:

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Safran aus Tibet:

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would tweaking with the safferon molecules to make it last longer be illegal?

Edited by woof woof woof

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would tweaking with the safferon molecules to make it last longer be illegal?

 

Tweaking how?

Doesn't seem like any of the actives would fall under analogues act.

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Bump! A pinch definitely helps breathing. Gives warm glow. I might be a medium hard head so I’ve NFI how many threads I had. Going to alcohol tincture some. Was thinking to mix with kr at tincture and maybe mace tincture. 
 

im happy to do another buy-in round if someone knows where to get bull good stuff!

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22 hours ago, FancyPants said:

I might be a medium hard head so I’ve NFI how many threads I had. 

 

I used to think more was better particularly as there seems to be dose-dependent increases in DA levels but then noticed low doses cumulatively ie a pinch seems better... and likely safer as increased doses seem to come with notable toxicity. Not sure where the cut off for CNS toxicity is but considering the clinically used doses are low and they seem effective, maybe wise to keep to lower doses?

" saffron constituents such as crocin, crocetin and safranal can exert antioxidant or toxic effects depending on their endogenous concentration. " [1]
 

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I measured out 40 threads and it looks similar to what I had yesterday. But you’re totally right!

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On 29/08/2022 at 7:31 PM, FancyPants said:

im happy to do another buy-in round if someone knows where to get bull good stuff!

 

I'll chip in!  But NFI where to get it...

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1 hour ago, Boof said:

 

I'll chip in!  But NFI where to get it...


I searched a bit on the net and eBay but it’s hard to work out who’s legit and who’s full of shit and just wants to sell their junk saffron.

 

Yesterday I found a bottle of saffron extract I’d bought at a fancy grocer a few years ago. It was pretty nice in a black tea with cardamom (and milk) drink! I’ll use that bottle to do my saffron alcohol

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8EEEA6AB-EB8A-46F4-A646-52674B424C66.thumb.jpeg.a6cda4698b9afb42fe8d9ddb0a39d06e.jpeg
 

I used the last of the liquid extract in some Mahmoud tea (the cardamom black tea). 
 

Using 50ml of Brandy I added approx 100 threads to make 2/ml back into the same little bottle 

 

 

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Psychoactive Material
 
—Saffron (croci stigma, flores croci, crocus): the brick red stigma held together by a small piece of the style. The dried stigmas are approximately 20 to 40 mm long. They have a strong aromatic scent and a spicy-hot taste.
 
Two qualities are distinguished:
 
—Crocus electus (saffron tips, free of the remains of the styles)
—Crocus naturalis (with many pieces of styles)
 
The stigmas must be kept out of the light and stored in an airtight container, or the volatile essential oil will evaporate and the color will fade.
The entire flower is used for folk medicinal purposes.


Besides the Greek saffron, the Hippocratics mention an “Egyptian saffron” that was used externally. This likely is a reference to yellow safflower (Carthamus tinctorius L.), as the Egyptians themselves did not plant saffron (which they called the “blood of Hercules”). Instead, they imported it from Crete and southwest Asia. The saffron threads are often mistaken for or counterfeited by the petals of the safflower (Carthamus tinctorius) (Norman 1991, 33*). Curcuma (Curcuma longa L., Zingiberaceae) is known as saffron spice as well as Indian saffron. To add to the confusion, the autumn crocus is also known as meadow saffron ... 

 

Preparation and Dosage
 
In ancient times, saffron was used primarily as a wine additive (cf. Vitis vinifera) that provided an additional inebriating effect (Norman 1991, 33*). Saffron is an important ingredient in laudanum or tinctura opii crocata (cf. Papaver somniferum, soporific sponge). Saffron is also found in the so-called Swedish herb mixes (cf. theriac) as well as Oriental joy pills and other aphrodisiacs. In ancient China, saffron was used as an additive to sake.


A Greek papyrus from the Egyptian Arsinoites (third century B.C.E.) contains a recipe; unfortunately, there is no information about what the mixture should be used for: The plaster of Dionysus: two drams of copper oxide, three obols of rosebud hearts (perhaps specifically Rosa gallica), three obols of saffron, one-half obol poppy juice (Papaver somniferum), three obols of white (acacia) gum (Gummi arabicum). Stir these (things) in wine as smoothly as possible (and) make ointments, apply. (In Hengstl et al. 1978, 272)
 
Perhaps this was some type of aphrodisiac ointment, for saffron has always enjoyed a reputation as an aphrodisiac and agent of love.
To date, no risks have been documented at a maximum daily dosage of 1.5 g. Twenty grams is given as a lethal dose, while 10 g can induce abortion (per Monographie der Kommission E; cf. Czygan 1989, 414).

 

Constituents
 

Saffron contains 8 to 13% solid oil and up to 1% essential oil, as well as oleanolic acid derivatives, glycosides, the bitter substance picrocrocine (which when stored transforms into safranal, the aromatic substance that gives saffron its characteristic scent), and crystalline yellow dyes (α-crocine = crocetine-di-β-D-gentiobiosylester, crocetine, and others) (Czygan 1989, 414). Saffron also contains the vitamins riboflavin (100γ/g!) and thiamine (Bhat and Broker 1953). The essential oil has a rather complex structure (Zarghami 1970): “The principal component of the essential oil is safranal, which produces the scent typical of the drug. Safranal is first produced during drying, which is why this step merits particular attention during processing” (Pahlow 1995, 78*).”

 

Effects
 

The psychoactive effects of saffron have been occasionally described as “spasms of laughter” and “delirium” (Vonarburg 1995, 76); “in its effects, saffron comes close to opium [cf. Papaver somniferum]; in low dosages, it excites, cheers, and produces laughter . . . , in contrast, in high dosages it sedates, promotes sleep, sopor” (Most 1843, 536*). The essential oil and its vapors also produce psychoactive effects, which have been described as “a sedative effect upon the brain, sleep-inducing, produc[ing] headaches [and] cheerful delirium, and paralyz[ing] motor nerves. Blindness. Peculiar orgasm” (Roth et al. 1994, 276). Actual reports of direct experiences with the drug are not available, presumably because of its high cost.


Saffron promotes protein digestion because it stimulates enzymatic activity. It also stimulates uterine activity and can thus have abortifacient effects. Saffron has the highest riboflavin content of any plant (as a percentage of weight) and as a result appears to lower cholesterol levels (Basker and Begbi 1983). The extract has stimulating and antispasmodic properties (Hooper 1937, 107*).

 

Medicinal Use
 
Saffron is one of the oldest and most used medicines of the Hippocratics. It was said to be an effective antidote for drunkenness (see Vitis vinifera) and to increase male potency. According to Pliny, saffron was a panacea and an aphrodisiac: “It induces sleep, has a gentle effect upon the head, and whets the sex drive” (21.137). For this reason, saffron was also an important ingredient in love drinks in ancient Rome (Mercatante 1980, 50*). During the Renaissance, it was said that smelling a crocus in bloom “expands the heart and the tools of the mind and stimulates to coitus.”

 
In the mystical medicine of Islam, the following is said about saffron: “It is an excellent agent for the blood and for strengthening the soul. It assuages joint pains and strengthens the sex drive in young men” (Moinuddin 1984, 99*).


Since the Middle Ages, saffron has been used as a remedy for “St. Anthony’s fire” (ergotism; cf. Claviceps purpurea). In Victorian England, it was used to treat constipation and found its way to the source of the problem as an enema (Mercatante 1980, 51*).

 

In Western medicine, saffron was once used as a nerve calmative and to treat spasms and asthma, but it no longer has any medical significance. In folk medicine, saffron is still used as a sedative and antispasmodic (Czygan 1989, 414). In homeopathy, the mother tincture is prepared from the dried filaments (stigmas) and is used primarily to treat women and children (Vonarburg 1995, 76).

 

Saffron also found its way into traditional Chinese medicine, where it is used as a psycho-active remedy:
 
Among the ailments that are generally treated with saffron are depression, constricted feelings in the chest, fear, shock, confusion (mental and emotional disturbances), coughing blood, period pains and other menstrual complaints, blood congestion [accumulation of blood in the capillaries], and abdominal pains following childbirth. Long-term use of saffron can free one from depressions and feelings of anxiety and produce sensations of happiness. (Leung 1995, 186*)
 
In Baluchistan (Pakistan), 10 g of ground flowers (not just the pistils), which are known as khakhobe, are drunk mornings and evenings in a mixture of liquid yogurt as a remedy for dysentery (Goodman and Ghafoor 1992, 52*). In Yemen, saffron is still used as an aromatic stimulant (Fleurentin and Pelt 1982, 90f.*).

Excerpt From: Rätsch, Christian. “The Encyclopedia of Psychoactive Plants.” iBooks. 

 

 

Excerpted from: Rätsch, Christian. “The Encyclopedia of Psychoactive Plants.” iBooks. 

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On 01/09/2022 at 1:19 PM, FancyPants said:

Using 50ml of Brandy I added approx 100 threads to make 2/ml back into the same little bottle

 

I'm keen to just try some, not heard of saffron being of interest before this, but also keen on brewing some.  I am currently experimenting with my mead (technically melomel) by adding damiana to my second ferment.  Will know at xmas time how that goes...  Seems like saffron could be something to try as well.

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