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(Banisteriopsis caapi)
INTRODUCTION :
Banisteriopsis caapi is a climbing vine that is native to South America. There a hallucinogenic drink is prepared from it's stems. This strongly psychoactive drink is employed for prophecy, divination and as a magic hallucinogen. The use of 'caapi' is restricted to shamans and dates back to pre-colombian times
EFFECTS :
The 'caapi'-experience usually begins with restlessness and nausea. After a period of emotional disturbances, the visual and auditory hallucinations appear. Time and space perception are seriously altered.
Synaesthesias may occure; phenomenon in which the senses become transmuted, so that colors can translate themselves into sound or sound may be experienced as visions. Various psychoactive additives influence the experience.
Autonomic effects: dilated pupils, nausea, tremor, rise of bloodpressure, increase of body temperature
DURATION :
The effects appear within an hour after ingestion and last for four to six hours.
Dosage and preparation :
Four to eight half-foot pieces of stem are provided per person. A decoction of the stems may be prepared, but the bark may also be chewed. When a DMT source (Psychotria viridis, Diplopterys cabrerana, Virola species) is added to potentiate the effects 50-100 mg. of DMT is considered a normal dose. Sometimes Brugmansia species are added.
Figure: B. caapi stems
Figure: Close-up
The stems should be boiled three times with a fresh water/ lemonjuice infusion (three parts of water and one part of lemonjuice) for 15-30 minutes. After combining the three liquids and cooling, the bitter beverage is drinkable. Alkaline substances will nutralise the saure taste of the infusions.
Botanical aspects :
This extensive liana is a member of Malpighiaceae; Pyramidotorea, Tribus Banisteriae. The geographical origin is not known because the plant is cultivated throughout the entire Amazonion region (the plant grows in Peru, Brazil, Bolivia, Equador etc.).6
B. caapi has large green oval-shaped foliage (8-18 cm across and 3,5-8 cm broadwise) and white-pinkish flowers. This liana is maily propagated vegetatively because it rarely blossoms and sets seed. The fan-like shaped seeds are green when fresh, but turn brown with age.
Figure: B. Caapi
Figure: A live specimen
 Figure: B. caapi seeds
Phytochemistry :
The active ingredients of Banisteriopsis caapi are alkaloids of the b-carboline-type: harmine, harmaline and derivatives (see tabel). The stems contain 0.11-0.83% b-carbolines, of which 40-96% is harmine.
Table 1.9: b-Carboline derivatives
Trivial names Formal names
Harmine 7-methoxy,1-methyl-bC
Harmaline 3,4-dihydroharmine
Harmine-N-oxide
Harmine acid methylester Methyl-7-methoxy-b-carboline-1-carboxylate
Harmilinic acid 7-methoxy-3,4-dihydro-b-carboline1-carboxylic acid
Harmanamide 1-carbamoyl-7-methoxy-b-carboline
Acethylnorharnine 1-acethyl-7-methoxy-b-carboline
Keto-tetrahydronorharmine 7-methoxy-1,2,3,4-tetrahydro-1-oxo-b-carboline
Pharmacology :
Due to the structural similarity between b-carbolines and serotonine (b-carbolines are cyclic tryptamine derivatives), the b-carbolines have affinity for serotonine- carrierproteins in the synaptic membrane and are transported into the nerve endings, where they have the ability to block/ inhibit mitochondrial MAO (monoamine oxidase), which normally is responsible for inactivation of serotonine and noradrenaline.
When MAO-inhibitors are combined simultaneously with substances that are substrate for MAO (psilocybine, DMT, mescaline etc.) transmitter molecules and exogenic substrate molecules will accumulate in the synaptic cleft. As a result, the intensity- and reaction-time of the autonomic- and psychological changes will be increased.
There are numerous plants that contain tryptamines, and that can be utilized effectively to potentiate the effects of Peganum harmala, however, Psychotria viridis, Diplopterys cabrerana, Virola theiodora and Anadenanthera species are used mainly for this purpose. Several cacti (like peyote and San Pedro) contain phenethylamines, but due to the presence of tyramine, it is pharmacologically not safe to combine them with MAO-inhibitors; because tyramine increases blood pressure significantly , a combination with MAO-inhibitors can lead to a hypertensive crisis, including a dangerous rise in blood pressure.
MODIFIERS :
- MAO-inhibitors potentiate the effects of tryptamines (DMT, psilocybin etc.) and phenethylamines (mescaline). Mescaline containing cacti should be avoided due to the presence of tyramine.
- Ascorbic acid (vitamin c) doesn't change the intensity of the experience, but it alters its quality: it increases concentration and decreases paranoid thinking. The user will also be less tired at the end of the experience.3
- Hashish or marihuana can intensify the experience.
- Caffeine in combination with MAOI can cause hyperreactivity and suspiciousness
- Tricyclic-antidepressants and a-typical neuroleptica that act as antagonists on the receptor subtype 5-HT2A (risperidon) antagonize the effects.
- Alkaloids of the tropane-type (atropine, scopolamine) alter and intensify the psychological effects of the harmala alkaloids.
REFERENCES :
- Etnopharmacological search for psychoactive drugs
(proceedings of a symposium held in 1967)
- Hoffer, Abraham and Humphry Osmond
1967, The hallucinogens
- Hoffmann, Albert and Richard Evans Schultes
1973, The botany and chemistry of hallucinogens
- Ratsch, Christian
1998, Enzyklopadie der psychoaktiven pflanzen
- Shulgin, Alexander and Ann Shulgin
1997, Tihkal, the continuation
- Snyder, Solomon h.
1996, Drugs and the brain
- Stafford, Peter
1974, The psychedelic encyclopedia
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