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Informatie |
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(Epena, Ebene)
INTRODUCTION :
Indian tribes throughout Venezuela's Orinoco river basins in South America employ a powerful hallucinogenic snuff made from Virola trees. The psychoactive ingredients are present in the inner bark of several species, of which V. theiodora is the most studied. The snuffs are usually taken ceremoniously by witch doctors; most of them follow different procedures.Virola-bark can also be used as an ayahuasca-analoque.
Effects :
Initial exitability, nausea, visual- and auditory hallucinations, numbness of the limbs, inability to coordinate muscular activity followed by a deep sleep.
Autonomic effects: nausea, salivation, pupillary dilation, rise of blood pressure and profuse perspiration. When large doses are taken one can experience extreme lassitude and a 'buzzing' or 'humming' in the ears.
Duration :
When taken as an ayahuasca-analoque, the effects appear within an hour and last for 5-6 hours. When snuffed, the effects appear in five minutes, but last shorter time.
Dosage and preparation :
Preparation of a snuff:
The resin may be collected in various ways. Because the active ingredients are present in the cambium, the easiest way is to gently scrape out the blood red cambium, but the Amazonian Indians heat the bark to let the resin drip out by itself and mix it with other plants (for example, Justicia pectoralis). After adding alkaline ashes, they mold the mixture into a latex substance. The latex is heated and pulverized into a very fine powder, which can be snuffed or can be blown into the nasal cavity (using a V-shaped tube of which one end is put in the mouth and the other end into the nostril).
Ayahuasca-analoque:
Banisteriopsis stems or 3 gram peganum harmala seed should be combined with the syrup to inactivate monoamine oxidase.
 Figure: V. theiodora rootbark
Botanical aspects :
V. theiodora belongs to Myristicaceae. This species is widely distributed throughout the tropical regions of the Amazone ( Brazil, Peru, Venezuela and Colombia).
Virola species are tall trees (30 meters in height) that have glossy oval leaves(30 cm in length) with a characteristic odour and round oval fruits. The numerous Virola species are very difficult to distinguish .
Information concerning the propagation of the Virola species is very scarce, because it appears that this tree isn't cultivated in the Amazone.
 Figure: Botanical drawing
 Figure: Seed
Phytochemistry :
Alkaloids of the carboline- and tryptamine-type present in the inner bark (cambium) of Virola theiodora are responsible for the hallucinogenic effects. The bark has a total alkaloid content of 0.25-0.30 %. The main active principles are N,N-dimethyltryptamine (N,N-DMT), NMT, 5-MeO-DMT, 5-MeO-NMT and 6-MeO-tetrahydro-carboline (6-MeO-THC).
 Tryptamine 
Table 1.34: Tryptamine derivatives
Table 1.36: THb-Carboline derivatives
Pharmacology :
The structurally similarity between these alkaloids and serotonine might explain the hallucinogenic activity by mutual influence on the active sites of the central nervous system; the tryptamines have affinity for various serotonergic receptors and act as partial agonists on the receptor-subtype 5-HT2A; the receptor-subtype 5-HT2A is involved in psychedelic activity. The tryptamines also inhibit esterase.
Because the active tryptamines are substrate for monoamine oxidase (MAO), they are under normal circumstances quickly converted into psychologically inactive aldehydes; the tryptamines present in Epena are psychologically inactive when taken orally without a MAO-inhibitor. Peganum harmala, Banisteriopsis caapi and 6-MeO-THC (present in Virola theiodora itself) can be used effectively to inhibit MAO, thus to potentiate and lenghten the effects of the tryptamines.
Modifiers :
- 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.
- Alkaloids of the tropane-type (atropine, scopolamine) alter and intensify
the experience (also more dangerous).
- MAO-inhibitors and sympathomimetic amines (amphetamine, ephedrine etc.) have positive synergistic effects; they prolong and intensify the experience.
- Hashish or marihuana can also alter the experience. Usually produces a positive feeling.
- Tricyclic-antidepressants and a-typical neuroleptica that act as antagonists on the receptor subtype 5-HT2A (risperidon) antagonize the effects.
NOT to be combined with MAO-inhibitors
See monoamine oxidase inhibitors (MAOI).
References
1. [Efron/ Holmstedt/ Kline, 1967]
2. [Forth/ Henschler/ Rummel/ Fostermann/ Starke, 2001]
3. [Hoffer/ Osmond, 1967]
4. [Hoffmann/ Schultes,1973]
5. [Ratsch, 1998]
6. [Shulgin, 1997]
7. [Snyder,1996]
8. [Stafford,1974]
9. [Balick/ Cox, 1996]
This Ayahuasca analogue is rather unknown. But not for our native friends in the Peruvian jungle. See here how they harvest the Virola bark (cumala roja) on an ecological way. We buy directly from them. Because our friends will keep the jungle alive. More info on the Virola bark you will find HERE.
The Virola tree.
Our partners are harvesting the Virola bark.
The Virola bark. |
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