I was once tempted to explore alternative sources of harmine and ordered some seeds of
Calycanthus occidentalis. Further research showed that the harmine content was incidental to a couple of predominant dimeric tryptamine alkaloids with convulsant properties, so research came to something of a halt at that point.
I'm sure you'll have been looking into the toxicology already; reassuringly, perhaps, a brief search turns up
this:
The Bluestars’ [i.e. Amsonia tabernaemontana] latex sap is mildly irritating and not considered to be harmful to humans.
And
this:
Although the sap of some relatives such as Nerium contains highly toxic alkaloids, the sap of Amsonia is relatively innocuous. It is not known to be harmful to humans but does seem to discourage predation by deer and other mammals
Having read a bit more, it sounds like a nice garden plant that might even grow reasonably well in my locality so I'll be looking into ordering some seeds as well. It would be nice to add another data point to your study
In all likelihood this plant won't have the quick-brew convenience of P.harmala and a careful review of the phytochemistry is still a must. It's quite possible that the Manske precipitation will be our friend here, if the harmine can be obtained in a high enough concentration for precipitation to be effective. Otherwise preparative dry flash chromatography might well have to be considered (fortunately this is pretty easy).
Best not get too far ahead on the chemical details before any seeds have hit the soil, but this kind of stuff sets me thinking (and I just had a large cup of coffee
). Perhaps an ethanolic tincture could be used to precipitate harmala alkaloids with HCl, as was also recently mentioned here in another thread.
And presumably you've had a look at:
Erowid Online Books : "Ayahuasca: alkaloids, plants, and analogs" by Keeper of the Trout which gives slightly more detail as well as highlighting that it's the Allen & Holmstedt reference that's the principle source for most of the harmine plant information.
Cultivation notes:
A. tabernaemontana was successfully propagated by direct sowing or transplanting. The shoots can be cut 2 years after planting and seeds are produced from the 3rd year onwards.-Gyogynov.
A few more alkaloids found in A. tabernaemontana:
(R = in roots, S = in seeds, L = in leaves)
tabersonine
vincadifformine
vincadine L
dehydrovincadine L
lochnericine L
tetrahydroalstonine L
(+)-1,2-dehydroaspidospermine S
(-)-tetrahydroalstonine S
(-)-quebrachamine S
tetrahydrosecamine R
tetrahydropresecamine R
eburnamine R
decarbomethoxytetrahydrosecamine R (Late winter)
[Isolation of aspidosperma alkaloids and rutin from Amsonia tabernaemontana Walt]
www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov
Zsadon B, Décsei L, Otta K, Szilasi M, Kaposi P. [Isolation of aspidosperma alkaloids and rutin from Amsonia tabernaemontana Walt]. Acta Pharm Hung. 1974 Jun;0(0):suppl 1:74-9. [Article in Hungarian]
[Alkaloids from the roots of Amsonia tabernaemontana Walt. (Apocynacea)]
www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov
Panas JM, Morfaux AM, Le Men-Olivier L, Le Men J. [Alkaloids from the roots of Amsonia tabernaemontana Walt. (Apocynacea)]. Ann Pharm Fr. 1972 Nov;30(11):785-7. [Article in French]
