Research Haphazard Leonotis Administration Thread

[stuartroelke]

Anyone who has been following my work with Salvine Tek (oral administration of Salvia divinorum) might understand the goal here. Essentially, can we potentiate the effects of Leonotis species by exploiting safe—and somewhat haphazard—extraction and exploration?

I’ve been messing around with Leonotis nepetifolia for just under a year, and have already found hot tea to be the most potent form of administration (still very mild). Based on my attempts with inhaling a lot of scorched flower—involving multiple joints back-to-back—smoking seems to either be sub-perceptual or placebo. I could see this making sense if the potent actives are heat sensitive and water soluble. Additionally, multiple grams of powdered flower consumed with phospholipids (no heat) felt less psychoactive than a warm cup of tea; we already have a great lead to follow here.

Meticulousness obviously requires that I grow a solid stand of Leonotis nepetifolia (definitely not doing this solely to attract cool hummingbirds). I’ll also be ordering flower from vendors while I wait, since most sources have been somewhat effective thus far. The first experiment will involve soaking in warm ethanol, evaporating, scraping up the resin, and then rehydrating with a bit of water right before chugging (very scientific).

Let the games begin

 

[brokedownpalace10]

I grew a whole bunch of Leonotis leonurus years ago hoping for a Marijuana substitute. I tried smoking it and also made an alcohol extract to try smoking.
People I gave it to said that the straight herb was not any good but that they got high off smoking the extract. They seemed to like it when out of any intoxicants and asked if I had more.

I got an effect from both, much milder with the straight herb. However, it was nothing at all like pot (of course). To me, it felt like the "buzz" you get from tobacco if you're not used to it.

 

[stuartroelke]

I grew a whole bunch of Leonotis leonurus years ago hoping for a Marijuana substitute. I tried smoking it and also made an alcohol extract to try smoking.
People I gave it to said that the straight herb was not any good but that they got high off smoking the extract. They seemed to like it when out of any intoxicants and asked if I had more.

I got an effect from both, much milder with the straight herb. However, it was nothing at all like pot (of course). To me, it felt like the "buzz" you get from tobacco if you're not used to it.

Fortifying leaf—as if it were salvia extract—is something I would try eventually, though my expectations are low. Flower joints don’t seem psychoactive to me; I’ve mostly experienced the mundane effects of smoke exposure from a number of cannabis alternatives.

The tea feels noticeably “cannabinoid-esque”, and I do really enjoy preparing it that way. It has been comparable to 1mg or less of THC—a less potent version of brewing cannabis leaves.

Mild effects could be feasible pushed. I still believe that heat will be an important factor for whatever reason.

More flower has been ordered, so now we wait.

 

[brokedownpalace10]

I made a straight extract. Put a little leaf in the bottom of the bowl if it runs when heated,

 

[Transform]

While you're talking about a legal herb, the bits about sourcing are still against the rules. How funny that mentioning buying chamomile teabags at the local store would also be in breach of this strict interpretation, though.

Is this another leonurine herb? I once obtained a couple of pockets full of Leonotis leonurus flowers from a botanical garden and the effects were subtle at best - although I did faint when I smoalked a bit of DMT immediately afterwards so maybe there's caution to be advised regarding hypotension with tiat combination, and quite likely with harmalas too.

 

[stuartroelke]

While you're talking about a legal herb, the bits about sourcing are still against the rules. How funny that mentioning buying chamomile teabags at the local store would also be in breach of this strict interpretation, though.

Was this directed at me? I personally feel like “vendors” is a source in the same sense that “somewhere” is a location. If that was technically against the rules then I’ll admit that I didn’t fully understand them.

Is this another leonurine herb? I once obtained a couple of pockets full of Leonotis leonurus flowers from a botanical garden and the effects were subtle at best…

Yes—Leonotis nepetifolia is very closely related. May I inquire about your ROA?

 

[Transform]

ROA

smoked, whole flowers.

And yes, you've successfully highlighted what might be a grey area, although the stipulation about live plants and seeds only is absolutely clear. Various announcements have been made throughout the years regarding this distinction.

 

[blig-blug]

I tried an extract of Leonotis leonurus many years ago, orally. I got from it a mild, relaxing effect. Maybe a bit like weed, but nowhere as strong. It lasted for about an hour and a half or so, if I remember correctly.

 

[stuartroelke]

I tried an extract of Leonotis leonurus many years ago, orally. I got from it a mild, relaxing effect. Maybe a bit like weed, but nowhere as strong. It lasted for about an hour and a half or so, if I remember correctly.

This is exactly what I’ve been noticing from tea. Any idea as to the potency of that extract?

 

[blig-blug]

This is exactly what I’ve been noticing from tea. Any idea as to the potency of that extract?

Sadly I don't remember, as it was quite a long time ago. I also don't remember the dose, although it was eyeballed.
I do remember it was a fine, whitish powder, with no visible plant material.

 

[stuartroelke]

Sadly I don't remember, as it was quite a long time ago. I also don't remember the dose, although it was eyeballed.
I do remember it was a fine, whitish powder, with no visible plant material.

Very interesting. Filtration or a defat may be necessary to achieve anything like that—suppose I may find out eventually.

 

[brokedownpalace10]

There were a number of herbal highs that did give me an effect, often relaxing or sedative. However, just because it gave me a sedative effect didn't mean I liked it a lot. You want a little euphoria in there as well.
Cyclobenzaprine (a muscle relaxer) gives a strong sedative effect if you're not used to it. It's not abused much because it's just a sedative effect with little to no euphoria.

The old legal highs books recommended a Lobelia extract orally (a tea would be hard to drink) for a "dynamically altered mental state". That is certainly the case. Again it felt like tobacco if you weren't used to it, but strong without feeling sick. It was interesting, but nothing I repeated.

As an aside, there used to be products sold OTC containing Lobeline for quitting smoking before an FDA ban (cigarrest is one) If you search for lobeline or Lobelia for quitting smoking you'll get a bunch of hits.

 

[stuartroelke]

Matter is neither created nor destroyed, so I'm not sure how 1oz of Leonotis nepetifolia flower miraculously appeared in front of me mere days ago—perhaps we will never know.

Anyways, I started with throwing one pinch (~300-500mg?) of flower in boiled water. This has been my go-to method, so you can think of it as the "quality control" test. Felt a mild high after ~15-20 minutes that was short lived. My thought is that there is potentially a cascade effect involving leonurine, as it is "easily extracted in water"

Taking that information into account, my second test involved boiling 1g flowers in 16oz acidic water for ~30 minutes (the kratom technique). I then let that liquid cool to room temperature in order to avoid a potential placebo effect induced by drinking warm tea. This seems like a great way to potentially determine the fragility of these compounds. The resulting brew was somewhat intense (almost spicy?), and produced a slightly different feeling—I became more aware of space / color and felt less "high" than with my typical brewing technique. Closest comparable substance is K2, though I haven't smoked any in years. Tolerance to leonurine may also be a factor; I have a habit of doing tests a little too rapidly at times.

DEA (docosatetraenoylethanolamide) seems to be the only compound found in L. nepetifolia flowers which interacts with cannabinoid receptors, but it's an ethanolamide and fatty acid amide hydrolase (FAAH) is presumed to be the clearance route. Quick research will show that CBD (increases anandamide), echinacea alkylamides, and biochanin A (weak inhibitor / found in red clover) may be FAAH inhibitors. Perhaps this is the next logical step? For now, I'm going to take ~3-4 days before attempting anything else.