http://www.shaman-australis.com/forum/index.php?showtopic=18639 said:
ok after doing a search here on this great plant i thought i might supply some interesting information shared by a friend in south africa who has done alot of work with the xhosa in the past.
For the best effects, well developed roots are essential. I would avoid the powdered crap I notice is being sold on the Internet at ridiculous prices. As soon as one crushes some plant material, it's chemistry will start to oxidize. And if powdered material has been laying round somewhere, even sealed in a bottle, it is something less than it was before it was crushed.
Healers always keep material in root form for good reason. Our current research shows that stored plant material degrades rapidly over time. Dose 250-500mg of the powdered root. It should be properly dried (sun dried is
best). Secondly, the finely ground material must be mixed in at least 500ml to 1 liter water and beaten up with a forked stick. A hand held or electric mixer is useless because all the ground particles adhere to the mixer.
Pharmacological research on the root at the moment indicates that there is more chemical load in the water fraction than in the dry or oil fraction - novel acids and probably diterpenoids are present. Although the dreams are particularly vivid, this is not exactly an hallucinogenic experience. Regard it more as a clicking back to normal night time dream mode. One is supposed to fill one's empty gut with as much of the white foam, which is produced by vigorous mixing, as possible. A Xhosa initiate is never finished drinking from the can until he/she belches. This is repeated three times a day for three days at full moon. No psychedelic effects ensue. One might perhaps notice a sudden sharpening of one's intuition, though. Just at night when one sleeps, one is going to dream like Rip van Winkel (ever heard of that dude?).
Use the medicine for about three months, as described, and you'll never need to use it again. On the psychological level, the dreams are very resolving of current problems and issues.
A little bundle of really good roots costs about R5-R10 here (remember a dollar is about R7-R8). Naturally, healers use additives, namely other similar but possibly less potent roots, to improve taste and effect. An important one often mentioned is impendulo ('the question') (Dianthus spp.), which has a deep red root bark and a very beautiful red, sweet pea-like flower. The additives also increase dreaming. Indaw'luthi ('place of this tree') is a type of Acorus calamus and unkomentaba ('cattle of the mountain') a frank, somewhat harsh tasting but otherwise effective, ubulawu ('frothing root') [many nouns in Xhosa are coined from verbs - hence, ubulawu is derived from the verb ukulawula, to control - obviously the idea is to be in control of one's dream life. A healer might make a cold water infusion of a mixture of the roots including Alepedia, which is tonic and also increases 'short limb tension' . Put it all in a clean liter Coke bottle and shake it up something chronic and take a tablespoon three times a day. We know the roots contain saponins, but analytical work currently underway in Zurich suggests a novel and complex chemistry.
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The little side tendrils on the root, which have very resinous bark, are very good for smoking when cut up fine - stimulant and a bit colourful. My teacher always made a fat cigar whenever we went off on a journey, like to pick it on the mountaintop.
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The common garden carnation is a member of the Dianthus family..., one is talking about 250-500mg - naturally the material is not consumed all at once but over a couple of days (taken on an empty stomach - eat later)... I rarely mix it in water myself - I just chew on the root (without swallowing said material) and afterwards, I spit the cud out
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As long as one consumes the material on an empty stomach - remember, it is essentially an emitic that is used to induce vomiting - it's fine and one can always eat later. I used it a lot during my own initiation and experienced no noticeable side-effects (and I have a pretty sensitive gut). Also, I wouldn't use it in conjunction with other medications or drugs.
