Sugandi - Hemidesmus indicus (oneirogen)

[blue lunar night]

hi everyone,
i would like to call attention to the dream-herb 'Sugandi' (Hemidesmus indicus). sometimes confusingly referred to as 'false sarsaparilla' due to their analogous applications in herbal medicine.

i was made aware of it while researching herbal treatments for psoriasis, & found that not only is it anti-inflammatory, immuno-modulatory, & blood-cleansing, but has been used for perhaps thousands of years to facilitate dream lucidity & recall.

its effects are reminiscent of mugwort (perhaps more reliable), & to a lesser extent, the mighty calea z.

i have been taking sugandi daily for about 2 weeks, & i have been able to recall portions of each & every night's dreaming - highly unusual for me, as a consequence of my enthusiasm for cannabis is an attenuated dream-life.

mugwort is great too but it has not worked so consistently for me as sugandi.

there is not the 'real-time' effect of calea, but there does seem to be elements of continuity...
for example, for 3 or 4 consecutive nights, i had dreams of browsing through bookstores, private book collections, university libraries, archives, etc... many of the books had titles suggestive of the singularities swimming in my subconscious, aside more arcane selections.
now if only i could find the key to the closed-stacks... :idea:

additionally, sugandi also has a fantastic vanilla/almond/cinnamon/chai aroma, & i will certainly add some to my next batch of changa.

and some words on the chemistry, from entheology.org - sugandi information:

Hemidismus Indica is known to naturally produce a wide variety of beneficial compounds known for their healing and calmative effects. This plant has been the focus of many different scientific studies, and there are over a hundred unique compounds that have been isolated from the roots, stems, leaves and flowers. Some of the many compounds found in this plant include: 2-hydroxy-4-methoxy benzaldehyde, 2-hyroxy-4-methoxy benzenoid, alpha-amyrins triterpene, benzoic acid, beta-amyrins, beta-sitosterol, coumarin, delta-dehydro lupeol acetate, delta-dehydrolupanyl-3-beta-acetate, desmine, glucosides, hemidesmin-1, hemidesmin-2, hemidescine, hemidesmic acid, hemidesmine, hemidesmol, hemidesterol, hemidine, hemisine, hexa triconate acid, hyperoside, indicine, indicusin, lactone, lupanone, lupeol acetate, lupeol octacosonate, medidesmine, p-methoxy salicylic aldehyde, pregnane ester diglycoside desinine, sarsapogenin, sarsaponin, sitosterol, smilacin, smilgenin, stigmasterol, tannin, triterpenoid saponin, vanillin, as well as many other potentially psychoactive compounds.

love & lightning,
b l n

 

[slewb]

hm. I've never heard of it. I have half an ounce of silene capensis (african dream herb) on the way, I wonder if these two could be used together.

 

[Hyperspace Fool]

I have some Sugandi actually. I got it a while back and only played very briefly with it. The roots are EXTREMELY hard, and it was somewhat difficult to prepare it.

Can you tell us which part of the plant you are using, how you prepare it, and what dosages you have used it in? Do you find it has any immediate psychoactive effects, or merely the enhanced dream recall after days of usage?

Glad you brought this plant up.

 

[blue lunar night]

Can you tell us which part of the plant you are using, how you prepare it, and what dosages you have used it in? Do you find it has any immediate psychoactive effects, or merely the enhanced dream recall after days of usage?

i'm using the powdered root - which is how i received it.

i take it both in both tea & capsuled form, usually around 5 grams/day.

it does have immediate, gentle psychoactive effects; a feeling of meditative tranquility & well-being. very 'yin' energy.
however i have only noticed this when drinking the tea - not so much with the capsules.

apparently boiling destroys some of the active compounds so i bring it to a simmer & then keep it covered & just below a simmer for about an hour.

quite an attractive plant, too:

 

[ouro]

Thanks for bringing this one up. I've been actively interested in the many medicinal apocynaceaes and this one was still under my radar.

 

[blue lunar night]

there is some interesting information on Sugandi in this thread from the Edot forums: Sugandi Root
The last post in the thread, by BlackFly, is intriguing & unusual in that he reports intense nightmares from smoking a very small amount of the root.

and now more enigmatic efflorescences: