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Trichocereus bridgesii (Achuma) extraction

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69ron

69ron

Esteemed member
SWIM recently extracted 100 grams of dried whole achuma cactus (Trichocereus bridgesii). He extracted it using methanol in a Soxhlet. Then he did a typical A/B extraction on it by adding water and distilling off the methanol. Then adding citric acid, bringing the pH to 4. He defatted with xylene 4 times. Then adjusted the pH to 10 using ammonia and extracted 4 times into xylene. He then extracted the mescaline (and other alkaloids) from the xylene 4 times using concentrated hydrochloric acid. He evaporated the acid and was left with some brown crystals that were slightly sticky.

The total yield was 60 mg. SWIM thought that was a horrible yield. He tried it and was surprised to find it was strong enough for a light trip.

The effects were VERY NICE. It started with a slightly drowsy dreamy feeling which lasted a few hours. This gave way to a very euphoric phase where SWIM felt excited and just fantastic. It peaked after 3 1/2 hours. During the peak there were waves of pleasure and mild visuals. The overall experienced lasted about 5 hours. It was a beautiful but mild trip.

During the comedown of the trip, SWIM tried smoking 10 mg of pure bufotenine crystals. He heard from another person on this forum that the combination was very nice. SWIM DID NOT LIKE THE COMBINATION AT ALL. It was horrible. Instead of nice intense visuals as he expected, all the positives of the cactus alkaloids and the bufotenine were just cancelled out. SWIM was left feeling intoxicated with bodily effects and nothing positive from it at all. The cactus alkaloids seemed to dull the hallucinogenic effects of the bufotenine and visa versa. They also exaggerated each other’s bodily side effects. The combination was definitely not something SWIM will try again.

Now SWIM is wondering why such a low yield was had. The effects at 60 mg were fantastic and SWIM would like to go much higher in dosage, but considering the cost of the cactus, 60 mg was quite pricey.

Has anyone else had better yields from this cactus?
 
Sounds like your cactus wasn't very potent... but you said it was active at 60 mg?

60?!

Do you mean 600mg?

You can't trip on 60mg of the purest mescaline!
 
That is NOT a typo. It was 60 mg.

SWIM never tried 60 mg of pure mescaline, so he can't comment on that. Some people are more sensitive to alkaloids than other people are though, so just because the literature says you can't trip on 60 mg doesn't mean that's true for 100% of the population. The literature commonly quotes 100 mg as the threshold but that’s an average. 60 is not much different from 100 mg. If the average person can detect 100 mg, then I’m sure 60 can be detected by some people.

SWIM’s was probably 90% pure alkaloids. He has no idea what the alkaloids were. He assumes most to be mescaline, but who knows?
 
What could be present in this cactus other than mescaline that could be mildy hallucinogenic at 60 mg?

It felt exactly like mescaline to SWIM. There were mild visual effects and lots of euphoria during the peak. It was fantastic. But the dosage does not seem right does it?

Could it be there’s something present that is potentiating the mescaline? Or is SWIM just extremely sensitive to mescaline?
 
Whoa... ok if you really took 60mg of a extracted cactus "product"... we need to do some invesigation!

I have no idea what in cactus would make you trip at the 60mg range...

69ron I know nothing of chemisty or extractions... could you have done something that left the mescaline out?
 
It’s possible that SWIM did something that left much of the mescaline out. Extracting mescaline is not something SWIM has had much success with ever.

He did follow a standard extraction procedure that is known to work for peyote, so he assumes it should have worked. The final product resembled mescaline hydrochloride crystals in appearance, but it was brown and definitely not pure.

SWIM is assuming, based on what he read from others, that it’s not just mescaline he extracted. He’s read there are several active mescaline like alkaloids in this particular cactus, but he can’t find any accurate sources for this information. It could be that one of the other mescaline like alkaloids present in this cactus is much stronger than mescaline.

Do you know where to find a list of all the known active alkaloids in this cactus?
 
A list of Trichocereus bridgesii's chemicals can be found on page 54 of Trout's Notes on San Pedro.

I'll try to find one of the net tho...

Obvisouly we've got to explore these other compounds! That's why the "Lost Peyotes" are so important!

Chemists of the Nexus! Will you help me?!
 
On the net I found another SWIM stating that this cactus contains the following:

Mescaline
3-Methoxytyramine
3,4-Dimethoxyphenethylamine (DMPEA, said to be inactive in PiHKAL)
Tyramine
Bridgesigenin A
Bridgesigenin B
Kaempferol
Quercetin

It’s possible that 3,4-dimethoxyphenethylamine is actually potentiating the effects of the mescaline even though it is inactive on it’s own. Who knows?

Quercetin is apparently an inhibitor of CYP3A4, an enzyme that breaks down some drugs in the body. This is perhaps potentiating the effects of mescaline?
 
I find that cactusses are different from tryptamines in that the threshold level for tripping seems to be less absolute; In my experience it's more gradual from very little effects to very strong effects. I absolutely believe that you can feel something with 60 mg.
 
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