What form is the Mescaline molecule in Cactus Material?

[۩]

Help me find the source on this, please.

I remember reading that Mescaline is free base in the cactus material, but I can't find a source.

Do you know?

 

[benzyme]

it's an alkaloid (slightly basic), probably bound to acidic intracellular compounds.
it's likely a salt.

it can't be a free base, because a free base is an alkaloid that has been basified and isolated from other compounds.

 

[۩]

I think that's where I was mistaken then,
with it being "slightly basic"
thanks for your expertise

 

[Tribal]

If it is an alkaloid naturally in the plant material, would it be necessary to basify the material before doing an alcohol extraction? I've read about it being done both ways, and there have been successful reports of both. Which would be better?

 

[benzyme]

well, simply basifying will likely give some cactus soap along with the alks.
an alcoholic extraction will give a tincture with lots of chlorophyll. neither method is particularly clean, which is why people either tend to do A/B/A, or make a tea
but some opt to make 'resin'

which is better is just a matter of personal preference.

 

[ouro]

You can do a simple ph test to see if its freebase. If the cactus juice is not basic, I don't think it's possible that the alkaloids are not paired with an acid to form a salt. My guess is that gallic acid or a similar tannic acid neutralizes the base in cactus sap.

 

[Phlux-]

i stabbed a cactus with a ph meter once - cant recall the exact ph but it was under 6 - something like 5.2 or ?