witchetty grubs

[nonothing]

FOAF has been living with Australian aboriginal tribes and was told that they eat the witchetty grubs that live in certain acacias to experience the dreamtime.

Can't find any information on it but will try to find out more!

Peace.

 

[downwardsfromzero]

This seems eminently likely.

In a parallel manner, I've found this to be the case with aphids that feed on certain alkaloid-rich plants although of course one has to eat far more of the tiny little things. And the ants can make it a bit difficult - formic acid is really bad for the teeth.

 

[chr0nic]

Hmmmm this is interesting.

So when ingesting DMT we must first combine it with a MAOI to feel the effects... I wonder how it works ingesting the grubs who contain the DMT- do they somehow contain MAOI as well (from what they consume of the tree?) or does the compound change in some way once eaten by the grub?

Considering this is all speculative I'm asking more for educated guesses...

 

[downwardsfromzero]

It would seem (sorry for lack of a reference here) that certain species of Acacia contain betacarbolines as well as tryptamines and are thus orally active. I would guess that these would be the trees in which to look for the witchetty grubs.

But this is merely my boreal speculation, for all we know the insects could metabolically produce MAO inhibitors, considering we don't even really know what 2-methyltetrahydrobetacarboline does pharmacologically.

 

[Dogbark]

Maybe they contain 5-meo-dmt ? AFAIK thats orally active.