Amanita Muscaria a friend or a foe?

[Z...]

PHARMACOLOGY

The book Amanita Muscaria; Herb of Immortality by Donald Teeter has the best overview of the biochemical properties of AM so in this post I will quote some extracts from it as well as extracts from other papers I managed to collect

the main pharmacological compounds found in AM so far are the following:

Amanita Muscaria: Chemistry, Biology, Toxicology, and Ethnomycology.
By Didier Michelot and Leda Maria Melendez-Howell:
Ibotenic acid
“Ibotenic acid (pantherin, agarin), i.e. a-amino-3-hydroxy-5-isoxazoloacetic acid, is colorless (crystals, C5H6N2O4, mol. wt. 158.11, mp. 150-152 deg. C decomposition), readily soluble in cold water. Any attempt of dehydration leads to decarboxilation yielding quantitatively muscimol.”

Muscimol
“Muscimol, i.e. 5-(aminomethyl)-3-hydroxyisoxazole, isolated from Amanita Muscaria, is colorless (crystals, C4H6N2O2, mol. wt.114.10, mp. 175 deg. C decomposition) readily soluble in cold water.”
“Interestingly, cycloserine (myxomycin, seromycin, D-4-amino-3-isoxazolidone) is an antimicrobial tuberculostatic agent that exhibits a similar carbon backbone as muscimol.
Other:
“(-)-R-4-hydroxy-pyrrolidone-(2), whose structure is closely related to ibotenicacid and muscimol, was found in Amanita Muscaria (Matsumoto et al. 1969a). This chemical frame is common in some micromycetes; they generally exhibit apotent biological activity against bacteria and other fungi (e.g. aureothrycin,equisetin).”

“A; B-(1->6) branched (1->3)-beta-D-glucan (AM-ASN) was isolated from A. muscaria. AM-ASN exhibited antitumor activity against Sarcoma 180 in mice (Kiho et al. 1992).”

Donald Teeter: As you can see, the two major chemicals Ibotenic acid and Muscimol found in Amanita Muscaria, are closely related to known antibiotics. Plus, the chemically related hydroxypyrollidone derivative found in Amanita Muscaria is a knownantibiotic and antifungal; also found in micromycetes.

Donald Teeter: The chemical AM-ASN a Beta-glucan is extremely interesting for its antitumor activity; Sarcoma 180 is a standard cancer cell line that is used in cancer research all over the world. AM-ASN may in fact be the antiviral compound we are searching for but that testing has yet to be performed.
No specifically antiviral compounds are found in this paper; that doesn’t mean that they do not exist in the mushroom; it simply means that no research has been done in this area.

Donald Teeter:
This is the basic research on the antibiotic properties of Amanita Muscaria however there are other medicinal properties that are very interesting concerning ibotenic acid and muscimol in this paper.
“Ibotenic acid and muscimol are respectively conformationally restricted derivatives of glutamic acid and gamma-aminobutyric acid (GABA).”
“Glutamic acid is a major excitatory neurotransmitter in mammalian central nervous systems and its receptors are implicated in neurological disorders such as epilepsy and Huntington’s disease. Inhibitory glutamate receptors (IGluRs)constitute a class of ion channel proteins equivalent to glycine and GABA receptors. Ibotenic acid acts on IGluRs (Cleland 1996).”
“AMPA, a synthetic analogue of ibotenic acid, displays the same typical moiety and was found to be more effective and specific glutamate agonist than the parent compound (Watkins, Krogsgaard-Larsen & Honore 1990).”
“There is evidence that damaged function of GABA mediated inhibitory synapses is implied in experimental and clinical seizure disorders. Decreased
concentration, and then activity of GABA, may have a role in human epilepsy.
Muscimol is a potent conformational analogue and biologically active biosostere (Krogsgaard et. el. 2000).”“This toxin tightly binds with the gamma-aminobutyrate receptor (de Feudis1980). Moreover, it is also an inhibitor of neuronal and glial GABA uptake and asubstrate for the GABA- metabolizing enzyme: GABA transaminase. Subsequently, some research teams tried to improve the potency of drugs.
Lipophilicity is of considerable interest for the prediction of the transport, adsorption and distribution properties of molecules, and so is an important factorin drug design. More lipophilic bioisosteres of muscimol and GABA have beensynthesized, such as Tiagabine. This drug was marketed as a therapeutic agent forthe treatment of epilepsy, Gabatril ® (Krogsgaard-Larsen 1977, Krogsgaard-Larsen et. el. 1994, Krogsgaard-Larsen, Frolund& Frydenvang 2000).”
Here we have ibotenic acid and muscimol both having beneficial effects onhuman epilepsy and perhaps Huntington’s disease or other neurological disorders.
The reference to muscimol as a “toxin” is to be expected in a paper dealing withthe chemistry of a “poisonous mushroom”.

In his book Donald Teeter is equating Amanita M. with Christ Consciousness hence this paragraph, but will delve more into historical and folklore aspects of AM later

Donald Teeter: In the ancient world epilepsy was the proof that demons possessed certain humans, a belief that was only reinforced with every seizure, which can be veryfrightening to any onlooker, and devastating for the victim. Any substance thatcould cure or moderate this disease would have been held in the very highest regard in the ancient world. Most of the people in the New Testament, who aresaid to be possessed by demons with a detailed description of their symptoms;appear to be epileptics who are reported to be cured by the Christ/Eucharist.
I believe Amanita Mascara’s many medicinal benefits explain why Christianity first spread across the Roman Empire among the sick.

More on pharmacology:

Donald Teeter: Living Amanita Muscaria contains mainly Ibotenic acid; a trace of Muscimol may be present on the outer surface of the mushroom. Extremely small trace amounts of approximately 15 other chemicals are also present. Fresh Amanita Muscaria should never be consumed! While not deadly poisonous they do not have the desired properties; all references to human poisoning are from fresh Fly Agaric. To be used as the Sacramental Herb of Life; the Amanita Muscaria mushrooms must be thoroughly dried!All species of mushrooms when fresh including Amanita Muscaria contain a form of hydrazine that has been used by NASA as a rocket fuel; the amount of this hydrazine varies widely from species to species, and widely among individualmushrooms of the same species. No one has figured out why all mushrooms makethis hydrazine since mushrooms would seem to have little need for rocket fuel.This hydrazine is not good for you when it’s consumed; drying Amanita Muscaria completely dry and then aging them for a few months will remove this hydrazine.In drying Amanita Muscaria, the Ibotenic acid is converted to Muscimol. Muscimol is present in the dried specimen in very small amounts, approximately one milligram per gram (1000 milligrams). Trace amounts of unconverted Ibotenic Acid are also present. Drying the herb in the sun produces a trace of a variant of Ibotenic Acid called Muscazone; this is far less potent than Muscimolwith different effects.The herb’s effects are from a combination of these chemicals; the varying proportions of these chemicals lead to variation between individual plants. In actual practice, this variation is not of great concern; some individual plants maybe stronger or weaker, the practice of averaging a batch from many specimenstends to produce an average.Processing also has an effect on chemical makeup. Shaded cool drying producing more Muscimol than sun drying. Heated drying’s effects varies with temperature and above 130 deg. F the mushroom cooks and the heat actuallystarts breaking down these chemicals. Room temperature to about 120 deg. F seems to be the best in my experience. I do not sun dry but you may choose to. If you have a regular food dehydrator with an adjustable temperature control, use it.As long your drying practices are consistent from one mushroom to another, the result seems fairly constant.Scientific studies of the effects of isolated pure samples do not apply to theAmanita Muscaria; They are, however, very useful in determining the effect of each chemical.Ibotenic Acid’s effect on the eyes is dilation of the pupil. The only mental effect seems to be sedation. This probably accounts for the coma like sleep and stupor reported from fresh Amanita Muscaria ingestion. On drying, Ibotenic Acid loses CO2 and becomes Muscimol.

Muscimol is the prime chemical for the dried herb’s action. Muscimol dilates the pupil; and is the main component causing mental effects. Muscimol
is relatively stable as a chemical; both it and Ibotenic Acid are very water-soluble.Muscimol is 4 to 10 times as active as Ibotenic Acid. Muscimol is a very polarmolecule, with a strong - and + charge on opposite ends of the molecule. Theeffects of pure Muscimol are reputed to be similar to dried Amanita Muscaria.
Ibotenic Acid if exposed to ultraviolet light produces Muscazone. Muscazonehas less potency than Muscimol, but more than Ibotenic Acid does. It is present only in trace amounts in the herb.
There is no practical reason to try and isolate or concentrate these chemicals.Nature has produced an ideal mix already and the natural potency is just aboutright for practical use.

Any water extract made from the herb for consumption (i.e. Ambrosia) will be weaker still. Because of the dried herb’s low potency (1mg Muscimol per 1 gram herb), accidental overdose would be almost impossible.
Overdosing by misadventure is a different story. All doses should be weighed, with a maximum 14 gram = ½ oz = about 3 specimens, as the upper most limit per 200 lb. person. Smaller people should, of course, use less (1/8 oz per 50 lbs.body weight max). Remember that all medicinal herbs should be kept out of thereach of children!
The most pleasurable range for most people is from 3.5 gram = 1/8 oz to 10 gr.= 3/8 oz, this would be equal to 3 to 10 mg muscimol. People familiar with dried Amanita Muscaria can detect faint effects from less than ½ gram.

CONCLUSIONS

So from all this we can concur that the safe dose to start micro-dosing with Amanita is 0.5 gram. This can be increased in tiny increments over time but never exceed the dose of 3 grams.
Preparations include: pieces of dried caps, capsules with ground powder of dried caps, alcohol tincture or tea made from dried caps.
Alcohol tincture is not recommended to be taken internally although some people take it in this fashion and report good results.
According to Baba Masha's received reports - people who tried all forms of AM report that pieces of dried caps have the greatest effectiveness, then capsules with powder, then tea and finally tincture. However tincture seems to be very effective for various inflammatory conditions, burns, traumas etc. when applied externally.

If you are going to ingest pieces of dried caps or make tea from it it is important to standardize the dose since content of active substances vary from cap to cap, we do this by mixing pieces of different caps of various sizes within one dose.

Some people take it in the morning on an empty stomach and some in the evening, this is the matter of preference.

The evening dose is more suitable for people who are solely interested in improving sleep quality, for this purpose it should be prepared like tea - simmering for at least 30 minutes with some lemon juice- this will increase decarboxylation of Ibotenic acid i.e. its conversion to muscimol which has most sedative effect. ibotenic acid is more of a stimulant.
I think taking morning dose is better option in order to be wide awake for the full experience and adjust the dose if needed be.
People who take the dose in the morning report significant increase in energy, focus and creativity as well as physical stamina and we presume this is the effect of ibotenic acid.
It seems that ibotenic acid is converted into muscimol in the nerve tissue eventually so at the end of the day you can still reap the benefits for improved sleep or resetting sleep cycle, even with the mourning dose.
However as Baba Masha says you still need to go to sleep at appropriate times- according to biological clock i.e. around 10:00.

Some people take it twice a day but according to most reports this is unnecessary. One daily dose is sufficient to reap all the benefits for most people.
Most people report effects after the first dose but in some people it takes some time as the effects are cumulative.

Some people micro-dose for a month, some people do it for as long as 6 months. Most survey participants report that their good results didn't stop after they stop the dose. There are no set rules on this. According to user's lore once you body gets familiar with Amanita it will tell you when to stop or when to restart micro-dosing. According to this lore, and this comes up again and again in the reports, Amanita communicates with you, or at least makes you more sensitive to your inner voice.


CONTRAINDICATIONS

Baba Masha:
Contraindications for taking AM microdoses according to my data are:
1. Mental illness (bipolar disorder, schizophrenia and so on). I received quite a negative feedback from those taking AM microdoses with this pathology
2. Pregnant mothers and those with nursing newborns
3. Presence of urolithiasis (kindey stones). As it turned out AM microdoses activate the elimination of the stones from bladder and kidneys

CAUTION
It is essential to identify responsible supplier who does harvesting and processing properly.
Amanita should never be picked from the road side or chemically poluted areas because like all mushrooms they have tendency to absorb heavy metals and chemicals.
according to Baba masha many sellers these days are irresponsible pushing unknown powder in capsules, or previous season's crop. In addition many of these buisnesses push Amanita pantherina which has different chemical compunds and is not suitable for microdosing.

 

[Mrs. Peel]

Alcohol tincture is not recommended to be taken internally although some people take it in this fashion and report good results.

I've bookmarked several sites that sell tinctures but I think most of them use alcohol, will have to double check.

The evening dose is more suitable for people who are solely interested in improving sleep quality, for this purpose it should be prepared like tea - simmering for at least 30 minutes with some lemon juice-

I have never seen these mushrooms growing in this area, so I'm unlikely to be doing this. Even if I bought them online dried, I'd be afraid I'd get the dosage wrong.

 

[22/7]

feel free to think as you like. Your "it is not" is a statement lacking wisdom, there is no "it is not" metaphysically speaking, always some "it is" in everything

No, it´s not.
As iamthatis explained, and Z as well, use of drugs is a VERY bad idea for number of reasons.
I would suggest anyone with such ideas to read this thread Graham Hancock from the beginning where Laura and others took time and answered similar question

 

[22/7]

LSD can work for a person in order to unlock multidimensional reality, if he´s not aware. Shall I advise
for doing so, of course not. Goethe: Wise man does not give advice neither ask for it.

There´s a quote in the transcripts about the harshness of the lessons one wishes to undertake, the Cs reply was brilliantly simple: CHOICE

 

[Z...]

I have never seen these mushrooms growing in this area, so I'm unlikely to be doing this. Even if I bought them online dried, I'd be afraid I'd get the dosage wrong.

There is nothing to be afraid. Some people eat raw whole mushroom and they still survive
As long as you have precise scale you will be fine with micro doses.

I have identified several reliable suppliers, one of them is retired biochemical engineer however they are in Lithuania. Both of them do offer free worldwide shipping.

 

[Mrs. Peel]

I have identified several reliable suppliers, one of them is retired biochemical engineer however they are in Lithuania. Both of them do offer free worldwide shipping

Would you be comfortable with posting the info here?

 

[Z...]

Would you be comfortable with posting the info here?

I can send you pm, I dont think I should advertise anyone here.

 

[Mrs. Peel]

I've bookmarked several sites that sell tinctures but I think most of them use alcohol, will have to double check

Four sites that sell tinctures in the US all use alcohol, three use grain and one uses blue agave tequila and lemon drops.

 

[Nienna]

the most STO substance is the LSD

This statement is unwise.

feel free to think as you like. Your "it is not" is a statement lacking wisdom, there is no "it is not" metaphysically speaking, always some "it is" in everything

How about it is very unwise to be telling people that LSD is the most STO substance?

 

[Gawan]

I concur with Mari and Nienna as well and, as Z... wrote several times, this topic is about medical use.

There is no drug that is STO, rather it gives you a (feel good) illusion and messes up your brain/mind, when you should train your brain to receive reality as objectively as possible. There are no shortcuts.

I met many people who messed up their minds (psychosis) “only” with weed, and this is definitely no fun to watch, when you have to deal with the aftermath.

 

[EmeraldR]

I concur with Mari and Nienna as well and, as Z... wrote several times, this topic is about medical use.

There is no drug that is STO, rather it gives you a (feel good) illusion and messes up your brain/mind, when you should train your brain to receive reality as objectively as possible. There are no shortcuts.

I met many people who messed up their minds (psychosis) “only” with weed, and this is definitely no fun to watch, when you have to deal with the aftermath.

me too... I ve met along the way, quite a number of longterm casualties who never came back from playing ''Mr clever'' some did away with selves through taking their own lives...other were easily mislead and ignorant of potential consequences.

 

[Z...]

More on Pharmacology

Donald Teeter: The effect of a drug plant is subject to a few variables. First, the absorption rate of the active principles into the body, second, is the physical size of the pieces of plant that are releasing the active principle.
This second variable is subject to manipulation. As an example, if you eat a given weight of dried Amanita Muscaria in one piece, say a 1/16 oz cap rolled up and swallowed whole, the experience will be lighter and longer lasting, than the exact same piece reduced to a fine powder before being eaten where the active principle is released faster from the smaller pieces, absorbed faster and excreted
faster, leading to a more intense effect over a shorter duration.

Another variable encountered with any herb plant is the variation in potency between individuals of the same species. This variability is beyond human control. We can, however, reduce this effect, if we use pieces from a number of specimens in our preparation we end up with an average of the total. This average will be more predictable in effect than individual specimens since extra strong or
weak individual herbs are averaged out by this method, a sample of the batch being representative of the whole batch.

Lastly, is preserve ability; all herbs decline in potency over time. Such things as oxygen, moisture, light and heat all work to change any herb’s chemistry.
Physical changes may accelerate these changes; grinding an herb into a powder, for example, allows herb chemicals to escape and other things, like oxygen, in.
The herb of Life is no exception to this rule. The Amanita Muscaria must be dried before use! The large pieces resulting from this drying, if stored in sealed plastic bags that are then placed in airtight plastic or glass containers preserve
fairly well. The herb degrades rapidly if over exposed to the environment or is powdered or otherwise altered from its storable form. It is best to only prepare as much herb of Life as will be immediately used.

A bit on Natural Magic and respecting Amanita

Donald Teeter: It is up to the reader to exercise caution and restraint when first trying the Amanita Muscaria mushroom; individuals vary widely in their response to various substances. It is much better to have a lighter pleasant effect than to be overpowered. While I personally have never seen anyone experience a bad effect, there is always that possibility.

Our ancient fathers called it the herb of Life; let’s keep it that way. The Amanita Muscaria is Sacred; treat it and yourself with respect. To find and consume the Amanita Muscaria mushroom is to embark on a spiritual quest.
This knowledge is given so you may have the power of choice. If you wish to use the herb for healing, you can, if you wish to explore the Sacred, its here. The herb of Life is your birthright! No man, or assembly of men, has the right to deny you contact with the divine.

 

[SummerLite]

In Colorado magic mushrooms are legal to grow. I don't know the correct name for these mushrooms and all the details for medicinal use, I just want to share a short experience.

I went to a magic mushroom talk on growing your own with my daughter several months ago. She won a grow kit with the spores and the growing medium which she gave to me since I'm the gardener in the family. A lovely crop was grown which I dried. I gave some to my X who has many health issues but mainly chronic pain due to a malformed vertebrae in his neck. He's been a runner all his life but the pain has caused difficulties for years with this beloved pass time. He ate 2 small mushrooms and set off on his run. He is overjoyed with the results. The run was easy and enjoyable without any pain. I asked if he noticed any negative side effects such as the mushrooms covering up the pain causing him to over do the run and cause problems later. He said no, it was all very manageable and there was a nice, easy flow to it all. Now he's in the process of becoming a mushroom farmer himself.

One of the new health aids and immune support being discovered now (or rediscovered) are from various kinds of mushrooms. I think its interesting and exciting.

 

[SummerLite]

I'd never heard of them, but after finding that they may help with insomnia/sleep issues,

I think this could be helpful for sleep in a very small dose. As I mentioned in my last post having some shrooms I tried 2 small nibbles twice. The first was at the end of a long, physically active day where I felt stressed and agitated. The result was nice, very relaxing and I could have fallen asleep easily. The second time was during a day without much physical activity, it made me tired which I didn't appreciate. So a tiny bit at bed time would be helpful I think.

 

[Z...]

I think this could be helpful for sleep in a very small dose. As I mentioned in my last post having some shrooms I tried 2 small nibbles twice. The first was at the end of a long, physically active day where I felt stressed and agitated. The result was nice, very relaxing and I could have fallen asleep easily. The second time was during a day without much physical activity, it made me tired which I didn't appreciate. So a tiny bit at bed time would be helpful I think.

Are you talking about Amanita muscaria since you are mentioning magic mushrooms in your previous post? As far as i know Amanita cannot be grown in the way you describe and magic mushroom term usually refers to psyloscilbin.