Cwest
Bluelighter
- Joined
- Apr 4, 2011
- Messages
- 233
Hey all this is my modest attempt at cataloging the variety of animal species that produce (or consume and store) psychoactive chemicals in nature. I will attempt to go over their scientific names, common names, chemicals they contain, and if possible traditional and contemporary use... I will try to only include species with strong evidence (as there are many rumours of active species) but please feel free to list species you have heard of. I am also going to try and keep this post organised and easy to read, and will update it with additional species if you guys have suggestions. I will start with the producers, then list the consumers and finish with species that may be psychoactive.
PRODUCERS
Producers are the animal species that produce psychoactive chemicals, usually converting precursors they consume. As long as the chemical they produce is a different molecule from the ones they consume, they can be considered producers.
SPONGES
Smenospongia auria
This species of sponge (as well as echina) has 5-Br-DMT and 5,6-DiBr-DMT present in its cells, likely as a deterrent to parasites. It is believed that other species of sponges from more than one genus have other brominated tryptamines in them as well. Very few people have sampled these compounds, but they have reported them as active at the 20mg level.
INSECTS
Pogonomyrmex species
Species of red harvester ants from this genus have been used in California by at least 15 different tribes for hallucinogenic purposes. Some tribes would allow themselves to be stung repeatedly for the purpose of seeing complex hallucinations and visions while other tribes would kill and eat the ants to impart longer periods of a dream like catatonic state for divination. The venom effects the CNS producing highly altered metabolic states where hallucinations can occur. At lower doses the hallucinations are similar to LSD but in higher doses they can be closer to tropane alkaloid intoxication, in which the person has realistic hallucinations to the point they can not tell what is real and what is in their mind. The cause of the hallucinations is thought to be opioid peptides and various kinnins. Some of the hallucinations may be caused by the peptides affinity to mu opioid receptors.
Myelobia smerintha
This grub (actually a caterpillar or a moth) is said to be consumed by the Malali tribe in Brazil for entheogenic purposes. It is thought to be psychoactive via the cyanide derivatives in the bamboo it eats but it is more likely it creates its own chemical as most reports refer to the experience as psychedelic rather that narcotic (though some reports say it is narcotic in effect). More research is needed.
ARACHNIDS
Scorpionidae species
There are multiple reports of scorpion venom being used as a recreational drug in recent times. Scorpion venom contains peptides that could act as some opiate peptides in our bodies (such as endorphins). In an article on Popsci, they discuss research at Tel Aviv University using some species of scorpions venom as a safer alternative to morphine. In an Indian Department of Psychology paper they discuss an Indian heroin addict who let scorpions inject him with venom while withdrawing in prison. He described the sensation as more of a rush than street heroin. In yet another article about heroin addicts on TVNZ, they talk to a Pakistani man who dries their stingers and then smokes the venom. He says when he smokes scorpion, he forgets about heroin. The interesting part about this is that scorpion males will often sting females to get them in the mood, and they only mate during part of the year. He happens to only smoke the venom when the scorpions are "in season". Coincidence?
FISH
Mugilidae and Mullidae family species
Some mullet, goatfish and rabbitfish species have been found to cause 'hallucinatory mullet poisoning'. This is though to be because of indole tryptamines but this has not been proven or disproven. In the 1920's around 35 Japanese people ate Upeneus arge (a species from these families) and were delirious for a few days. Most did not like the effects, but some enjoyed them.
Siganus spinus
This fishes native name in English translates to "the fish that inebriates". It lives around Reunion Islands and it is unknown what causes its effects.
Takifugu and related genuses
Fugu fish are eaten in Japan and are famous for being deadly if prepared incorrectly. Fugu fish contain TTX which acts in a similar way to cocaine but is much more potent and deadly. The goal of preparing fugu is not to remove the drug, but to reduce its levels so it is enjoyable to the person eating it. There are lots of other species that contain TTX including some frogs, octopi etc (however fugu is the only species that contains TTX that has been used as a drug).
Urolophus jamaicensis
This stingrays venom is purported by some to have been used by Caribbean natives as an entheogen or intoxicant. It is unknown what the active chemical is, but it is likely a peptide.
Somniosus microcephalus
Greenland sharks contain trimethylamine oxidase in their flesh which converts to trimethylamine when eaten. This causes symptoms known as "shark sick" when dogs or people eat the meat non fermented. the symptoms are described as being very similar to high doses of alcohol.
AMPHIBIANS
(formerly) Bufo species (the Bufo toads that are psychoactive are now in the genus Rinella)
Colorado river toads contain 5-MeO-DMT and bufotenin in their poison. The poison is dried and smoked. Bufo (outdated name), Hyla, Litoria and Rana genus contain bufotenin in their poison as well but no 5-MeO-DMT (or just trace amounts). All species poisons contain other toxins, some more than others.
Epipedobates tricolor
The phantasmal poison frog contains a powerful toxin epibatidine. It is 200x more potent than morphine (but effects mostly the nicotine receptors) and some analogues are being looked at in medicine. It has never been documented as being used recreationally.
Phyllomedusa species
Waxy monkey frogs contain the opiate peptides dermorphin and other deltorphins. This is known as kambo or sapo to some tribes in South America, and is applied subcutaneously (pressed into a burn). Phyllobates and Agalychnis genus also contain similar opioid peptides.
Salamandra salamandra
Fire salamanders have a unique and little known poison they secrete. For more than 200 years Czech and Romanian brandy distillers will make a salamander brandy by dripping high abv brandy over a live salamander. They will also add wormwood to the brandy, but say the salamander infused brandy is much different and more potent than the wormwood or brandy on their own.
REPTILES
Naja and Ophiophagus species
Cobra venom contains peptides similar to scorpion venom, but often more potent. Some Sadhus will smoke Naja naja venom mixed with hashish and datura flower for a more intense sacrament. The most potent snake wines used in Asian medicine contain cobra heads rather than other snake species. In Japan some people inject cobra venom to get a heroin like endorphin rush. In a vice documentary a man who injects multiple species of snake venom for medicinal purposes uses cobra venom specifically for energy.
MAMMALS
Rangifer tarandus
Reindeer will eat amanita muscaria and convert the ibotenic acid from the mushrooms into muscimol. Siberian natives will often drink human and reindeer urine to get these high concentrations of muscimol, and the reindeer urine is more valued than the actual mushrooms for increased potency with reduced side effects. I included reindeer as a producer because they convert the ibotenic acid and concentrate it in their urine so that there is a much higher concentration of muscimol than if you were to eat as many mushrooms as the deer ate. Some tribes even feed the mushrooms to a specific deer to collect its urine for a more enjoyable mushroom experience when they are plentiful.
Ursus arctos
Siberian brown bear will eat amanita mushrooms while they compete for mates. The natives say it makes them fearless. They will trap and kill the bear, eating it quickly to conserve the muscimol in its meat. I included the brown bear here for similar reasons as the reindeer, except there blood is not as concentrated like the urine, just converted. However they tend to eat a lot more mushrooms than the deer when they are in season so the amount of muscimol present in the blood and meat is of a similar concentration as the deer urine.
CONSUMERS
Consumers are animals that consume psychoactive chemicals and store them unchanged. As long as the chemical is retained in the flesh of the animal unchanged after it is finished digesting the material, it is a consumer.
INSECTS
Anthophila species
Bees collect the pollen and nectar of flowers and turn it into honey and royal jelly. Depending on the local flowers, some honey has been reported to contain lysergamides, tropane alkaloids, harmala alkaloids and cannabinoids from the flowers they visit. Honey is also the source of one of the first forms of alcohol used by humans, mead. Aztecs have been known to make xtabentun out of honey near rivea flowers, so that the brew contains alcohol and LSA. A tribe in Nepal even hunt out Himalayan giant bees for their intoxicating honey which is cause by the nectar from the rhodendrons the feed from.
Floria species
Some species of this moths caterpillars are immune to coca alkaloids, and lay their eggs on coca plants. The caterpillars hatch and eat the leaves, storing large amounts of cocaine and norcocaine in their bodies. Few animals can eat large amounts of cocaine and so the caterpillars are safe.
Manduca species
The hornworms are caterpillars of moths that live on plants in the genus solanacea (daturas and tobaccos). They eat the leaves of either daturas or tobaccos and store the alkaloids in their body as a defense. The alkaloid in tobacco hornworms is nicotine, and the alkaloids in other species include atropine, hyoscyamine and scopolamine as well as other tropanes.
FISH
Kyphosus genus
These fish are called dream fish and are related to fugus distantly. They are said to give nightmares in some cultures. It is unclear whether the toxins are produced by the fish themselves or by marine algae in their diet, but a dietary origin may be more likely.
Sarpa salpa
The salema porgy are said to have a LSD like effect when they have eaten certain algae. They have been used by ancient Romans as a hallucinogen and are called “the fish that make dreams” in Arabic. Its effects likely stem from an indole tryptamine.
MAMMALS
Giraffa camelopardalis
Giraffes eat acacia leaves in the wild, and acacias have been found to contain everything from tryptamines to phenethylamines to tropane alkaloids. A percentage of the chemicals they eat in the leaves is stored unaltered in their bone marrow (concentrated in their neck bones primarily). Tribes that hunt giraffe will eat this marrow and report having vivid dreams and other effects relating to the chemicals in acacia trees.
SPECIES THAT MAY BE PSYCHOACTIVE
wasp species (peptides) (including reports using paper wasps)
spider species (peptides) (including reports using black widow spiders)
Nephila clavata (NMDA antagonists)
Buzonium crassipes (buzonamine and other octahydroisoquinolines)
Glomeris marginata (quinazolinones)
Megacrania alpheus (actinidine)
Sclerobunus robustus (peptides)
Taricha genus newts (TTX)
Hapalochlaena genus octopi (TTX)
Carcinoscorpius genus crustaceans (TTX)
Sphex genus wasps (NMDA antagonists)
Staphylinidae species (actinidine)
Sparidae species (indole tryptamines)
Coninae species (peptides, NMDA antagonists, TTX)
Natricidae species (TTX)
Tetraodontiforme species (TTX)
Anura species (tryptamines and/or peptides)
Heliconius species who drink passiflora nectar exclusively (harmalines)
Central American duck species that eats datura (tropanes)
centipede species (possibly peptides)
venomous snakes (possibly peptides)
Abudefduf septemfasciatus (?)
Epinephelus species (?)
blue tailed skinks (?)
South American caterpillar species (?)
Madagascan millipedes (?)
Himalayan gecko species (?)
Oconenetl (?)
Anyone else heard of a specific family, genus or species that is psychoactive? Let me know!
Thanks
Also check out The Monkey Mantra's and Toltec's threads here on bluelight
http://www.bluelight.ru/vb/threads/411758-Wild-about-Animals
http://www.bluelight.ru/vb/threads/490591-Psychoactive-Animals
PRODUCERS
Producers are the animal species that produce psychoactive chemicals, usually converting precursors they consume. As long as the chemical they produce is a different molecule from the ones they consume, they can be considered producers.
SPONGES
Smenospongia auria
This species of sponge (as well as echina) has 5-Br-DMT and 5,6-DiBr-DMT present in its cells, likely as a deterrent to parasites. It is believed that other species of sponges from more than one genus have other brominated tryptamines in them as well. Very few people have sampled these compounds, but they have reported them as active at the 20mg level.
INSECTS
Pogonomyrmex species
Species of red harvester ants from this genus have been used in California by at least 15 different tribes for hallucinogenic purposes. Some tribes would allow themselves to be stung repeatedly for the purpose of seeing complex hallucinations and visions while other tribes would kill and eat the ants to impart longer periods of a dream like catatonic state for divination. The venom effects the CNS producing highly altered metabolic states where hallucinations can occur. At lower doses the hallucinations are similar to LSD but in higher doses they can be closer to tropane alkaloid intoxication, in which the person has realistic hallucinations to the point they can not tell what is real and what is in their mind. The cause of the hallucinations is thought to be opioid peptides and various kinnins. Some of the hallucinations may be caused by the peptides affinity to mu opioid receptors.
Myelobia smerintha
This grub (actually a caterpillar or a moth) is said to be consumed by the Malali tribe in Brazil for entheogenic purposes. It is thought to be psychoactive via the cyanide derivatives in the bamboo it eats but it is more likely it creates its own chemical as most reports refer to the experience as psychedelic rather that narcotic (though some reports say it is narcotic in effect). More research is needed.
ARACHNIDS
Scorpionidae species
There are multiple reports of scorpion venom being used as a recreational drug in recent times. Scorpion venom contains peptides that could act as some opiate peptides in our bodies (such as endorphins). In an article on Popsci, they discuss research at Tel Aviv University using some species of scorpions venom as a safer alternative to morphine. In an Indian Department of Psychology paper they discuss an Indian heroin addict who let scorpions inject him with venom while withdrawing in prison. He described the sensation as more of a rush than street heroin. In yet another article about heroin addicts on TVNZ, they talk to a Pakistani man who dries their stingers and then smokes the venom. He says when he smokes scorpion, he forgets about heroin. The interesting part about this is that scorpion males will often sting females to get them in the mood, and they only mate during part of the year. He happens to only smoke the venom when the scorpions are "in season". Coincidence?
FISH
Mugilidae and Mullidae family species
Some mullet, goatfish and rabbitfish species have been found to cause 'hallucinatory mullet poisoning'. This is though to be because of indole tryptamines but this has not been proven or disproven. In the 1920's around 35 Japanese people ate Upeneus arge (a species from these families) and were delirious for a few days. Most did not like the effects, but some enjoyed them.
Siganus spinus
This fishes native name in English translates to "the fish that inebriates". It lives around Reunion Islands and it is unknown what causes its effects.
Takifugu and related genuses
Fugu fish are eaten in Japan and are famous for being deadly if prepared incorrectly. Fugu fish contain TTX which acts in a similar way to cocaine but is much more potent and deadly. The goal of preparing fugu is not to remove the drug, but to reduce its levels so it is enjoyable to the person eating it. There are lots of other species that contain TTX including some frogs, octopi etc (however fugu is the only species that contains TTX that has been used as a drug).
Urolophus jamaicensis
This stingrays venom is purported by some to have been used by Caribbean natives as an entheogen or intoxicant. It is unknown what the active chemical is, but it is likely a peptide.
Somniosus microcephalus
Greenland sharks contain trimethylamine oxidase in their flesh which converts to trimethylamine when eaten. This causes symptoms known as "shark sick" when dogs or people eat the meat non fermented. the symptoms are described as being very similar to high doses of alcohol.
AMPHIBIANS
(formerly) Bufo species (the Bufo toads that are psychoactive are now in the genus Rinella)
Colorado river toads contain 5-MeO-DMT and bufotenin in their poison. The poison is dried and smoked. Bufo (outdated name), Hyla, Litoria and Rana genus contain bufotenin in their poison as well but no 5-MeO-DMT (or just trace amounts). All species poisons contain other toxins, some more than others.
Epipedobates tricolor
The phantasmal poison frog contains a powerful toxin epibatidine. It is 200x more potent than morphine (but effects mostly the nicotine receptors) and some analogues are being looked at in medicine. It has never been documented as being used recreationally.
Phyllomedusa species
Waxy monkey frogs contain the opiate peptides dermorphin and other deltorphins. This is known as kambo or sapo to some tribes in South America, and is applied subcutaneously (pressed into a burn). Phyllobates and Agalychnis genus also contain similar opioid peptides.
Salamandra salamandra
Fire salamanders have a unique and little known poison they secrete. For more than 200 years Czech and Romanian brandy distillers will make a salamander brandy by dripping high abv brandy over a live salamander. They will also add wormwood to the brandy, but say the salamander infused brandy is much different and more potent than the wormwood or brandy on their own.
REPTILES
Naja and Ophiophagus species
Cobra venom contains peptides similar to scorpion venom, but often more potent. Some Sadhus will smoke Naja naja venom mixed with hashish and datura flower for a more intense sacrament. The most potent snake wines used in Asian medicine contain cobra heads rather than other snake species. In Japan some people inject cobra venom to get a heroin like endorphin rush. In a vice documentary a man who injects multiple species of snake venom for medicinal purposes uses cobra venom specifically for energy.
MAMMALS
Rangifer tarandus
Reindeer will eat amanita muscaria and convert the ibotenic acid from the mushrooms into muscimol. Siberian natives will often drink human and reindeer urine to get these high concentrations of muscimol, and the reindeer urine is more valued than the actual mushrooms for increased potency with reduced side effects. I included reindeer as a producer because they convert the ibotenic acid and concentrate it in their urine so that there is a much higher concentration of muscimol than if you were to eat as many mushrooms as the deer ate. Some tribes even feed the mushrooms to a specific deer to collect its urine for a more enjoyable mushroom experience when they are plentiful.
Ursus arctos
Siberian brown bear will eat amanita mushrooms while they compete for mates. The natives say it makes them fearless. They will trap and kill the bear, eating it quickly to conserve the muscimol in its meat. I included the brown bear here for similar reasons as the reindeer, except there blood is not as concentrated like the urine, just converted. However they tend to eat a lot more mushrooms than the deer when they are in season so the amount of muscimol present in the blood and meat is of a similar concentration as the deer urine.
CONSUMERS
Consumers are animals that consume psychoactive chemicals and store them unchanged. As long as the chemical is retained in the flesh of the animal unchanged after it is finished digesting the material, it is a consumer.
INSECTS
Anthophila species
Bees collect the pollen and nectar of flowers and turn it into honey and royal jelly. Depending on the local flowers, some honey has been reported to contain lysergamides, tropane alkaloids, harmala alkaloids and cannabinoids from the flowers they visit. Honey is also the source of one of the first forms of alcohol used by humans, mead. Aztecs have been known to make xtabentun out of honey near rivea flowers, so that the brew contains alcohol and LSA. A tribe in Nepal even hunt out Himalayan giant bees for their intoxicating honey which is cause by the nectar from the rhodendrons the feed from.
Floria species
Some species of this moths caterpillars are immune to coca alkaloids, and lay their eggs on coca plants. The caterpillars hatch and eat the leaves, storing large amounts of cocaine and norcocaine in their bodies. Few animals can eat large amounts of cocaine and so the caterpillars are safe.
Manduca species
The hornworms are caterpillars of moths that live on plants in the genus solanacea (daturas and tobaccos). They eat the leaves of either daturas or tobaccos and store the alkaloids in their body as a defense. The alkaloid in tobacco hornworms is nicotine, and the alkaloids in other species include atropine, hyoscyamine and scopolamine as well as other tropanes.
FISH
Kyphosus genus
These fish are called dream fish and are related to fugus distantly. They are said to give nightmares in some cultures. It is unclear whether the toxins are produced by the fish themselves or by marine algae in their diet, but a dietary origin may be more likely.
Sarpa salpa
The salema porgy are said to have a LSD like effect when they have eaten certain algae. They have been used by ancient Romans as a hallucinogen and are called “the fish that make dreams” in Arabic. Its effects likely stem from an indole tryptamine.
MAMMALS
Giraffa camelopardalis
Giraffes eat acacia leaves in the wild, and acacias have been found to contain everything from tryptamines to phenethylamines to tropane alkaloids. A percentage of the chemicals they eat in the leaves is stored unaltered in their bone marrow (concentrated in their neck bones primarily). Tribes that hunt giraffe will eat this marrow and report having vivid dreams and other effects relating to the chemicals in acacia trees.
SPECIES THAT MAY BE PSYCHOACTIVE
wasp species (peptides) (including reports using paper wasps)
spider species (peptides) (including reports using black widow spiders)
Nephila clavata (NMDA antagonists)
Buzonium crassipes (buzonamine and other octahydroisoquinolines)
Glomeris marginata (quinazolinones)
Megacrania alpheus (actinidine)
Sclerobunus robustus (peptides)
Taricha genus newts (TTX)
Hapalochlaena genus octopi (TTX)
Carcinoscorpius genus crustaceans (TTX)
Sphex genus wasps (NMDA antagonists)
Staphylinidae species (actinidine)
Sparidae species (indole tryptamines)
Coninae species (peptides, NMDA antagonists, TTX)
Natricidae species (TTX)
Tetraodontiforme species (TTX)
Anura species (tryptamines and/or peptides)
Heliconius species who drink passiflora nectar exclusively (harmalines)
Central American duck species that eats datura (tropanes)
centipede species (possibly peptides)
venomous snakes (possibly peptides)
Abudefduf septemfasciatus (?)
Epinephelus species (?)
blue tailed skinks (?)
South American caterpillar species (?)
Madagascan millipedes (?)
Himalayan gecko species (?)
Oconenetl (?)
Anyone else heard of a specific family, genus or species that is psychoactive? Let me know!
Thanks
Also check out The Monkey Mantra's and Toltec's threads here on bluelight
http://www.bluelight.ru/vb/threads/411758-Wild-about-Animals
http://www.bluelight.ru/vb/threads/490591-Psychoactive-Animals
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