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- From: msclito@eskimo.com (Gary Bense)
- Newsgroups: alt.drugs,alt.psychoactives
- Subject: _The Psychedelic Toad of the Sonoran Desert_ By Albert Most
- Message-ID: <CqHIpt.EE3@eskimo.com>
- Date: 27 May 94 23:32:14 GMT
-
-
- Greetings! Mescalito Ted here, with an informative essay on Bufo
- alvarius by Albert Most. Many thanks to J.C. for providing me with this
- pamphlet via U.S. Snail so I could type it up.
-
- These essays are desperately needed in our electronic community,
- and I encourage _anyone_ who has any monographs, essays, pamphlets, or small
- books, to type or scan them and post them on the net! This only took 30
- minutes to type up, so it won't take a lot of your time to do it yourself!
- We need electronic versions of _Peganum Harmala: The Hallucinogenic Herb
- of the American Southwest_ by Albert Most, _The Magic Toads of Cozumel_ by
- Nancy Hamblin, _Ecce Bufo: The Toad in Nature and in Olmec Iconagraphy_ by
- Alison B. Kennedy, _Magic Grams_ by Peter Stafford, _Ayahuasca Imagery &
- the Therapeutic Property of the Harmala Alkaloids_ by C. Naranjo, _The
- International Cultivator's Handbook_ by William Danial Drake, Jr., _The
- Healing Practices of a Peruvian Shaman_ by L.E. Luna, _The Magic Cactus:
- Ethnoarchaeological Continuity In Peru_ by Dr. Douglas Sharon, _San Pedro
- Owner's Manual_, _Medicinal Plants in Therapy_ by Norman R. Farnsworth, _A
- Worldwide Role for the Healing Powers of Plants_ by Edward S. Ayensu,
- _Molecular Mysticism, The Role of Psychoactive Substances in Shamanic
- Transformations of Consciousness_ by Ralph Metzner, Ph.D., _Hallucinogens
- in Chinese Herbals_ by Hui-Lin Li, Ph.D., _The Peyote Book_ by Guy Mount,
- _Growing the Hallucinogens_ by Hudson Grubber, etc. etc. etc. etc. If you
- have any of these and don't want to take the time to type or scan them,
- E-Mail me and we will work something out. $$$ involved.
-
- .-'~~~-.
- .'o oOOOo`. -msclito@eskimo.com / Mescalito Ted
- :~~~-.oOo o`. Sysop of Altered Consciousness / 1.5 Gigs /14.4
- `. \ ~-. oOOo. 2 nodes ringdown / The Worlds ElectroPharmacy
- `.; / ~. OO: _
- .' ;-- `.o.' / \ / Located in Washington State
- ,' ; ~~--'~ / / *Buy Your T. Pachanoi From
- ; ; : / 06-652-3086 / Green Hand Cactus Garden!
- _\\;_\\//_________ /__ / (602)622-2793, only $6 a Foot
- ----------------------------------------------------------------------
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- Bufo alvarius:
-
- the
-
-
- Psychedelic Toad of the Sonoran Desert
-
-
- by Albert Most
-
-
-
- -
-
- Specialized multi-cellular glands concentrated on the neck and limbs
- of B. alvarius produce a viscous milky-white venom that contains large
- amounts of the potent hallucinogen, 5-MEO-DMT. When vaporized by heat and
- taken into the lungs in the form of smoke, this indole-based alkaloid
- produces an incredibly intense psychedelic experience of incredibly short
- duration. There is no hangover or harmful effect. On the contrary, a
- pleasant psychedelic afterglow appears quite regularly after smoking the
- venom of B. alvarius, the Psychedelic Toad of the Sonoran Desert.
-
- -
-
-
-
- 1st Printing
- Spring 1984
-
- 2nd Printing
- Spring 1985
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
- The Author welcomes all
- correspondence. Write
-
- Al
- Box 2863
- Denton, Texas 76202
-
- -
-
-
-
-
-
-
- To Pat and Quanah
- Summer 1983
-
-
-
- Neither the author, illustrator, nor publisher assume any liability
- for the application of the information contained in this pamphlet. It is
- presented solely to further the quest for a fuller understanding of the
- human experience
-
- -
-
-
- Part One
-
- The Sonoran Desert is a vast irregular-shaped area of some 120,000
- square miles. It stretches from southeastern California across the
- southern half of Arizona and extends south into Sonora, Mexico. The desert
- rises from sea level to more than 5000 feet as arid lowlands of mesquite
- and creosote are cut by mountain canyons of oak and sycamore. It is a
- harsh zone where temperatures can reach 140 F. in the shade and rainfall
- amounts at as little as five inches per year.
-
- One of the most unique inhabitants of the Sonoran Desert is the
- native toad, Bufo alvarius. Although the genus Bufo includes more than two
- hundred species of toads, B. alvarius is the only species that exists
- exclusively within the Sonoran Desert. Unlike most toads, B. alvarius is
- semi-aquatic and must remain in the vicinity of dependable water in order
- to survive/. Consequently, the principle habitat of this species is within
- the drainage of permanent rivers and streams of the Sonoran Desert.
-
- This delicate desert environment, like most places on earth, has
- not been overlooked by man in his constant compulsion to manipulate nature.
- But amazingly enough, the semi-aquatic lifestyle of B. alvarius has
- coincided quite well with the advance of civilized man. More than one
- thousand years ago, the Hohokam Indians began diverting water from the Gila
- River in order to irrigate the arid soil. Working with sticks and stones
- these primal people pioneered an extensive system of desert agriculture.
- Their original network of canals has been expanded for centuries and now
- irrigates more than 1.5 million acres of the Sonoran Desert. This is
- equivalent to regularly flooding an area of arid land about half the size
- of the state of Connecticut. The damp wet desert fields meet man's
- increasing needs and simultaneously provide a permanent niche in the
- ecosystem for B. alvarius, the semi-aquatic toad of the Sonoran Desert.
-
- B. alvarius is nocturnal and remains underground throughout the
- day, escaping the extreme temperatures with the strategy of subterranean
- life. At dusk, these desert toads leave their hidden recesses and
- congregate in damp wet areas near springs and streams, in fields irrigated
- for agriculture, or in temporary pools left after heavy rains. The
- breeding season, May through July, is the period of greatest activity for
- B. alvarius. Large healthy toads can easily be gathered after dark using a
- flashlight and a cloth collection bag.
-
- You won't have any trouble identifying B. alvarius. It is the
- largest native North American species of toad. In terms of snout-to-vent
- length, B. alvarius requires a minimum of three inches for sexual maturity,
- although breeding adults continue to grow up to seven inches in length.
- This desert dweller is of stout build with a squat body and a flat broad
- head. The skin is smooth and leathery, sparsely covered with pale orange
- warts, and can change considerably from a dark brown to olive or grayish
- green. The belly is cream colored and usually unmarked. There are one to
- four prominent round white warts at the corner of the mouth. But, by far,
- the most identifying characteristic of B. alvarius is the presence of large
- granular glands on the neck and limbs.
-
- -
-
- The granular glands are specialized multi-cellular concentrations
- of tissue. The most prominent of these is the pair of large kidney-shaped
- parotoid glands located on on each side of the neck, over and behind the
- tympanum. Enlarged and enlongated glands on the outside of each hind leg,
- between the knee and thigh, are called femorals. Similarly, the tibeals
- are long glands, or a line of shorter ones, that run the full length
- between the knee and ankle. An additional gland concentration can be found
- on each of the forearms.
-
- Each of these glands consists of many oval-shaped lobules about two
- millimeters in diameter. Each lobule is an individual unit with a duct
- that emerges onto the skin as a well-defined, single pore. A double cell
- layer surrounds each lobule and functions in the synthesis and release of a
- viscous milky-white venom.
-
- The venom from B. alvarius contains a very pevuliar and constant
- spectrum of biogenic amines. Biosynthesis of the amines is accomplished
- via a genetically regulated enzyme system. The metabolic pathway of B.
- alvarius is unique within the Animal Kingdom in that it produces large
- amounts of 5-methoxy indole derivatives. The predominant alkaloid among
- these, as much as fifteen per cent of the venom by dry weight, is
- 5- methoxy- N,N- dimethyltryptamine (5-MEO-DMT).
-
- -
-
- 5-MEO-DMT is a potent hallucinogen, psychoactive in man at doses of
- three to five milligrams. It was first synthesized in 1936, but its
- mind-expanding effects were not discovered for more than twenty years.
- Then in 1959, 5-MEO-DMT was identified as the predominant alkaloid in the
- hallucinogenic snuffs of several tribes in South America. These primal
- people have long prepared mind-altering snuffs from flowers, seeds, bark,
- and stems of indigenous plants. In 1968, 5-MEO-DMT was detected in the
- Animal Kingdom, as well. B. alvarius became notorius as the "psychedelic
- toad" when its venom was shown to contain enormous amounts of this
- indole-based alkaloid. Whether extracted from North American toads or
- South American plants or synthesized in the laboratory, 5-MEO-DMT is an
- extremely potent hallucinogen.
-
- 5-MEO-DMT has ten times the relative potency of dimethyl tryptamine
- (DMT), the popular synthetic psychedelic drug of the 1960's. It should be
- mentioned, however, that 5-MEO-DMT differs from DMT in two major ways.
- First whereas 5-MEO-DMT has a methoxy group in the 5 position on the indole
- ring, DMT does not. The presence of this methoxy group greatly increases
- the lipid solubility of the molecule. This allows 5-MEO-DMT to penetrate
- the blood-brain barrier and reach sites of action more rapidly than DMT.
- Secondly, whereas DMT is classified as a Schedule I Controlled Substance,
- described by Title 21 of U.S. Code as having "a high potential for abuse
- and no currently accepted medical use", 5-MEO-DMT is relatively unknown.
-
- -
-
- Part Two
-
-
- "A certain man had the good fortune to possess a goose that laid a
- golden egg every day. But dissatisfied with so slow an income, and
- thinking to seize the whole treasure at once, he killed the goose; and
- cutting her open, found her -- just what any other goose would be. "
- _The Goose with the Golden Eggs_ by Aesop
-
- Half-a-gram to a gram or more of fresh venom can be collected from
- a large adult specimen of B. alvarius. Half of this weight is water and
- evaporates upon drying. But, as must as fifteen per cent of the dry weight
- is the predominant alkaloid, 5-MEO-DMT. In other words, one large toad
- yielding one gram of fresh venom may equal as much as seventy-five
- milligrams of potent hallucinogen, psychoactive in man at doses of three to
- five milligrams.
-
- Fresh venom can easily be collected without harm to the toad. Use
- a flat glass plate or any other smooth non-porous surface at least twelve
- inches square. Hold the toad in from of the plate, which is fixed in a
- vertical position. In this manner, the venom can be collected on the glass
- plate, free of dirt and liquid released when the toad is handled.
-
- When you are ready to begin, hold the toad firmly with one hand
- and, with thumb and forefinger of your other hand, squeeze near the base of
- the gland until the venom squirts out of the pores and onto the glass
- plate. Use this method to systematically collect the venom from each of
- the toad's granular glands: those on the forearm, those on the tibia and
- femur of the hind leg and, of course, the parotoids on the neck. Each
- gland can be squeezed a second time for an additional yield of venom if
- you allow the toad a one hour rest period. After this, the glands are
- empty and require four to six weeks for regeneration.
-
- -
-
- The venom is viscous and milky-white in color when first squeezed
- from the glands. It begins drying within minutes and acquires the color
- and texture of rubber cement. Scrape the venom from the glass plate, dry
- it thoroughly, and store it in an airtight container until you are ready to
- smoke it.
-
- The venom from B. alvarius is extremely hallucinogen when vaporized
- by heat and taken into the lungs in the form of smoke. An adequate dose
- for a normal adult of average size is a piece of dried venom about the size
- of a paper match head. Shave it into thin slices with a razor blade and
- put the pieces in a clean one-toke pipe fitted with a brass screen.
- Designate this pipe strictly for smoking toad venom, as the accumulation of
- residue in the bowl and condensation of vapors within the stem can yield an
- unintentional high with other smoking materials.
-
- Apply a suitable flame and smoke the contents of the bowl in one
- complete inhalation. Try to hold the smoke in your lungs as long as
- possible as the effectiveness will depend largely on the full dose being
- absorbed in one breath.
-
- -
-
- Within thirty seconds, there will be an onset of almost
- overwhelming psychedelic effects. You will be completely absorbed in a
- complex chemical even characterized by an overload of thoughts and
- perception, brief collapse of the EGO, and loss of the space-time
- continuum. Relax, breathe regularly, and flow with the experience. After
- two to three minutes, the initial intensity fades to a pleasant LSD-like
- sensation in which visual illusions, hallucinations, and perceptual
- distortions are common. You may sense a distortion in your perceived body
- image or notice the world shrinking or expanding. You may notice that
- colors seem more brighter and more beautiful than usual. And, most likely,
- you will experience a euphoric mood interspersed with bursts of unmotivated
- laughter.
-
- This ineffable episode is of extremely short duration. The
- hallucinogenic effects dissipate rapidly and the entire psychedelic cycle
- is completed within fifteen minutes. There is no hangover or harmful
- effect. On the contrary, a pleaseant psychedelic afterglow appears quite
- regularly and may last several hours to several days after smoking the
- venom of B. alvarius, the Psychedelic Toad of the Sonoran Desert.
-
- -
-
- _Important Considerations_
-
- Every psychedelic experience is chiefly a function of set and
- setting, of preperation and environment. The better prepared you are, the
- better the experience will be for you. Consider the following
- instructions:
-
- * Smoke the venom fairly early in the day on an empty but not
- starving stomach.
-
- * Do not drink any alcohol or take any drugs or medication prior
- to smoking the venom.
-
- * Provide a comfortable setting which is as free as possible from
- unforeseen distractions and intrusions. Make sure you will not
- be disturbed for at least thirty minutes.
-
- * Be comfortably seated or prone prior to inhaling the vapors.
-
- * Enjoy your trip!
-
- Albert Most
- Gold, Arizona
- Summer 1983
-
- -
-
- _Recommended Reading_
-
- _The Handbook for the Serious Toad Collector_ by Albert Most
-
- Everything you could possibly want to know about the "psychedelic
- toad" is covered in this illustrated guide to B. alvarius.
- Beginning with the mating call and mounting clasp, the author
- details the metamorphosis of B. alvarius through egg and tadpole
- stages up to the mature adult. A special section on induced
- ovulation and tadpole culturing describes how the serious toad
- collector can, at any time, induce spawning in pet toads and insure
- insemination of the 8000 eggs laid by the adult female. Price $5.00
-
- _Peganum harmala: The Hallucinogenic Herb of the American
- Southwest_ by Albert Most
-
- The psychoactive alkaloids present in P. harmala have such
- extraoridinary effects that they have earned the name
- "telepathines." The author presents an illustrated guide to the
- history, botany, chemistry, cultivation, preparation, use, and
- effects of this most unusual hallucinogenic plant. Price $3.00
-
- _Eros and the Pineal_ by Albert Most
-
- This unusual do-it-yourself guide details the manipulation of
- normal biogenic amines in the human brain. The author presents a
- safe and effective procedure for increasing the concentration of
- pineal sorotonin, blocking its normal enzymatic inactivation, and
- shifting pineal catabolism towards the production of endogenous
- hallucinogens. Fully illustrated and highly recommended. Price$ 5.00
-
-
-
- ----------------------------------------------------------------------------
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-
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