10. Natural Science; Pharmacology

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 individual mushrooms of the same species. No one has figured out why all mushrooms make this 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 Muscimol with 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 may be stronger or weaker, the practice of averaging a batch from many specimens tends 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 actually starts 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 the mushroom. 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 polar molecule, with a strong - and + charge on opposite ends of the molecule. The effects of pure Muscimol are reputed to be similar to dried Amanita Muscaria.

Ibotenic Acid if exposed to ultraviolet light produces Muscazone. Muscazone has 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 about right 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 (1 mg 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 the reach 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.

Some Herbal Principles

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.