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Extraction of DMT from Mimosa hostilis
by
David Barlow
Introduction
Mimosa hostilis root bark (MHRB) is widely available in powdered form and contains around 0.5% DMT. The powdered root bark is usually boiled and taken after a harmaline containing plant such as Banisteriopsis caapi or Peganum harmala. Harmaline is a monoamine oxidase inhibitor (MAOI) which makes the DMT active orally and is quite nauseating. Boiled root bark is also very nauseating so these combinations don't usually make for an enjoyable evening. Another option is moclobemide, a more powerful pharmaceutical MAOI, which can be taken with DMT powder to avoid these problems. Warning: using moclobemide with MDMA (Ecstasy) can be lethal.
Theory
Traditionally an acid-base extraction is used. The root bark is powdered and acidified to around pH 3, usually with HCl. The liquid is filtered off or decanted and the process repeated three times. The collected liquid is then basified to around pH 10 with NaOH and extracted with a non-polar solvent, usually at least three times - shaken, not stirred! The DMT freebase is highly soluble in the non-polar but virtually insoluble in the aqueous phase, so the non-polar is separated off and evaporated to give a crude extract. This extract can be purified for smoking, although smoking or snorting DMT is very irritating to the mucous membranes due to its alkalinity. (Heptane can be used for crystallisation and is available in the US as Bestine, a rubber cement thinner). The crude extract is quite adequate for oral use however so the heptane stage is omitted here. In practice the acidification stage can be omitted and it can be basified to far beyond pH 10, which helps to get a good partition without any emulsion, and saves using a pH meter. DMT is highly soluble in naphtha at 60 ºC (DMT boils at 67-68 ºC) but virtually insoluble below zero, so the naphtha can be recycled and the precipitate dried rapidly. The large crystals below are produced by evaporation. The freezing method yields a powder (in Rizla paper below) which is less sticky and a paler yellow than the crystals, but probably of higher purity and considerably quicker and cheaper to produce.
Chemicals and Equipment
Deionised Water (from any car accessory shop)
Sodium Hydroxide (Caustic Soda - for unblocking drains from DIY stores)
Naphtha (petrol lighter fluid)
Safety goggles and rubber gloves
Glass bottle with plastic screw cap
McCartney bottle or similar
Funnel
Pipette
Poultry Baster
Rectangular Pyrex dish
Cloth to cover dish
Single edge razor blade
Scalpel
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Method
SAFETY GOGGLES AND RUBBER GLOVES MUST BE WORN AT ALL TIMES WHEN HANDLING CAUSTIC SODA
1. Add 200 ml deionised water to the screw cap bottle. Then add 5 g of caustic soda while wearing protective goggles and gloves. Allow enough space for shaking - the bottle shown is a pint vinegar bottle (568 ml). Once the caustic soda is dissolved, add 20 g Mimosa hostilis root bark powder to the bottle - a large bore funnel is useful. If you have to powder the root bark yourself you will need a dust mask as it goes everywhere. Leave the basified root bark overnight. To speed things up the sealed bottle can be placed in a saucepan of warm water up to 60 ºC for an hour - plastic bottles are not recommended as they often develop cracks when heated.
2. Add 50 ml naphtha (35 g), recap the bottle and warm in a water bath to 60 ºC. Loosen and retighten the cap to release any pressure - if the thread is weak a plastic wine cork should fit well, but ensure that it is held firmly during agitation. Remember that naphtha fumes are flammable. (If necessary wrap PTFE plumbing tape around the cork to get a tight fit.) The bottle must now be shaken vigorously for at least a minute while wearing protective goggles and gloves - the DMT shuffle! Leave the bottle to rest in the water bath at 60 ºC after shaking. After a few hours there should be a clear partition between the caustic soda solution and the naphtha floating on top - it can take a day to separate completely. Remove the cork slowly and use a pipette to remove all the naphtha - you may need to tilt the bottle and use a long pipette - wear protective goggles and gloves in case of spillage and remember that naphtha is highly flammable. The poultry baster and long pipette fit together with plastic tubing (shown on the baster) so it can be inserted into the screw cap bottle. (The ¼" tubing fits over the end of the baster and inside the open end of the long pipette.) A McCartney bottle is useful to help separate the phases as this is impossible in a wide vessel. Use a pipette to remove all the naphtha from the McCartney bottle and empty it into a rectangular Pyrex dish. Place the Pyrex dish in a freezer for a few hours.
3. Remove the Pyrex dish from the freezer. Tilt it so that the naphtha can be removed from a corner with a pipette and place it in the screw cap bottle, making up the volume with fresh naphtha if necessary. (Pouring the naphtha from the Pyrex dish will remove crystals.) Cover the dish with a cloth to keep dust out and leave at room temperature until all the remaining naphtha has evaporated. You should be left with deposits of tiny crystals which can be scraped up with a single edge razor blade. The crystals can be scraped off the razor with a scalpel into a Rizla paper - keep the scalpel blade in a wine cork when not in use. Repeat the process until no more precipitate appears - remember to loosen and retighten the bottle cap to release any pressure before shaking. To save elbow grease a laboratory shaker can be used for the agitation - for best results it needs to be run at full throttle and on the floor for safety. Vigorous agitation will create an emulsion which can take a few hours to resolve in a warm water bath, but gives a much greater yield than gentle agitation. If smaller or larger quantities of caustic soda are used the emulsion will not clear as well - the ratio of 5 g caustic soda/200 ml deionised water/20 g MHRB powder gives optimum results. Magnetic stirring isn't necessary with Mimosa hostilis, although it is useful with Phalaris aquatica and brachystachys which produce a lot of green slime which is more difficult to separate from the naphtha. (Both Phalaris species give a much lower alkaloid yield than Mimosa hostilis.)
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Using DMT Orally
The usual caveats apply with any psychedelic about being in a safe environment and having someone with you, particularly if you are inexperienced. Particular caution is needed here with the use of MAOIs (such as Peganum harmala or Banisteriopsis caapi) which may be dangerous when combined with certain foods or medicines containing tyramine or other naturally occurring amines, which can cause a severe rise in blood pressure. Fasting is recommended but do avoid cheese, pickled herring, broad bean pods, yeast extract, chianti wine, and phenylalanine supplements. There have been fatalities resulting from combining MAOI antidepressants with serotonin reuptake inhibitors and with MDMA (Ecstasy) - see Serotonin syndrome. Antidepressant MAOIs remain in the body for 2 weeks after use, except moclobemide which is eliminated within 2 days, while harmine and harmaline are eliminated within hours. SSRIs also remain in the body for some time, in particular fluoxetine (Prozac) which should be stopped at least 5 weeks before using any MAOI.
Dosing a half hour before with caapi is recommended. Simmer 20 g of shredded caapi in tap water for half an hour, strain off and repeat once. The cooled liquid is best drunk slowly. The extract can be taken wrapped in Rizla papers or in gelatine capsules. 20 g of MHRB should yield around 200 mg of extract which is enough for two doses. Effects start to kick in about an hour after the DMT and last 4-5 hours. My personal preference is for moclobemide (150 mg) after a meal, followed by MHRB extract (125 mg) 50 minutes later. This combination should only give mild nausea although moclobemide tends to cause insomnia and prolongs the effects of DMT and is considerably more powerful than harmaline plants. Warning: using moclobemide with MDMA (Ecstasy) can be lethal. If used outdoors it's useful to carry a plastic water bottle as thirst can be a problem. If sleep is difficult the sedating antihistamine cyproheptadine (Periactin), or diphenhydramine (Nytol, Paxidorm), can give a pleasant comedown, without the hangover of benzodiazepines. Zolpidem (Ambien, Stilnox) is a more effective sleeping tablet, but rather pricey. Available from online pharmacies.
In case of adverse effects, have drinking water handy in a plastic cup or bottle. Absolutely no glass. Caffeinated drinks should be avoided as should alcohol, cannabis or any other drugs. Psychotic symptoms can be overwhelming but should improve over time if the person is kept calm. In this event any future experimentation should be undertaken at a reduced dose.
DMT and the Law
In Britain DMT is classified as a Class A Controlled Drug under the Misuse of Drugs Act. Its possession is punishable by up to 7 years’ imprisonment. Producing DMT or supplying it (including possession with intent to supply) carries a maximum term of life imprisonment. Sadly our government has little interest in civil liberties and ignores the overwhelming evidence that psychedelics are less harmful for most users than tobacco or excessive drinking. In the current political climate I think it would be prudent to adopt a strategy to minimize our risk exposure. Here's mine:
Avoid synthetic psychedelics as the risks to the manufacturers and distributors are enormous
Never sell DMT to anyone - encourage them to produce their own
Only produce and store small quantities
Be aware that communications can be monitored - use PGP encryption (see PGP Guide) or a Hushmail account for sensitive emails
Resources
David Barlow
(started March 2007)
Comments/suggestions/contributions to Comments/suggestions/contributions to davidbarlownospam17@yahoo.co.uk - remove nospam for address.
Other sites by the same author:
