This is a OPEN AI summary of the Tim Ferriss Podcast #605- visit www.TinyTim.blog for more AI summaries, or www.Tim.blog for the official Tim Ferriss Podcasts.

Mark Plotkin interviews Hamilton Morris about the recent popularity of the Sonoran desert toad. Hamilton Morris discusses the potential conservation issues that could arise if the toad continues to be milked for its venom.

Hamilton Morris discusses the role of the chemist in taking pressure off of natural populations of plants, animals, and fungi. He explains that many chemicals can be synthesized in an industrial lab, making it unnecessary to extract them from natural sources. He cites 5-MeO-DMT as an example of a chemical that can be produced synthetically, and notes that there are several pharmaceutical companies currently pursuing it as a therapeutic product.

Ibogaine is a psychedelic substance that is traditionally used for medicinal purposes in Central West Africa. It was discovered by accident by Howard Lotsof, who found that it could effectively treat addiction.

Ibogaine and iboga are effective treatments for addiction, demonstrated in animal models of addiction. They work by changing the way the addict conceptualizes the drug, from something desirable to something symbolic of death. Microdosing is a difficult concept to define, but it seems to be effective for a variety of purposes.

A microdose of a psychedelic is a low dose of the drug, typically below the level where the user experiences any perceptual effects. Microdosing is often used in research studies to investigate potential therapeutic benefits of psychedelics, but the lack of precision in defining what a microdose is makes it difficult to study.

Hamilton Morris discusses the history of the use of Bufo alvarius, a psychoactive toad. He explains that the toad's venom was first discovered and used by a white man in Texas named Ken Nelson. Nelson was inspired by an anthropologist's misunderstanding of an ancient indigenous practice. Despite there being no evidence of ancient use of the toad, Nelson's discovery has led to modern interest in its psychoactive properties.

In the 1980s, celebrities were not talking about toad venom. If it was popular, it was probably equivalent in popularity to synthetic 5-MeO-DMT at that time, which had been available from chemical supply companies since at least the 1960s. So the synthetic 5-MeO-DMT history actually predates the use of Bufo alvarius venom. It just was never talked about as much. And theres something I suppose, something cool about the idea of smoking toad venom. People like to talk about it, were talking about it right now. Theres something weird about it. Its a good story. And it wasnt until celebrities really started doing this in the 21st century and until Octavio Rettig and Gerry Sandoval started going on a crusade as toad venom evangelists, that this really became the phenomenon that were currently talking about.

Psychedelics can have profound effects on the user's experience, but they can also be dangerous. 5-MeO-DMT in particular can be non-visual and impersonal, and can lead to unconsciousness and what feels like a near-death experience. It's important to have a balanced perspective on these substances.

Cannabis use can have both positive and negative effects, depending on the person and the circumstances. Cannabis can be helpful for some people, but it can also cause problems for others. For example, some people who smoke a lot of cannabis can develop a condition called cannabis hyperemesis disorder, which causes them to vomit continuously. The only thing that relieves their nausea is taking a hot shower.

A new phenomenon called "cannabis hyperemesis syndrome" is emerging, characterized by chronic vomiting. This is caused by hyperstimulation of the CB1 receptors and is more common in people who smoke cannabis frequently.

Mark Plotkin and Hamilton Morris discuss the importance of frogs in the field of medicine. Plotkin emphasizes the need for caution when experimenting with powerful substances, while Morris highlights the unique chemistry of frogs. Both agree that there are still many amazing discoveries to be made about the medicinal properties of frogs and other animals.

Alexander Shulgin, better known as Sasha, is a hero in the world of psychedelics. He was injured while in the Navy and was given a glass of orange juice with crystals in it. He thought it was morphine and it had a miraculous effect. He later realized it was just sugar and that his own mind was capable of producing these sorts of experiences.

You have to be aware of the placebo effect and the nocebo effect. The belief that something that is pharmacologically inactive, that you have consumed is a poison because it could go either way. Both are established phenomena in the medical literature. This is why placebo controlled trials are done because the placebo effect is a real effect.

The question of whether tramadol is a naturally occurring substance or a synthetic pharmaceutical product has been debated by scientists. A study using radiocarbon dating found that tramadol is naturally occurring, and is thus likely biosynthesized by a plant.

Ritual is an important part of the placebo effect, as it can help convince someone of something that might not happen without it. This is due to the psychological priming associated with ritual.

Rituals can have a variety of purposes depending on the culture, the plant being used, and the specific actions being performed. For example, in Gabon, iboga is traditionally used to accentuate certain dimensions of an experience, such as endurance and self-reliance. In recent years, iboga has also been used to treat substance abuse disorders.

In this excerpt, Hamilton Morris and Mark Plotkin discuss the increasing trend of combining different traditional healing practices, including the use of psychedelics. While some people have good intentions, Morris notes that this mixing and matching of traditions can be surprising and sometimes harmful.

In the early 2000s, tourists began flocking to Huautla de Jimenez, Mexico in search of psychedelic healing. This new influx of tourists caused the traditional healing practices to change and become more commercialized. Mark Plotkin, an anthropologist, was working with a Mexican physician at the time who introduced him to the traditional healing practices. Plotkin shares his concerns about the new trend of tourists taking multiple substances over the course of several days without proper supervision.

Hamilton Morris discusses the potential downsides of "psychedelic tourism" - when people travel to places like Mexico or Peru in order to participate in ayahuasca ceremonies or take iboga. He notes that while there is some evidence that these substances can be helpful for treating certain medical conditions, there is also a risk that people will be taken advantage of by unscrupulous practitioners.

Hamilton Morris and Mark Plotkin discuss the potential of mind-altering substances from frogs and mushrooms. They agree that more research is needed to determine the efficacy of these substances, but they believe that they hold promise for treating conditions like trauma and Parkinsons disease.

Mark Plotkin discusses the impact of Dennis McKenna's publication of a guide to cultivating psilocybin-containing mushrooms, which made them much more available and led to a "revolution" in their use. He argues that if similar techniques could be developed for other psychedelics, many problems associated with their use could be alleviated.

In 1936, Richard Schultes left Massachusetts to search for magic mushrooms in the wilds of Oaxaca. According to Giuliana Furci, there are probably 12 or 15 magic mushroom species growing in Massachusetts. So on one hand, it's a bit like The Wizard of Oz, there's no place like home. But I think that what it brings home is that all species everywhere are valuable and need to be investigated.

This neoshaman claims that the indigenous people who lived on the coral reef always used hallucinogenic substances, but time will tell if this is true. There is a preponderance of hallucinogenic substances in the New World, particularly in Central and South America, and relatively less from Africa or Asia. One possible explanation for this is that people have not looked as hard for them in Africa or Asia.

The way a medicine is administered can change the outcome, and this is something that is not really integrated into our current medical practices. For example, strychnine can be used as a medicine, but only in very small doses.

It is conceivable that strychnine could have a therapeutic effect, including radiation. In terms of strychnine use, Plotkin is curious about it because it is often misunderstood. It is possible that a very low dose of strychnine could elicit a desirable effect. However, Plotkin is not suggesting that anyone try to evaluate this on their own.

Salvinorin A is the active principle in Salvia divinorum, a plant that was previously thought to be inactive. It is an extraordinarily potent and selective agonist for the kappa opioid receptor, making it the most potent naturally occurring psychedelic. Mark Plotkin tried it in Oaxaca under the guidance of a shaman and found it to be very unpleasant with no healing result.

The stoned ape theory, put forward by Terence McKenna, suggests that mind-altering substances may have played a role in human evolution. Hamilton Morris discusses this theory with Mark Plotkin, who shares his own experience with ayahuasca. While he didn't find it particularly pleasant, he notes that shamans believe that the plant knows what the person needs and that sometimes the benefits of taking ayahuasca are not immediately apparent.

The stoned ape theory posits that mind-altering substances played a role in the evolution of consciousness, culture, history, and evolution. However, evidence for this is slim to nonexistent from an evolutionary perspective.

Psychedelics are gaining popularity as a topic of research, with many pharmaceutical startups pursuing them for therapeutic purposes. Mark Plotkin thanks Hamilton Morris for his insights on the issue, and mentions his mentor Nicolas Langlitz, who has written an anthropological analysis of neuroscientific research on psychedelics.

In this quote, Hamilton Morris discusses Timothy Leary's legacy. He argues that Leary is often misunderstood and that he was unfairly blamed for many of the problems that emerged in relation to psychedelic drug use. Morris believes that Leary was honest and democratic in his approach to psychedelics, and that if it hadn't been him, somebody else would have taken on a similar role. In the long-term, Morris argues, Leary's openness and honesty helped to make progress in the field of psychedelics.

Mark Plotkin talks about how he believes it is important to talk about conservation issues responsibly, even if it means that more people learn about them. He argues that it is better to talk about these issues openly and honestly than to try to hide them.

605 https://tim.blog/2022/07/01/mark-plotkin-and-hamilton-morris/