Pharmepéna-Psychonautics: Human intranasal, sublingual and oral pharmacology of 5-methoxy-N,N-dimethyl-tryptamine.

Self-experiments with pharmepéna (crystalline 5-MeO-DMT, sometimes combined with harmaline or harmine) via intranasal, sublingual, and oral routes model South American shamanic snuffs like epéna. The 1967 Holmstedt-Lindgren hypothesis—that intranasal tryptamines are potentiated by MAOI beta-carbolines from Banisteriopsis caapi—was confirmed in about 17 bioassays. Relevant phytochemical and psychonautic literature is also reviewed.

Study at a glance

Abstract

Summarized are psychonautic bioassays (human self-experiments) of pharmepéna--crystalline 5-methoxy-N,N-dimethyltryptamine (5-MeO-DMT; O-Me-bufotenine), at times combined with crystalline beta-carbolines (harmaline or harmine). These substances were administered via intranasal, sublingual and oral routes, by way of pharmacological modeling of diverse South American shamanic inebriants (principally the snuffs epéna/nyakwana, prepared from barks of diverse species of Virola.) Intranasal, sublingual and oral psychoactivity of 5-MeO-DMT, and the 1967 Holmstedt-Lindgren hypothesis of the paricá-effect--intranasal potentiation of tryptamines by concomitant administration of monoamine-oxidase-inhibiting (MAOI) beta-carbolines from stems of Banisteriopsis caapi admixed with the snuffs--have been confirmed by some 17 psychonautic bioassays. Salient phytochemical and psychonautic literature is reviewed.