Dimetiltriptamina

Extraction of DMT from Mimosa hostilis
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Introduction
Mimosa hostilis root bark (MHRB) is widely available in powdered form and contains up to 1% DMT. The powdered root bark is usually boiled and taken after a harmine or harmaline containing plant such as Banisteriopsis caapi or Peganum harmala. Harmine and harmaline are monoamine oxidase inhibitors which make the DMT active orallyand are 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 extracted DMT (ideally as DMT fumarate) to avoid these problems. Warning: using moclobemide with MDMA (Ecstasy) can be lethal.

Theory
Traditionally an acid-baseextraction 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 inthe 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 not recommended as it 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 adequatefor oral use however, or for the preparation of DMT fumarate, so the crystallisation stage is omitted here. (Heptane is less suitable for initial extraction from basified MHRB as it gives only two-thirds the yield of naphtha.) 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 pHmeter. DMT is highly soluble in warm naphtha (up to 50 ºC - DMT boils at 67-68 ºC) but barely soluble below zero, so the naphtha can be recycled and the precipitate dried rapidly. (Recycling solvents is advisable as some DMT will remain in solution below zero.) The crystals below are produced by evaporation. Freezing naphtha yields a powder (in weighing boat below) which is less sticky and apaler 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 PipetteThree-valve pipette filler (optional) Poultry baster Rectangular Pyrex dish Single edge razor blade Scalpel

MHRB powder

Chemicals

Equipment

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 forshaking - the bottle shown is a pint vinegar bottle (568 ml). The caustic soda will need shaking to dissolve, or the bottle base will become very hot. Once dissolved add 20 g Mimosa hostilis root bark powder - a large bore funnel is useful. (Buy powdered root bark as the wooden stuff is likely to destroy your coffee grinder!) Wear a dust mask when handling the powder as it goes everywhere. Shake thebottle and 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...