Posted by pinksharkmark (12.128.190.201) on December 29, 2000 at 09:50:46:
In Reply to: Hallucinations??? (any relation to ergotamine?) posted by James Fairhurst on December 18, 2000 at 05:31:48:
So far, all of the episodics reporting relief similar to Stavi's experience have managed to stop the beast dead in his tracks at extremely low doses... far below the level at which the experience becomes "hallucinogenic".
As Stavi herself pointed out, all that happened to her was a fit of giggles and especially vivid dreams for a night. At least one person reported feeling nothing at all (other than pain relief). Most say that they feel a very mild buzz... perhaps similar to drinking a beer or two.
As for the chemical structure, psilocybin, or more accurately, psilocin (the psilocybin is converted to psilocin within seconds of being absorbed into the bloodstream) is virtually identical to our old pal serotonin, or 5-HTP, differing by only a few atoms.
Ergotamine is a precursor of LSD. Interestingly enough, LSD is every bit as effective as psilocin when taken in similarly small, sub-hallucinogenic doses.
pinky