\n<\/p>\n\n<\/p>\n\n\n\n
But first things first. What the heck is lichen??<\/p>\n
\n<\/p>\n\n<\/p>\n\n\n\n
What is Lichen? <\/em><\/h2>\n\n<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n![\"lichen](\"https:\/\/www.wholecelium.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/lichen.jpeg\")
Lichens come in various forms, colours, and sizes, and are often \u201cplant-like\u201d. But they are NOT plants! (Photo: Wikimedia Commons)<\/em><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n<\/p>\n\n\n\nA lichen<\/a><\/strong> is not a single organism. Neither algae or fungi, lichens are a clever combination <\/strong>of both life forms. Think of it as a \u201cchimera\u201d of sorts. In a symbiotic (or \u201cwin-win\u201d)<\/em> relationship, the algae part<\/strong> makes the sugars to feed the lichen via photosynthesis. In return, the fungi part<\/strong> builds the \u201cweb\u201d that gives water to the algae and protects it. So even though they look <\/em>like plants and work<\/em> like plants, lichens are NOT actual plants!<\/p>\n\n<\/p>\n\n<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Which brings us to the thrilling discovery of psilocybin and DMT in this particular lichen. Psilocybin<\/strong> is the active ingredient in magic mushrooms and truffles. DMT<\/strong>, on the other hand, is often found in ayahuasca \u2014 a hallucinogen found only in the Amazon. To scientists\u2019 surprise, they discovered a new species of lichen that has both <\/em>psychedelic compounds… Dictyonema huaorani<\/strong>.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n<\/p>\n\n<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Does the so-called \u201ctrippy lichen\u201d live up to its hype? Let\u2019s find out!\u00a0<\/p>\n
\n<\/p>\n\n<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Discovery in 1981 <\/em><\/h2>\n\n<\/p>\n\n<\/p>\n\n\n\n
In 1981, a couple of ethnobotanists saw the psychedelic lichen for the first time in scientific history. Jim Yost<\/strong> and Wade Davis<\/strong> were doing some research in Ecuador\u2019s rainforests, when the Waorani tribe led them to where the lichen grew. The scientists wrote about their discovery in a 1983 paper<\/a><\/strong>: <\/p>\n\n<\/p>\n\n<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cIn the spring of 1981, whilst we were engaged in ethnobotanical studies in eastern Ecuador, our attention was drawn to a most peculiar use of hallucinogens by the <\/em>Waorani<\/em><\/strong>, a small isolated group of some 600 Indians\u2026<\/em><\/p>\n\n<\/p>\n\n<\/p>\n\n\n![\"ecuadorian](\"https:\/\/www.wholecelium.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/Ecuadorian_Amazon.jpg\")
via Wikimedia Commons<\/mark><\/em><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n<\/p>\n\n\n\n\u201cAmongst most Amazonian tribes, hallucinogenic intoxication is considered to be a collective journey into the subconscious and, as such, is a quintessentially <\/em>social event<\/em><\/strong>.<\/em><\/p>\n\n<\/p>\n\n<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Like a bounty hunter on the prowl, Yost had been looking for the psychedelic lichen for 7 years. But it was so rare<\/em>. The chances of actually finding it were slim to none. Even the local Waorani tribe went to great lengths just to procure it.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n<\/p>\n\n<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The Shaman\u2019s Curse<\/em><\/h2>\n\n<\/p>\n\n<\/p>\n\n\n![\"Harvard](\"https:\/\/www.wholecelium.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/dictyonema_davis_.jpeg\")
Scan of the psychedelic lichen, also known as Dictyonema huaorani. (Photo: Harvard Herbarium, 1981)<\/mark><\/em><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n<\/p>\n\n\n\nThe Waorani tribe has a special name for the psychedelic lichen: ‘nenendape<\/strong>‘. Back in 1981, they told Yost and Davis that while their ancestors once ate the lichen, the Waorani had stopped taking it for 80 years or so \u2014 roughly 4 generations.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n<\/p>\n\n<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The reason? An evil shaman\u2019s curse<\/strong>, who ate the nenendape in a ritual… killing other Waorani as a result. Espooky!<\/em><\/p>\n\n<\/p>\n\n<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cThe Waorani, however, consider the use of hallucinogens to be an aggressive antisocial act; so the <\/em>shaman<\/em><\/strong>, or<\/em> ido<\/em><\/strong>, who desires to project a curse takes the drug alone or accompanied only by his wife at night in the secrecy of the forest or in an isolated house.\u201d<\/em><\/p>\n\n<\/p>\n\n<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The nenendape<\/em> was extremely rare, so Yost and Davis worked overtime to search for more. They soon got a few samples, which they preserved carefully for study back in Harvard. Today, Yost and Davis are considered as the first Westerners<\/strong> to see the psychedelic lichen in real life.<\/p>\n\n<\/p>\n\n<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Revival in 2014 <\/em><\/h2>\n\n<\/p>\n\n<\/p>\n\n\n\n
In 2014, the study was revived by a new team of Harvard scientists, led by Michaela Schmull<\/a><\/strong>. They analysed the lichen\u2019s DNA to prove that it was genuinely a \u201cnew\u201d species – and not just some shaman\u2019s tale. Using a method called liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry (LC-MS)<\/a><\/strong>,\u00a0they checked if the lichen had any<\/em> psychedelics at all.<\/p>\n\n<\/p>\n\n<\/p>\n\n\n\n
And so it did! Traces of psilocybin, tryptamine, 5-meO-DMT, 5-MeOT, 5-MeO-NMT, and 5-MT. So in honour of the Waorani tribe who used it first, the Harvard team named the lichen Dictyonema huaorani<\/em><\/strong>.<\/em> To this day, it remains the only species of lichen to have both<\/em> psilocybin and DMT.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n<\/p>\n\n<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Sadly, the team only had the one specimen from 1981 <\/strong>\u2014 which was all dried up. So even though they were SURE there was psilocybin & DMT, they couldn\u2019t say the same of the other stuff.<\/p>\n\n<\/p>\n\n<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cHallucinogenic lichens might have been used by indigenous people for <\/em>many centuries<\/em><\/a><\/strong>.<\/a> <\/em><\/p>\n\n<\/p>\n\n<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cThe new species Dictyonema huaorani is a likely candidate [for further study] and we plan to obtain <\/em>fresh material<\/em><\/strong> for more detailed chemical analysis.\u201d<\/em><\/p>\n\n<\/p>\n\n<\/p>\n\n\n\n
If Harvard decides to get fresh samples, they\u2019ll have to mount a new expedition <\/strong>to eastern Ecuador, in the northwest Amazon. That\u2019ll be a HUGE task to take on! Something tells us they\u2019d need a chopper and some sturdy ropes…<\/p>\n\n<\/p>\n\n\n\n<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cThis species can be found in the <\/em>forest canopy<\/em><\/strong> [aka the \u201ctree-tops\u201d] of the dense Amazon forest only\u2026 This could explain why this species has been collected only once to date.\u201d<\/em><\/p>\n\n<\/p>\n\n<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Tip of the Iceberg<\/em><\/h2>\n\n<\/p>\n\n<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Now you know why it\u2019s possible for lichen to have psilocybin\u2026 it is part fungi<\/strong> after all! We may not have uncovered the lichen\u2019s mystery fully<\/em>. But as more people invest in psychedelic research \u2014 such as Canadian companies have in Jamaica<\/strong> <\/a> \u2014 there are sure to be more discoveries along the way. A new excursion to Ecuador? With big budgets and modern tools?\u00a0<\/p>\n\n<\/p>\n\n<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Hey, if this new psychedelic renaissance<\/strong> goes on… Maybe even sooner than you think. In the past year alone, science has pumped out evidence that psychedelics \u2014 such as magic mushrooms and truffles \u2014 can help treat serious conditions. From resistant depression and PTSD<\/a><\/strong>, to substance abuse, end-of-life care<\/a><\/strong>, and even post-lockdown anxiety<\/a><\/strong>. Name it, amigo<\/em>… Shrooms and truffles can (most likely)<\/em> help you out!\u00a0<\/p>\n\n<\/p>\n\n<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Grow your own Rainforest of Wonders<\/em> in an easy-to-use box! Check out the AMAZING deals on our GROW KITS ![\"\u2764\ufe0f\"](\"https:\/\/s.w.org\/images\/core\/emoji\/14.0.0\/svg\/2764.svg\")
<\/strong><\/p>\n\n<\/p>\n\n<\/p>\n\n\n\n
So what do you think? Would you ever try psilocybin in its lichen form<\/strong>? (Slimy!)<\/em>\u00a0<\/p>\n\n<\/p>\n\n\n\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
Per la maggior parte degli psiconauti, le fonti migliori per un buon viaggio di psilocibina sono i funghi magici e i tartufi. (Ma sapevate che esiste un'altra fonte pi\u00f9 particolare per la psilocibina che conosciamo e amiamo?<\/p>","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":18453,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[68],"tags":[],"topics":[],"class_list":["post-18450","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-science-and-studies"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.wholecelium.com\/it\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/18450","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.wholecelium.com\/it\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.wholecelium.com\/it\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.wholecelium.com\/it\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.wholecelium.com\/it\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=18450"}],"version-history":[{"count":6,"href":"https:\/\/www.wholecelium.com\/it\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/18450\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":160828,"href":"https:\/\/www.wholecelium.com\/it\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/18450\/revisions\/160828"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.wholecelium.com\/it\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/18453"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.wholecelium.com\/it\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=18450"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.wholecelium.com\/it\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=18450"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.wholecelium.com\/it\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=18450"},{"taxonomy":"topics","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.wholecelium.com\/it\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/topics?post=18450"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}
A lichen<\/a><\/strong> is not a single organism. Neither algae or fungi, lichens are a clever combination <\/strong>of both life forms. Think of it as a \u201cchimera\u201d of sorts. In a symbiotic (or \u201cwin-win\u201d)<\/em> relationship, the algae part<\/strong> makes the sugars to feed the lichen via photosynthesis. In return, the fungi part<\/strong> builds the \u201cweb\u201d that gives water to the algae and protects it. So even though they look <\/em>like plants and work<\/em> like plants, lichens are NOT actual plants!<\/p>\n \n<\/p>\n\n<\/p>\n\n\n\n Which brings us to the thrilling discovery of psilocybin and DMT in this particular lichen. Psilocybin<\/strong> is the active ingredient in magic mushrooms and truffles. DMT<\/strong>, on the other hand, is often found in ayahuasca \u2014 a hallucinogen found only in the Amazon. To scientists\u2019 surprise, they discovered a new species of lichen that has both <\/em>psychedelic compounds… Dictyonema huaorani<\/strong>.\u00a0<\/p>\n \n<\/p>\n\n<\/p>\n\n\n\n Does the so-called \u201ctrippy lichen\u201d live up to its hype? Let\u2019s find out!\u00a0<\/p>\n \n<\/p>\n\n<\/p>\n\n\n\n \n<\/p>\n\n<\/p>\n\n\n\n In 1981, a couple of ethnobotanists saw the psychedelic lichen for the first time in scientific history. Jim Yost<\/strong> and Wade Davis<\/strong> were doing some research in Ecuador\u2019s rainforests, when the Waorani tribe led them to where the lichen grew. The scientists wrote about their discovery in a 1983 paper<\/a><\/strong>: <\/p>\n \n<\/p>\n\n<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cIn the spring of 1981, whilst we were engaged in ethnobotanical studies in eastern Ecuador, our attention was drawn to a most peculiar use of hallucinogens by the <\/em>Waorani<\/em><\/strong>, a small isolated group of some 600 Indians\u2026<\/em><\/p>\n \n<\/p>\n\n<\/p>\n\n\n \u201cAmongst most Amazonian tribes, hallucinogenic intoxication is considered to be a collective journey into the subconscious and, as such, is a quintessentially <\/em>social event<\/em><\/strong>.<\/em><\/p>\n \n<\/p>\n\n<\/p>\n\n\n\n Like a bounty hunter on the prowl, Yost had been looking for the psychedelic lichen for 7 years. But it was so rare<\/em>. The chances of actually finding it were slim to none. Even the local Waorani tribe went to great lengths just to procure it.\u00a0<\/p>\n \n<\/p>\n\n<\/p>\n\n\n\n \n<\/p>\n\n<\/p>\n\n\n The Waorani tribe has a special name for the psychedelic lichen: ‘nenendape<\/strong>‘. Back in 1981, they told Yost and Davis that while their ancestors once ate the lichen, the Waorani had stopped taking it for 80 years or so \u2014 roughly 4 generations.\u00a0<\/p>\n \n<\/p>\n\n<\/p>\n\n\n\n The reason? An evil shaman\u2019s curse<\/strong>, who ate the nenendape in a ritual… killing other Waorani as a result. Espooky!<\/em><\/p>\n \n<\/p>\n\n<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cThe Waorani, however, consider the use of hallucinogens to be an aggressive antisocial act; so the <\/em>shaman<\/em><\/strong>, or<\/em> ido<\/em><\/strong>, who desires to project a curse takes the drug alone or accompanied only by his wife at night in the secrecy of the forest or in an isolated house.\u201d<\/em><\/p>\n \n<\/p>\n\n<\/p>\n\n\n\n The nenendape<\/em> was extremely rare, so Yost and Davis worked overtime to search for more. They soon got a few samples, which they preserved carefully for study back in Harvard. Today, Yost and Davis are considered as the first Westerners<\/strong> to see the psychedelic lichen in real life.<\/p>\n \n<\/p>\n\n<\/p>\n\n\n\n \n<\/p>\n\n<\/p>\n\n\n\n In 2014, the study was revived by a new team of Harvard scientists, led by Michaela Schmull<\/a><\/strong>. They analysed the lichen\u2019s DNA to prove that it was genuinely a \u201cnew\u201d species – and not just some shaman\u2019s tale. Using a method called liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry (LC-MS)<\/a><\/strong>,\u00a0they checked if the lichen had any<\/em> psychedelics at all.<\/p>\n \n<\/p>\n\n<\/p>\n\n\n\n And so it did! Traces of psilocybin, tryptamine, 5-meO-DMT, 5-MeOT, 5-MeO-NMT, and 5-MT. So in honour of the Waorani tribe who used it first, the Harvard team named the lichen Dictyonema huaorani<\/em><\/strong>.<\/em> To this day, it remains the only species of lichen to have both<\/em> psilocybin and DMT.\u00a0<\/p>\n \n<\/p>\n\n<\/p>\n\n\n\n Sadly, the team only had the one specimen from 1981 <\/strong>\u2014 which was all dried up. So even though they were SURE there was psilocybin & DMT, they couldn\u2019t say the same of the other stuff.<\/p>\n \n<\/p>\n\n<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cHallucinogenic lichens might have been used by indigenous people for <\/em>many centuries<\/em><\/a><\/strong>.<\/a> <\/em><\/p>\n \n<\/p>\n\n<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cThe new species Dictyonema huaorani is a likely candidate [for further study] and we plan to obtain <\/em>fresh material<\/em><\/strong> for more detailed chemical analysis.\u201d<\/em><\/p>\n \n<\/p>\n\n<\/p>\n\n\n\n If Harvard decides to get fresh samples, they\u2019ll have to mount a new expedition <\/strong>to eastern Ecuador, in the northwest Amazon. That\u2019ll be a HUGE task to take on! Something tells us they\u2019d need a chopper and some sturdy ropes…<\/p>\n \n<\/p>\n\n\n\n<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cThis species can be found in the <\/em>forest canopy<\/em><\/strong> [aka the \u201ctree-tops\u201d] of the dense Amazon forest only\u2026 This could explain why this species has been collected only once to date.\u201d<\/em><\/p>\n \n<\/p>\n\n<\/p>\n\n\n\n \n<\/p>\n\n<\/p>\n\n\n\n Now you know why it\u2019s possible for lichen to have psilocybin\u2026 it is part fungi<\/strong> after all! We may not have uncovered the lichen\u2019s mystery fully<\/em>. But as more people invest in psychedelic research \u2014 such as Canadian companies have in Jamaica<\/strong> <\/a> \u2014 there are sure to be more discoveries along the way. A new excursion to Ecuador? With big budgets and modern tools?\u00a0<\/p>\n \n<\/p>\n\n<\/p>\n\n\n\n Hey, if this new psychedelic renaissance<\/strong> goes on… Maybe even sooner than you think. In the past year alone, science has pumped out evidence that psychedelics \u2014 such as magic mushrooms and truffles \u2014 can help treat serious conditions. From resistant depression and PTSD<\/a><\/strong>, to substance abuse, end-of-life care<\/a><\/strong>, and even post-lockdown anxiety<\/a><\/strong>. Name it, amigo<\/em>… Shrooms and truffles can (most likely)<\/em> help you out!\u00a0<\/p>\n \n<\/p>\n\n<\/p>\n\n\n\n Grow your own Rainforest of Wonders<\/em> in an easy-to-use box! Check out the AMAZING deals on our GROW KITS \n<\/p>\n\n<\/p>\n\n\n\n So what do you think? Would you ever try psilocybin in its lichen form<\/strong>? (Slimy!)<\/em>\u00a0<\/p>\n \n<\/p>\n\n\n\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" Per la maggior parte degli psiconauti, le fonti migliori per un buon viaggio di psilocibina sono i funghi magici e i tartufi. (Ma sapevate che esiste un'altra fonte pi\u00f9 particolare per la psilocibina che conosciamo e amiamo?<\/p>","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":18453,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[68],"tags":[],"topics":[],"class_list":["post-18450","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-science-and-studies"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.wholecelium.com\/it\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/18450","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.wholecelium.com\/it\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.wholecelium.com\/it\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.wholecelium.com\/it\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.wholecelium.com\/it\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=18450"}],"version-history":[{"count":6,"href":"https:\/\/www.wholecelium.com\/it\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/18450\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":160828,"href":"https:\/\/www.wholecelium.com\/it\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/18450\/revisions\/160828"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.wholecelium.com\/it\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/18453"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.wholecelium.com\/it\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=18450"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.wholecelium.com\/it\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=18450"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.wholecelium.com\/it\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=18450"},{"taxonomy":"topics","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.wholecelium.com\/it\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/topics?post=18450"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}Discovery in 1981 <\/em><\/h2>\n
The Shaman\u2019s Curse<\/em><\/h2>\n
Revival in 2014 <\/em><\/h2>\n
Tip of the Iceberg<\/em><\/h2>\n
<\/strong><\/p>\n