Drug info - Saffron

[snapper]

Found several references to psychoactivity of high quality, fresh saffron, particularly Indian or spanish varieties. Reports of primarily an empathogenic effect at various doses, though higher doses are toxic to deadly.
Anyone ever try this ?

Snapper

[sunyata]

Kind of embaressing, but swim actually tried smoking saffron in his teens once when he was out of proper herb. Quantity estimate would be half a gram and effects so mild that they couldn't be distinguished from placebo effect. Never repeated it. The saffron was bought in spain.

[snapper]

Successful reports are of people eating it (esp. chewing) - smoking may not be the preferred route. SWIM has to think up something to cook with the saffron if it's bunk, then SWIM'll mail order and try it out. Someone has to give this one a shot here ! There is something to this..

Snapper

[Thirdedge]

Hope its ok for me to cross post from another online forum here? (if not let me know and I will delete).

I copied the following report from another forum:

I think saffron has a huge potential as a recreational. here is how it started:

I am pleasantly inebriated, my tongue is numb and I have exotic flavoured/scented breath. Over the last hour I have consumed about 40 saffron threads. This is the best quality in the world and even though the price is ridiculous, it really doesn't take much to get smashed.
I am surprised at the small quantity I've had. At this point I can't chew any more because my mouth is burning. Activity seems to be much higher when chewed thoroughly, but I will also try swallowing a capsule of it in the next few days. Apparently it is quite safe at up to 1.5g daily. Given the 40 threads probably only weigh 100mg, I can't imagine consuming 1.5g at once.

Saffron was used as a major ingredient in Laudanum (poppy wine). It's also supposed to act against drunkeness, although at the moment it feels exactly the opposite.

Once I get the dosage etc right we'll offer it in the shop. I have never seen this quality of saffron in australia before Laughing Laughing The flavour is just amazing and the colour index is over 250, which puts it in the top range of the best grade 1 material.

It's only taken me 8 years to pick up where I left off with saffron research Rolling Eyes

I would think that the activity in saffron is in the essential oil, as aroma and spicyness has been mentioned several times as indicator of psychoactive potency. Australian stuff is usually sold in 0.5 or 1g units in a large container where the airspace will take up much of the volatiles - if they were even there at the time of packing. The stuff available in Oz is generally tasteless and flavourless and is usually only used for colouring food, but rarely to impart flavour.

As I said, the stuff I have now kicks ass on all fronts. I had always avoided Iranian saffron because it is widely noted as being inferior. And yes, as Iran produces 100 times more saffron than the apparent market leader spain, it is likely that they do in fact produce a lot of low grade material. But they also produce the highest grade available, which is sargol saffron, and that's what I got hold of.

[Thirdedge]

In a trial for it's antidepressant effect on rats it was determined that safranal acts on the serotonin system and crocin acts on the dopamine and norepinephrine systems. In other words saffron has a similar pharmacological profile to MDMA.
In fact, my dose of 250mg gave me the feeling of about 30mg of MDMA. It is also quite sensual, but impairs performance - sound familiar? The effects are easy to compare when having a shower as the skin sensations are very much alike.


There has been a fatality at 1.5g, but it was a pregnant woman who bled to death. Other than that the lowest fatality was 10g as far as I am aware. That does not mean the LD50 is at 10g. Consider this in relation to nutmeg. The lowest fatal dose has been half a nutmeg. But the LD50 is probably more around the 10 nutmegs. Either way, it's a good idea to be cautious.

Reputation Comments on this post:

For the posts in this thread and the amanita sacred weeds movie. cheers

[snapper]

A 10x normal dose of MDMA will possibly kill you too. If a good active dose is under a gram of saffrole, might be worth exploring. The testamonials on line are all over the place regarding dose and effect, but they seem to have some substance. Could explain the mysterious effects of things like absinthe and laudanum during 18th-19th centuries. Both occasionally had saffron as an additive. I think with laudanum more than occasionally.

Snapper

[IHrtHalucingens]

So im assuming the saffron sold in grocery stores isnt the kind one would need to get these effects? One would need to buy a certain kind of the internet somewhere? No sources just trying to get an idea about the activeness of the common store bought saffron.

[genaro]

From a book about drugs I own:
saffron (Crocus Sativus) is known to be hallucinogenic.
In moderate doses saffron is a stimulant, making you feel contented euphoric, laughing.
In stronger doses it's a narcotic and can cause hallucinations.
Warning: a 15g dose can cause death (personally I would stay way below 10g).
Saffron can also cause abortion.

I never tried trippin from saffron but I suspect it to be similar to nutmeg, meaning poorly psychedelic, not really recreative and somewhat unpleasant (nasty side effects), hard on the heart and harmful to the liver/kidneys.
But maybe I'm wrong and it's a great legal high...is it?

Also, from personal experience with nutmeg I guess that whole fresh saffron (non-powdered/canned) will be much more potent than the dried powdered & canned one you would get at the supermarket.

Originally Posted by genaro

From a book about drugs I own:
saffron (Crocus Sativus) is known to be hallucinogenic.
In moderate doses saffron is a stimulant, making you feel contented euphoric, laughing.
In stronger doses it's a narcotic and can cause hallucinations.
Warning: a 15g dose can cause death (personally I would stay way below 10g).
Saffron can also cause abortion.

I never tried trippin from saffron but I suspect it to be similar to nutmeg, meaning poorly psychedelic, not really recreative and somewhat unpleasant (nasty side effects), hard on the heart and harmful to the liver/kidneys.
But maybe I'm wrong and it's a great legal high...is it?

Also, from personal experience with nutmeg I guess that whole fresh saffron (non-powdered/canned) will be much more potent than the dried powdered & canned one you would get at the supermarket.

Firstly, I do not know which book it is you took that from, but many books about drugs/ethnobotanicals are exaggerated (e.g. rating catmint or kanna as psychedelic or even narcotic) and sometimes they bias their research, or just rely on hearsay.

Secondly, if you do a search on PubMed about saffron, you will only find positive results about its toxicity (or lack of), saffron seems to have many benificial effects on humans (so no kidney/liver damage).

[hh339]

Hmm, is this for real? Remember SWIM is a schmuck who buys just about anything. Guess SWIM will give it a shot sometime over the next few days, it couldnt be worse than CP^^ (dont ask..)

[old hippie 56]

Isn't saffron one of the most expensive spices known to man? Looked up the prices on google, and they are pretty high per gram.

[sterling77]

So has anyone on this board tried saffron except for Sunyata and ThirdEdge? Sounds pretty interesting, but I imagine it would be more popular if it gave an effect similar to low-dose MDMA.

[sterling77]

From Wikipedia:
"Sumerians used wild-growing saffron in their remedies and magical potions.

Saffron threads would be scattered across beds and mixed into hot teas as a curative for bouts of melancholy. Non-Persians also feared the Persians' usage of saffron as a drugging agent and aphrodisiac."

From itmonline.org/arts/saffron.htm
"Erroneous information related to saffron toxicity has appeared, especially in internet presentations, but also in books...By contrast, all recent research reports indicate that saffron is non-toxic.

The most likely reason for this impression was writers initially confusing toxic meadow saffron with non-toxic saffron; from there the reports were simply repeated. Meadow saffron, also called wild saffron or Autumn crocus (Colchicum autumnale) contains the toxic compound colchicine (used primarily in the treatment of gout). It appears that the literature references to saffron acting as a toxin causing severe spontaneous bleeding or even death with just a few grams are primarily the result of ingestion of meadow saffron (or other materials) but not true saffron."

[snapper]

Wow, that's a lot of great info. Particularly the lack of toxicity part. Good quality saffron os not that expensive, and if a good dose is in the gram range, it is really cheap. SWIM plans a trial in the next week or so and has already acquired 2 varieties of saffron of the highest quality. Will report back soon.

Snapper

[genaro]

maybe I'm wrong, but I believe that no spice-high can be called safe, any spice can be dangerous in excessive quantities, due to their high concentration of essential oils (any essential oil can be dangerous, and spices all contain a lot)

[snapper]

SWIM did not mean to imply that saffron is not potentially toxic. However, hemorrhaging to death at 1.5 g is of concern, so it is nice to hear that these more extreme symptoms are ascribed to a look-alike plant.
Any untested substance should be treated as potentially toxic.

Snapper

[Nagognog2]

If this contains colchicine, or one buys mis-labeled material on eBay (who could imagine that ever happening!) that does - that would be a horrific death. Just 10mg of colchicine is considered an average fatal dose. And the pain is incredible as the stomach is torn into shreds. There is no antidote to colchicine poisoning. The only thing thaat can be done for someone who took an overdose of this is morphine to control the pain - as they die.

A medical dosage for the treatment of gout is .6mg (600 micrograms) to 1.2 mg. twice a day.

[snapper]

SWIM was riding SWIMs bike home and nearly hit this cat, so SWIM stops after nearly falling, and the cat just sits there licking its paw like they do. SWIM asks it why the hell it tried to kill SWIM, and it said because it was a cat, but it had something else to tell SWIM.
Turns out its owner had just attempted a first trial of Kasmiri saffron, 200 mg total split into 3 doses 1/2 hour apart. The cat's owner, AKA 'Stupid Human', had taken 3.5 g of kratom leaf several hours earlier and coffee.
Overall, effects were tranquilizing, seemed to potentiate the narcotic effects of the kratom (which had mostly worn off), and had a mild yet evident euphoria. 'Stupid Human' felt somewhat off balance and mentally vague (well, more than usual..). The peak effects came on about 2 hours after initial ingestion, and towards the latter part of the peak there were mild skin-crawling sensations and increased sociability. 'Stupid Human' said it did not have a particularly bad taste (chewed then washed down with water - tingles in mouth afterwards). 'Stupid Human' further indicated that the effects were far from ecstacy or methylone at this dosage range, but then 'Stupid Human' spent more time scratching my throat and petting me than usual.
SWIM was so stunned by what the cat said, much less that it was talking at all, that SWIM did not even see where this cat went or have any time to respond before it left.

Stupid Human, as the name suggests, had tried nutmeg and is familiar with its effects, and saffron was not at all the same. The cat also said that it came on quickly and it did not carry any kind of body load.
Reports on other forums so far are mostly of the saffron potentiating opiates. This was derived from its being a frequent ingredient in laudanum.
the plant itself has a long history of selective cultivation by humans and was grown by the Greeks medicinally. The original plant, Crocus cartwrightianus, is from Crete, and the plant producing saffron, Crocus cartwrightianus sativus, is a human cultivar selectively bred for its long stamens, does not exist in the wild.

Snapper
Cat wishes to remain anonymous

Reputation Comments on this post:

Interesting, thanks.

[Aopocetx]

I just tried this. Purchased a couple packs of the only saffron Publix sells (it's Spanish). It was $2.19 for 0.4g. I would put about 200mg in my mouth and chew, then let the stuff sit under my tongue and generally in my mouth for a minute or two. Three minutes later, before I finished the first pack, I started getting flashes in my peripheral vision. Same ones I got coming up on LSA. Anyway, I finished all of it in about 10 minutes. It has been about 15 minutes since the original flashing. Now there's more flashing, mild closed eye visuals (and my eyes really don't want to stay closed), and nothing else. I'll probably try 1.5g instead of 800mg someday.

[Aopocetx]

After my last post, the effects increased (I wasn't expecting them to). Mild euphoria and sensitivity to emotions were the two main effects. Sex drive is GONE. So yes, it is similar to MDMA. The peripheral flashes are gone though, which I thought was weird.

[sterling77]

SWIM just checked his Publix, and the only saffron they sell is 1g for $xxxx. Don't remember the brand (better watch out for quoting prices here haha). SWIM will give it a shot soon, but without any high hopes as the reports he has read mostly say the cheap supermarket varieties are nearly useless. There were two or three that had good results though.

I read many references to it as a stimulant, and a few stating it was a sedative. Several sites call it an aphrodisiac and an anti-depressant. I saw several medicinal dosages stated around 1-2g, and some even higher.

[hh339]

Ok, so SWIM tried some. 150 mg did produce a tiny little bit of good mood and some minor shivers of the pleasant kind. No resemblance to MDMA at this level, perhaps with a higher dose. SWIM will try more and get back to you. Maybe SWIM should have chewed it?

[snapper]

SWIM's cat's owner chewed them, and they do not taste as bad. Sounds pretty consistent results for 3 individuals. SWIM's cat's owner will shooot for about 600mg next time in a week or two. Note that the effects seem to wear off quickly...

Snapper

Originally Posted by snapper

SWIM's cat's owner chewed them, and they do not taste as bad. Sounds pretty consistent results for 3 individuals. SWIM's cat's owner will shooot for about 600mg next time in a week or two. Note that the effects seem to wear off quickly...

Snapper

Yes swim noticed the effects of ~35 strands wears off after about 30 minutes.

The effects swim experienced were:

Lift in mood.
Greater appreciation of music (kept turning it up, then when the effects wore off I turned it down).
Tingling in hands and back of the neck (much milder to MDMA though).

Swim found it very pleasant, and afterwards felt that he should try again with a higher dose, since it seemed to be threshold, but definitely more than placebo.

Swim's tongue felt slightly numb and tasteless after the saffron chewing.

[snapper]

Actually, the self-incrimination policy applies to non-illegal products on this site since in some places, using anything to alter your mind can be construed as a crime, and it is better to just have a blanket policy (corect me if I am wrong here mods).
If you incriminate yourself by proving saffron is a drug, what will one use to color cream sauces yellow when they make it illegal?


Snapper