News from Sasha (Alexander Shulgin) on his forthcoming book

[Alfa]

As many of you will be curious about the status of Sasha's forthcoming psychedelic index, here is an update:

Hello Alfa!

Thanks for your note asking about the status of the Psychedelic Index book. It was recently split in half, one part on the phenethylamine psychedelics and the other on the tryptamine psychedelics. The phenethylamine volume is nearing completion, and should be ready for typesetting and proofing by the end of the year. It is an objective offering of the facts on all phenethylamines that are known to be psychedelic, that have been tried but not found to be, or that have structures that are so closely related that they should be tried someday. There is a gathering of the chemistry, syntheses, history, natural sources, chemical properties, biochemistry, pharmacology, human activity, legal status, and every fact, either positive or negative, is documented by a literature reference that establishes its authenticity. At the moment there are about 2000 compounds in this first part and it looks as if it will run about 2000 pages. It will be equally valuable to the curious chemist and the DEA.

I am unsure when the second part will be done. I hope I have the energy to complete it in reasonable time.

We will see how it goes.
Sasha

Reputation Comments on this post:

Very reassuring information

[podge]

Our administrator is in contact with the great Shulgin ?.....very impressive.
Great news about the new book....should be fascinating.

[0utrider]

what about his idea to write about cacti chemistry? im a lil disappointed that he seems to leave that out...

[Nagognog2]

2,000 pages? That should send a few DEA agents to Dr. Dippy's Retreat for awhile!

[Alfa]

As I understood from Sasha some years ago he has put in quite some time and effort, but the research into cacti simply didn't yield as much interesting data. But I'll ask him about this.

[0utrider]

yes please, i'd be very interested in that. nice to know that i know someone who knows alexander shulgin. the 5 people theory (you know everyone in the world through max 5 people) is true indeed..

[JDreaming]

So he's writing a super-long index of information about both phenethylamines and tryptamines? Do you think it will be a re-collection of the info from Pihkal and Tihkal or is it totally new writing that examines the chemicals from a new perspective?

And is "The Psychedelic Index" going to be the title to look out for, or is that just a working title?

[Bajeda]

Originally Posted by JDreaming

So he's writing a super-long index of information about both phenethylamines and tryptamines? Do you think it will be a re-collection of the info from Pihkal and Tihkal or is it totally new writing that examines the chemicals from a new perspective?

At 2,000 pages for the phenethylamine section alone, I don't think Shulgin is limiting himself to a rehash of Pihkal and Tihkal!!

[Euphoric]

Very cool and good news, thanks for sharing Alfa. Would a psychedelic index be complete though without things like disassociatives and salvia? Any idea if these will be included?

[Alfa]

Dissociatives and salvia do not fall into the phenethylamine or tryptamine category, so if they will be included, I asume this would be after the second part. But I doubt that.

Originally Posted by JDreaming

So he's writing a super-long index of information about both phenethylamines and tryptamines? Do you think it will be a re-collection of the info from Pihkal and Tihkal or is it totally new writing that examines the chemicals from a new perspective?

And is "The Psychedelic Index" going to be the title to look out for, or is that just a working title?

The chemistry, syntheses, history, natural sources, chemical properties, biochemistry, pharmacology, human activity, legal status of 2.000 phenethylamine compounds goes way beyond Pihkal, as that covered 189 phenethylamines and did not cover all of these topics.

The psychedelic index has been the title for many years now.

[Bajeda]

I'm beginning to hope he releases it in two parts - or volumes - now. That way we don't have to wait another few years for the tryptamine section to be completed!

[enquirewithin]

I hope his health holds out long enough for him to finish it.

[Beeker]

Is he sick?

[enquirewithin]

Not now, as far as I know, but not young any more.

[Alfa]

I darn well hope his health stays well far beyond that.

[enquirewithin]

Yes! I hope he lives at least as long as Albert Hoffman.

[JDreaming]

Oh wow 2000 pages for just the phenethylamines?!? Well no worries about a rehash now, now I'm just worried if I have room to push the thing through my door and onto my bookshelf!

[Bajeda]

I don't think it will fit through the mail slot, haha.

[vcdman]

this is so exciting.........

[Desertfox]

Has anyone heard any more about this index, SWIM can't find info anywhere on it or it's upcoming release.

[trptamene]

I'd be interested too, tho I assume he's gonna work on it till he's satisfied or realizes he won't be satisfied.

No news is probably good, considering seems prolly has to be several more yrs b4 anything could be available on amazon.

Maybe alfa could do some inquiring for us?

[Alfa]

Sasha has been in the hospital. I am not sure if his health condition has influenced his plans to release a book. Sasha did release his lab notes book, which contains many interesting new drugs and procedures. He released this unedited. Photocopied only. This may be an indication that no new book may be forthcoming. Though that's speculation only.

[Desertfox]

Yes SWIM was aware of the notebooks and has already studied them, but most all of the chemicals are in Pihkal and tihkal.. These scanned notebooks wet my appetite temporarily, but hopefully sasha's newly repaired heart valve is in working order and has allowed him to continue his work on his tentative new index. He is recorded saying that he hopes it to be like a Merck Index but for psychedelic drugs.

[jaguarangel]

The book is now in the hands of proof readers. It should be ready by the end of the year.
It will be called the Shulgin Index. It will contain most phenethylamines and is modeled after the Merck Index.