Essential oil of Sassafrass

[GDxCAT]

Can anyone tell me what this is and what effects it has.

I know sassafrass in used in the production of MDMA but that is as far as my knowledge of the subject goes.

[brooklyn718]

Sassafras oil contains the precurser to one of the ten "essential amphetamines" I forgot which I belive saffrol turns into MDA when it goes through your body, its not as good as a high, the transformed version of MDA has more side effects like body load and nausea. Myristicin in nutmeg, (nutmeg also contains saffrol) does indeed have the exact effect of MMDA, if you read about it.But nutmeg and these oils contain many of the ten essential amphetamines. So ingesting these oils causes a wider spectrum of effects compared the the singular chemical. Including the negative side effects of each. IE nutmeg has the cannabis like effect of MMDA, plus the amphetamine like speedy effect from safrole and eugenol, but has the negative body load and nausea of each substance due to its "conversions" effects. Generaly I belive I ingest too much nutmeg when I do decide to use it because of the intense negative effect with the intense effects form the experiance. There is synergy between myristicin safrole etc definately. In low doses I experiance a profound experiance with no side effects other than slight headache, but in accidental high doses (strong batch) the negative effects seem to overpower the effects of the drug, negative effects seem to come out when the dose response makes the effect seem psychedlic, with the nutmeg the mind videos that MMDA is known for, but the negative body load and side effets makes this experiance miserable. But low doses do provide an intense and positive experiance.

[Benzhead]

Yeah, it's safrole(a few alternate spellings) that is of interest.


In addition to the excellent synopsis by brooklyn718, here are a few more sources for you:


Designer Drugs: Safrole FAQ


MDA Stuff


MDMA.net: Buying safrole to manufcture MDMA


Lycaeum's MDMA Synthesis using safrole and hydrobromic acid as pre-cursors.


Adam Gottlieb's 'Legal Highs' encyclopedia


Here's a bit from the PDR for Herbal Medicines 2nd Ed. under the listing for sassafras.
<DIV =c57>
<H2>Pharmacological Actions</H2>


Studies have concentrated on investigating the toxicity associated with the bark. However, aqueous and alcoholic extracts have been reported to elicit ataxia, hypersensitivity to touch, CNS depression and hypothermia in mice. Both inhibition and induction of hepatic microsomal enzymes have been documented for safrole. Enzyme–inducing activity was found to be a transient phenomenon, with activity falling after the onset of hepatic toxicity (see Side–effects, Toxicity). Safrole is reported to induce both cytochrome P488 and P450 activities. Sassafras oil has been used as a topical antiseptic, pediculicide and carminative.</DIV>
<DIV =c57>
<H2>Side–effects, Toxicity</H2>


The toxicity of sassafras is attributable to the volatile oil, and in particular to the safrole content. It is estimated that a few drops of sassafras oil are sufficient to kill a toddler and as little as one teaspoonful has proved fatal in an adult. Symptoms of poisoning are described as vomiting, stupor and collapse. High doses may cause spasm followed by paralysis. Large amounts of the oil are reported to be psycho active with the hallucinogenic effects lasting for several days. One of the components of the oil is myristicin, the hallucinogenic principle in nutmeg. Sassafras has traditionally been used as an ingredient of beverages. To put the potential toxicity of sassafras into perspective, the following estimation has been made. Extrapolation of results from animal toxicity studies indicate that 0.66mg/kg may prove hazardous in humans. By comparison, a cup of sassafras tea, prepared from a 2.5g teabag, may provide up to 200mg safrole, representing approximately 3mg/kg.


Safrole, the principal component of the volatile oil, was first recognised to be a hepatocarcinogen in the 1960s and many animal studies have been documented concerning this toxicity. Both benign and malignant tumours have developed in laboratory animals, depending on the dose of safrole administered.


Both human and animal studies have shown that safrole gives rise to a large number of metabolites. A sulfate ester (formed via a hydroxylated metabolite) has been established as the ultimate carcinogen for safrole with tumour incidence parallelling the rate of conversion to the ester. Induction of cytochrome P450 activity has been associated with mutagenic and carcinogenic activity of the inducing agent. The inducing effect of safrole on certain metabolising enzymes is thought to play a role in the carcinogenic activity of safrole. The liver has a high level of cytochrome P450 activity and is therefore susceptible to induction.


Acute oral LD<SUB>50</SUB> values for safrole have been reported as 1.95g/kg (rats) and 2.35g/kg (mice). Major symptoms of toxicity are stated as ataxia, depression, diarrhoea, followed by death within 4 hours to seven days. Rats fed safrole in their diet at concentrations of 0.25, 0.5 and 1.0% exhibited reduction in growth, stomach and testicular atrophy, liver necrosis, biliary proliferation and primary hepatomas. Animals have also developed tumours when fed safrole–free extracts.


Conflicting results have been reported from studies investigating the mutagenicity of safrole, using the Ames test and DNA repair test. Purity of the safrole, test system employed, type of metabolic activation mix, and toxicity of the test system have been suggested as reasons for the observed variations.</DIV>
<DIV =c57>
<H2>Contra–indications, Warnings</H2>


Sassafras should not be used internally or externally. Safrole, the major component in the volatile oil of sassafras, is hepatotoxic and even safrole–free extracts have been reported to produce tumours in animals. Sassafras essential oil is contra–indicated in internal and external use. Sassafras has been reported to inhibit and induce microsomal enzymes.


________________________________


The PDR(Physician's Desk Reference) for Herbal Medicines should be available at most good libraries. I have a subscription to the online version.


It's very handy.


T


</DIV>

[Eirias]

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While ingesting straight sassafras essential oil may have some
subjective effects, it is probably unwise to do very often as safrole
is a purported carcinogen. Also, safrole does not metabolize into
MDA or MDMA once ingested. And myristicin does not metabolize
into MMDA either, although this was once theorized as being the case as
to the source of myristicin's psychoactivity. These essential oil
components are however precursors in the synthesis of MD(M)A and MMDA,
respectively.

Furthermore, there are no essential oils that contain any
amphetamines or phenethylamines per se, but rather many essential oils
are made up of a combination of various essential components that are
potential precursors to what Shulgin called the "ten essential
amphetamines".


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Edited by: Eirias

[fnord]

beware sassafras/safrole is carcanogenic,which i wish i knew before i did it a bunch of times,its a weak high and not very plesent tasting

[Ja$$ie]

These essential oil components are however precursors in the synthesis of MD(M)A and MMDA, respectively.



Safrole is a precursor for MDMA, I have never read something about MDMA being carcanogenic... Or is this an incorrectthought?

[GDxCAT]

MDMA is not carcinogenic. Yet oil of sassafrass is, apparently.

[X-Dream]

Eww, someone actually drank it? I thought that safrole was straight up deadly. You know methylamine gas is also used as a precursor to MDMA, but I don't think you wanna inhale that either...or the MDP-2-P that safrole is oxidized to. All poison until you get it to MDMA as far as I'm concerned, not even good to get it in your skin. STAY AWAY!


They do however sell a lot of sassafras oil that is safrole free, especially in the United States where safrole is banned by the FDA.

[breezer]

is there a simple way of making an amphetamine out of an essential oil without a lab and knowledge of chemistry?

[aMorphius]

Answer to breezer: Put simply. No.

[breezer]

Okay it was just a question.Thanks anyway

[GoaM]

LOL. Sassy oil is a wonderful substance. You want to vacuum distill it to isolate safrole. From there your well on your way to MDP2P and then MDMA. HEHE. By itself though, don;t bother except for root beer.