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Preliminary Solvent Retrospective
Chocolate
Citation:   Psi Locybe. "Preliminary Solvent Retrospective: An Experience with Chocolate (exp26328)". Erowid.org. Apr 19, 2006. erowid.org/exp/26328

 
DOSE:
  oral Chocolate
BODY WEIGHT: 155 lb
Over the last year or so, I've been engaged in an exploration of differing preperations of theobroma cacao, starting with raw, bitter, baking cocoa.

The first step in beginning the experimentation was to gulp down raw baking cocoa; three teaspoons, somewhat heaping, was found to be a good, roughly-threshold dose - effective short- and long-term antidepressant effect combined with a mild, indescribable psychoactivity.

The second attempt was, naturally, a traditional(ish) preperation; several teaspoons of baking cocoa, fire sauce from Taco Bell, and hot water.

This one was quite fascinating, and remarkably pleasant. The heat of the water and the heat of the chilis combined to create a pleasant warming starting within the belly, and spreading throughout the body. The gastric inflammation from the capsacin undoubtedly aided absorbtion - and the effects were reminiscent of reports of cocaine - stimulation, top-of-the-world sensations of extreme well-being, and slight delusions of superhuman capability, all lasting half an hour to an hour.

As a side note, baking cocoa clogs the *hell* out of a coffee filter.

My humble, uneducated theory is that the increased soluability of tryptophan creates preferential conditions for seratonin synthesis and release, while the aqueous soluability of theobromine and caffine activiates cAMP-mediated stimulation, and the remainder phenethylamine amino acids add a slight coloration to the effects produced by the prior two. I would imagine - and the effects seem to hold out - that the lipid soluability of the olylethanolamine anandamide amide hydrolase (AAH) inhibitors leave their effects negligable to nonexistant in this preperation.

The second preperation was 'chocolate pseudomilk,' utilizing Mocha Mix non-dairy creamer, diluted 1:1 with water, as a dairy substitute.

The effects with this solvent/transport mediator seem to be primarily phenethylamine-based, bearing strong resemblance at high dosages (10 cups at 3tsp/cup) to a high-dose lobelia extract, or perhaps somewhat similar to a spot of ephedrine, though non-stimulant - a calming mental focusing, with nuances that only those who have consumed whopping quantities of lobelia, or who can seperate the adrenomimetic properties of ephedrine from its dopaminic release/reuptake properties can know - drunk without the alchoholic confusion, laid back from the world 'out there,' outside the self, and very, very calm.

Comparing its effects to dopaminic release agonists (lobelia) *with* seratonin enhancement (tryptophan, 100mg at a time, together in a 3 week binge of talkative childlike euphoric oblivion with *drastic* memory loss likely caused by the absence of natural neurotransmission - memory loss such as 'senses correspond to something called 'reality''), it is my belief that tryptophan is relatively insoluable in this preperation - there were no effects whatsoever which related to the tryptamine system, just a clean dopaminergenic response, if bioassay and comparison to known pharmacology is correct.

...speaking of lobelia, baking cocoa will also stave off the unpleasant aftereffects of a sizeable (0.5g evaporated tincture - several large dosings, don't take all that at once) experience.

The third preperation utilized evaporated nonfat milk. While it was brought about by an absence of Mocha Mix and a souring of the fresh milk (which, ironically, I have not yet tried - I'll have to make CocoaCheese one of these days), it was rather pleasant. Indeed, as happens so often in the never-ending human childhood of learning, growing, and exploring one's world, complete accident lead to the greatest discovery.

Again, I utilized my standard 3tsp/cup, and drank...

...and was stoned. No stimulation, no other side effects - just good 'n gently stoned, with a rapid absorbtion curve.

...unfortunately, much of my pleasing mellowing was interrupted and spent in a phone conversation with my grandfather; I had come mostly down by the time I hung up. It *is* a tad short-lasting, perhaps 30 minutes to an hour...

...I had a small portion left in the bottom of the glass, perhaps a quarter cup. I drank it...

...and was stoned again for the next hour. This is nice.

I theorize that whatever emulsification agents are commonly found in milk preferentially emulsify and transport the AAHi compounds of cocoa with drastic efficiency; the fact that it was nonfat avoided dilution. I shall definately have to look into this.

About two hours after consumption (shortly after the secondary stone wore off its peak), a milder phenethylaminesque response began to become noticeable, but quickly subsided - and was dwarfed with what appeared to be the prior cannibinoid response.

This concludes my knowledge of the differing means of preparing xocuatl at this time, and its variance in effect based on solvent. With luck, future developments will include fractional aqueous precipitation from ethanol, alkaloidal examinations, and the consumption of zwittwerionic fractions - but until then, I am lightly impoverished.

Exp Year: 2003ExpID: 26328
Gender: Not Specified 
Age at time of experience: Not Given
Published: Apr 19, 2006Views: 39,622
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Chocolate (182) : Alone (16), Retrospective / Summary (11)

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