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Ayahuasca: alkaloids, plants & analogs
assembled by Keeper of the Trout
Section 1 :
Reported occurrences of Tetrahydroharmine

If a reference is included these are confirmed entries. Numbered references are Allen & Holmstedt's and are the same as given under the occurrence of harmine.

Elaeagnaceae

Eleagnus spp.
Appears listed in several places. No supportive documentation located. Tetrahydroharman is a common constituent so perhaps thhis claim was a typo or a misreading or a misunderstanding? More information is needed.


Leguminosae

Calliandra pentandra
Said to be an active ayahuasca additive but sole alkaloid detected in the plant was tetrahydroharmine.
     Shulgin & Shulgin 1997, pages 586 and 712 [but not specifying a reference for either assertion.]
As the Shulgins point out, this strongly indicates the need for pharmacological work on this compound as does Callaway's claims of activity for THH.
[It is pertinent to add however that bioassays of ayahuasca prepared by the Shuar, and using this plant as the sole admixture, were reported to produce strong DMT effects; suggesting its presence. Fericgla 1994 & 1997
   While it could be that these effects were produced by THH it could also be that Fericgla's plant was chemically different from what was actually analyzed (unless the analysis looked at the same material that he had ingested). We lack adequate details to even make any further conjecture.]


Malpighiaceae

Banisteriopsis argentea
[Along with several other b-carbolines, i.e. Harmine, Harmaline, Nb-Methyl-tetrahydroharman (Leptocladine), and 5-Methoxy-tetrahydroharman [Note 1]
Ghosal et al. 1971 recovered 16 mg from 1.8 kg of dried leaves. Also #116,147,148.

Banisteriopsis caapi
[With several other b-carbolines, i.e. Harmine, Harmine-Nb-oxide, Harmol, and Harmaline] #126-141
In root, stem and leaves.

Banisteriopsis inebrians
[Along with several other b-carbolines, i.e. Harmine, Harmol, and Harmaline] #142-145


Rubiaceae

Leptactinia densiflora
[Hence the name leptaflorine; along with the b-carboline Tetrahydroharman (Eleagnine)]
Paris et al. 1957 and Paris & Caiment Le Blond 1955 [Paris and associates isolated as racemate.]


Zygophyllaceae

Peganum harmala

[Along with several other b-carbolines i.e. Harmol, Ruine, Harmalol, Harmaline, Dihydroruine, and Tetrahydroharmine] #96, 210-234.
In seeds Shulgin & Shulgin 1997.

Tribulus terrestris
   (Lacking a reference) Shulgin & Shulgin 1997


"Epéna"

Snuff from unidentified botanical source, as prepared by Surára Indians (collected 1956), was reported to contain: Harmine, Harmaline and Tetrahydroharmine
Holmstedt and Lindgren 1967 [They also mentioned the report of Bernauer 1964 finding Harmine and Tetrahydroharmine in Surára snuff also called Epéna and the report of Biocca et al. 1964 [Ed.: This report also appears listed as Galeffi et al. 1964] finding Harmine, Harmaline and Tetrahydroharmine in Tucano snuff called Paricŕ.]

Epena snuff from the Surára (via H. Becher)
0.02% (+)-Tetrahydroharmine
(with Harmine- 1.3%)
   Bernauer 1964.


Notes #
  1. Oddity - substitution at this position in the naturally occurring simple β-carbolines has only been reported for this compound.