Key points
Psychoactive chemicals 5-methoxy-dimethyltryptamine and bufotenin are released by toads.
A single treatment produced significant improvements across many domains of stress and trauma-related concerns
The mental health benefits appeared after only three days of intervention and lasted months.
Colorado River toads loved to swim in my pool and lay their eggs in the skimmer. Neighborhood dogs like to lick the backs of these toads; some of the smaller dogs did not survive the experience. These toads have parotoid glands near their eyes that produce two psychoactive chemicals: 5-methoxy-dimethyltryptamine (5-MeO-DMT) and bufotenin, named after the Bufo genus of toads.
Both chemicals belong to the family of hallucinogenic tryptamines that includes psilocybin. The toads produce bufotenin directly from the serotonin in the blood via one simple methylation step inside the gland. The 5-MeO-DMT is made via another simple enzymatic step from the bufotenine. The toads do not produce these chemicals for the amusement of humans; they utilize them as a defense against predators. Humans long ago discovered that the combination of these two psychoactive drugs produces euphoria, as well as visual and auditory hallucinations, due to stimulation of serotonin receptors. It is dangerous to lick the backs of these toads because the glands also release cardiac glycosides that are lethal.
Recent studies have reported success in using these two compounds together in psychedelic-assisted therapies for the treatment of suicidal ideation, cognitive impairment, depression , and PTSD . These are similar targets for psychedelic-assisted therapy using psilocybin. Studies have reported significant and very large self-reported reductions in anxiety as well. The participants rated the drug experience as one of the top five personally meaningful, spiritually significant, and psychologically insightful experiences of their entire lives.
A more recent study collected prospective clinical data at four time points (baseline/pre-treatment, one-, three-, and six-months after treatment) in a large population of Special Operations Forces Veterans. A program therapist explained the range of effects they might experience from ibogaine and 5-MeO-DMT. They were administered a single oral dose (10 mg/kg) of ibogaine and three incremental doses of 5-MeO-DMT starting at 5 mg, 15 mg, and 30 mg (for […]
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