A base, usually lime Is used as a sort of “activator” for yopo -for example

I only have CaCO3 and have access to lye (but I don't want to use it) I don't get my Lime till July, so even though I speak of using CaCO3 here, I can use lime if it's necessary, just not right away.

There have been conflicting reports of the effectiveness of different basifying agents:
-this indicates CaCO3 is ineffective
-this uses CaCo3 with apparent success: “Shamans prepare yopo snuff from the toasted pulverized seeds of either Anadenanthera colubrina or Anadenanthera peregrina which is then mixed with water and a source of a calcium carbonate. Calcined shells are often used as the source of calcium carbonate. The mixture is kneaded while wet and allowed to sit and react, often overnight. Before use it is toasted again to dry it, and it is again ground to produce a fine powder.”


The most popular preparation for nasal use uses a 2:1 ratio of powdered seed and lime, it is moistened, mixed and left in the open air to dry. It is said to darken during this process. In my experience I was unable to use lime, so I tried with CaCO3, I used a 1:1 ratio, thinking that since CaCO3 is a weaker base then I should use more lime. I plan on smoking and not snorting this mixture (so that the CaCO3 will stay in the bowl and not in my lungs or nose), but I am hesitant and that feeling would likely turn a potential trip sour.
But from the reports that I've read, basifying the mixture is a necessary step in achieving a visionary experience.

The theory I have is that this basification can be used to potentiate other tryptamine-containing smoking mixtures, or even alkaloidal smoking mixtures in general. I am only starting to learn chemistry so I could be mistaken, but I am willing to try this on some plants that contain tryptamines or other alkaloids.
The three main mixtures that I think would be interesting topics for research are:
Mucuna leaves + base (Mucuna pruriens leaves contain bufotenin and I have a trip report where I smoked them after taking 3g syrian rue)
Phalaris juice + base (I have never had success with phalaris but have had mild effects from the juice, maybe the addition of a base would “activate it”)
Delosperma + base (again thinking about the tryptamines, but also wondering if the same “activation” would affect the mesembrine in a similar way)

Calcined shells are largely calcium oxide, which hydrates to calcium hydroxide, i.e. lime.

Nonetheless, your results from trying calcium carbonate will still be interesting, be the outcome effective or ineffective. Calcite has the same molar neutralisation equivalent as lime. Some reactions requiring a very gentle base can be achieved using calcium carbonate.

I can't comment on the mesmebrine idea other than to say it's a larger molecule and thus will likely have a rather higher vaporisation temperature than the simpler tryptamines if it doesn't just decompose altogether when heated.

This is very interesting. I have some A. peregrina seeds I may have to give this a shot. I have never even given a thought to producing anything from the seeds I have until I read this, as I thought it would require much more than 5 to acheive any sort of activity. Thanks for the info!

An update, I now have access to Calcium Hydroxide.
5 seeds heated till mostly dry, crushed up then heated to complete dryness
Mixed 1 part hydroxide : 3 parts yopo powder
Add water till and mix until it becomes a dark brown paste and smells of ammonia
Air dry with intermittent chopping
Ground to fine powder once fully dry

Characteristics: green-brown non-uniform powder. Smells of ammonia
Mildly active on its own w/o maoi
Not as strong as my experience with mucuna leaves+maoi
Will test with maoi when I no longer have to take anti-histamines.

this isn't anything new for most folk, but in all my attempts this is the first palpable effect I have achieved with yopo and the difference was using lime to prepare it. this makes me hopeful for similar prep methods on other plants.