I don't suppose you or someone could compile a slightly easier to read version of this could you..?

like if you're not using lye how much of what base do you use etc? what PH do you want things to be at?
It's kind of hard to read..
BEAUTIFUL though..i really want to try it as soon as i can.

Seconded. This tek looks interesting.

Thirdeded. This looks interesting. But some parts of it come of as being pretty vague. Like no actual amounts of things were listed as the beginning, but mixed in the middle of giant walls of text. I'm sure a simpler version of this could be rewritten. Something clear and concise.

E.g.

Step 1) Grind seeds
Step 2) Add X ml of Y
Step 3) Mix in X ml of Z
Step 4) Stir
Step 5) Filter
Step 6) Decant
Step 7) Repeat steps 2-6

Instead, it's a little convoluted the way it is.

E.g.

Step 2) Add your alcohol/vinegar mix it is just a 50/50 mix of rubbing alcohol and distilled white vinegar with enough to cover the seeds with about 1 inch of fluid. My total was 500ml of each so 1L total solution. More may need to be added as the seeds absorb the mix. If it is a smaller ammount of seeds you can use microwave safe dishes in the microwave. If you do that microwave in 45 sec intervals untill it is boiling and let it cool before squeezing out the 'tea'. For larger ammounts use a crock pot. Just load up the seed paste add vinegar/alcohol and set to high. Stir it every couple of minutes untill it starts to simmer. Then stir it a bit more but keep it simmering for 30 min. Let it cool and squeeze out the tea. For both methods do this 3 times, the exception is the last (third) acid pull mix your vinegar/alcohol mix 50/50 with water or use 50/50 water and vinegar. when harmine is heated in an alcoholic solution of acetic acid it is hydrolyzed into harmaline. so all this tea you made contains cheifly harmaline, some organic dyes and tannins as well as several other slightly toxic alkaloids (though in the .05% range, ie a few hunderd ppm) now that you have all 3 extractions, combine them and filter untill clear or let sit over night for plant particals and fine tannins to fall out. The total volume should be just over 3L. Filtering will still have to be done after straining out the seeds with an old shirt. The best final filter i found was a cotton ball stuffed in the neck of a 2 leter with holes drilled in the cap. It takes a while so vacuum filtration is the best. A hand vacuum pump can be had at amercian science and surplus for under $20. All in all you want the 'tea' to be crystal clear. I layered in the neck of a 2L first the cotton ball wetted with a little of the solution then 1/2 inch of sand followed by the green scouring pad material cut to size. I followed by pouring through a perminant coffee filter fitted with a activated charcoal filter to catch any sand that got through.


As that's like 20 different steps rolled into one massive block of text.

In anyones experience does grinding the seeds make a big difference? I was getting 2% consistantly with a manske on unground seeds, maybe it'll try this next time.

Wow...nice tek, D.O.S. I love the photos - really supplements the text nicely. Like others, I'd appreciate more actual measurements of ingredients and clarification of the text. This tek really deserves to be re-written with a bit more clarity so that others can duplicate your successes. With the greatly expanded interest in THH in recent weeks, lots of folks are looking for an inexpensive source of harmaline to experiment with. This tek holds great promise as the yields seem terrific and there is the opportunity to selectively precipitate out the harmaline from the harmine.

How 'bout it? Got a re-write in ya????

Much respect and regards,

N.B.

here are a few snap shots of the harmaline after i ran it through chromatography!

What solvent system did you use to run the column? Gravity chrom.?

i ran it with isopropanol (70%) acidified with 8ml conc. HCL and 15ml glacial acetic acid per a liter. over 100g Sigma type WA-1 acidic alumina. the stationary phase was 8" and the retention time was unreal with gravity. no doubt a better chromatogram would develop along with a shorter retention time if vacuum was applied but sadly my pump burnt out a few days prior to that. there were 3 fractions isolated from the original harmaline isolated in this tek. one stayed in the stationary phase and was unable to be eluted (only about 20mg of the total so no biggie) the second fraction was the pictured harmaline at 923mg of the total and the third fraction possibly harmine was just as small as the one that got caught crystallized to reddish brown needles totaling 57mg.

ill work on a re-write that is a little easier to read.

Thank you very much! Your work is much appreciated :-) beautiful pictures

Yes, awesome work . Love the tek, so glad to see someone that's not afraid to use solvents.

I've been curious about vacuum assisted chromatography, need a bleed valve or hoffman clamp for the vac. hose though. Sorry to hear about your pump woes, if your in a pinch a refrigerator compressor can certainly come in handy.

Interesting eluent . Thanks for sharing that, I'll have to craft something different(most likely kitty litter stationary phase ), but it's always nice to hear what others have done.