Disclaimer: There is practically no research and very few experiences with consumption of this plant for psychoactive purposes. Nobody knows if there are negative side or long term effects. Always be cautious, minimise risks and use common sense, if you want to experiment with this plant.

Updated warning: Possible side effects, please read this post before experimenting!

Dendrobium noblie is an orchid used for ornamental purposes. Due to its relatively easy cultivation, the reliable flowering of many big, beautiful blossoms that will keep fresh for a long time and in virto mass propagation, it is one of the orchids commonly available in flower shops, stores and garden centers.
But the plant can also facilitate psychoactive effects that in some parts resemble that of cannabis. The plant contains several terpene alkaloids: Dendrobin, Denbinobin, Dendramin, Dendrin, Dendrobin, Dendroxin, Nobilin, Nobilonin and several derviates. Nobilin is the first alkaloid discovered in an orchid. As far as I know, there is no information which compound contributes to the effects. In traditional chinese medicine, the herb is used for medicinal purposes in form of a tea made from dried flowers and leafes. Side effects are unknown for traditional use. Research indicates that several compounds, including polysaccharids, sesquiterpenes, bibenzyl derivates and fluoerons have a potential antioxidant, antimutagenic, antitumor and immunmodulatory activity.

Unfortunately, the only source I have for the psychoactive effects is in German. Maybe some translator programe can give you a general impression of the content. Also there are several references at the end of the article.


Bioassay:
I. I smoked half a dried flower in a pipe. The smoke is very harsh, hard to inhale and provoces couching. A high feeling, quite similar to cannabis is perceived within a few minutes. Both the "high" and "stoned" component of the typical cannabis effects can be recognised. However cognitive processes and body feelings are altered in another way than with cannabis. Short time memory seems to be less impaired. Thoughts don't drift away that easily, but general thoguht patterns are certainly altered. Judging from the overall impression, the plant really seems to influence the cannabionoid system. After some time a slight tremble in muscles of ventral thorax and abdomen manifests. The effects surpass all other plants I know and tried that are said to have cannabis like effects. The intoxication lasts for about one and a half hours.

II. the other halv of the flower is vaporized, using an eletrical vaporizer with a tube for inhaling with a temperature set to 180°C. This ingestion method seems to be at least as effective as smoking and not as harsh to the lungs. Effects are similar to the first experience.

III. In combination with cannabis, it seems to have synergetic effects, boosting the normal effects of cannabis. The overall effects are dominated by cannabis.


All in all a very interesting plant, that to me seems very worth experimenting with. It could be a great basis for herb blends, enhanced leaf or changa. Nevertheless I would advocate caution when using higher doses or combinations, because the underlying pharmacology is practically unknown and possible side effects can not be excluded! As always: be especially cautious with MAOIs. Because of the trembling I would not exclude adverse body reactions with higher doses.



A few sources about the medical properties:
Luo et al.(2010) Purification, composition analysis and antioxidant activity of the polysaccharides from Dendrobium nobile Lindl., Carbohydrate Polymers, 79(4), pp 1014-1019.

Miyazawa et. al (1999) Moscatilin from Dendrobium nobile, a Naturally Occurring Bibenzyl Compound with Potential Antimutagenic Activity.J. Agric. Food Chem., 47 (5), pp 2163–2167, Osaka, Japan

Miyazawa et al.() Antimutagenic Activity of Gigantol from Dendrobium nobile. J. Agric. Food Chem., 45 (8 ), pp 2849–285.

Ye, Qin & Zhao(2002) Immunomodulatory sesquiterpene glycosides from Dendrobium nobile. Phytochemistry, 61 (8 ), pp 885-890.

Zhibin, Zailin & Er A Rare Endangered Medicinal Plant: Dendrobium nobile
, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences.

..thank you Nicita..indeed interesting..
and completely new to me..

bioassay and references...first class!

i wonder if the trembling, and terpene content, actually make it closer to Salvia intoxication?

GREAT THANKS! i want !
This is very beautiful, interesting, entheogen.. and only 'half a flower' that is potent!

(i wonder what other orchid species hold*)

You are right, the body feelings of both could be compared to some extend, but the cognitive part of the effects is IMO way different




Yes, I was also very impressed. Next time I'm getting my scale for better measurement




Well, you can always test them through and tell us I think I would expect at least a few more species with psychoactive properties. I could think of two ways to indentify potential species:
1. Research what species are said to have medical/sacral significance for the people living in the same area (reports in ethnological work?).
2. Look up chemical studies of orchids and think about what compounds might potentially be interesting. (structure similaritys to known active substances)

i have been taking a pre work out fat burner that claims to contain a concentrated extract of this plant for it's mood enhancing properties. I believe it claims the extract to act as a dopamine modulator.
There is definatley effects on mood nocticed when i consume this supplement.
I read somewhere that they are claiming the plant contains phenylethylamine, but that they havent been able to reproduce these claims in other studies.

Propagation of Noble Dendrobium (Dendrobium nobile Lindl.) by
cutting. (attached)

I remember someone posted a paper on here that was looking into the makeup of the chemicals used by certain orchid species used to attract pollinators and they found some serious opiate alkaloid. Dendrobium was mentioned in this paper. I cant find the post at the moment but ill keep looking

I read something on STS about Epipactis helleborine, an orchid that is said to contain oxycodone.

From Wikipedia:
Pdf below:
Mentions Epipactis helleborine and Dendrobium

thats the one! thanks cyb!

The Alkaloid of Chin Shih Hu


They determined .52% alkaloids in stem material of dendrobium nobile var. Szechuan

Very interesting, thank you for your input everyone!

I found a ressource about orchids from nepal with medical use. Again in German, but there is a table, where several species are listed. There are also some other Dendrobium spec.

Another orchid that came to mind again is Oncidium cebolleta, an Orchid from the central americas that is said to be used as a substitute for L. williamsii.

It seems that orchids could be very rewarding field for research.

I also bought a new D. nobile today. A very nice big plant, with lots of bulbs that are going to flower this winter. I'll make a few photos when there is more light tomorrow.

Really interesting! Danke!

Here is my new D. noblie specimen I hope there are flowers soon.

beautiful orchid!

from what i can tell it seems to be the stem that holds the majority of the alkaloids....and you got a lot a stem!!!

I think I'll experiment with the oral psychoactivity of stem material.

Perhaps the psychoactive properties are not active with an oral ROA, or perhaps it will be a more pleasant ROA.

...

As noted in Alkaloid of chin-shih-hu:

The Szechuan variety contained approximately .50% dendrobine in the stem material.

The Kweichow variety contained negligible amounts of dendrobine, but they do mention that they "obtained evidence of the presence of a different alkaloid."

The psychoactive properties of the d. nobile maybe easily lie in one of the other bioactive categories. As an anti-pyretic, the Szechuan variety appears to be preferred.

I took a small sample of the tip of one of the older stems. They lose their leafes after flowering and slowly die, but are capable of producing offshots (keiki) before drying up completely. Therefore I won't take much more material and instead wait for the flowers to dry up and drop. The first two bulbs are already opening. I will get back in one or two days with pictures of the flowers and a bioassay report of the stem material.

This thread has intrigued me, and so my very own Dendrobuim nobile is on the way!

I'll be sure to contribute my experiences, too.

The stem dried up to about 0.18g. I smoked all of it in a pipe half an hour ago and I am currently experiecing a state, that may be comparable to a medium dose of Cannabis low in CBD and high in THC. A very active high. I played a bit of guitar and tried some staff spinning. Concentrating on these tasks is not harder than usual and there is also not too much interferene with motor skills. I'm currently listening to some Shpongle: pretty intense. I am able to actively follow every single sound in the compositions. Also something that reminds me of high THC cannabis.
I am also getting pretty hungry right now. Maybe this orchid is really active on the endocannabinoid system. The effects defenitly feel that way!

Also the first two flowers opened. I will make a photo tomorrow.

Edit: After about 1.5h, I'm close to baseline again.

Wouldn't it be interesting if this orchid turned out to have THC?