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Can one trip on frog poisons?
Q: I would like to know about frogs with psychedelic features from their poisons. I want to know if one can "trip" on frogs.

A: There are a lot of misunderstandings about this issue. First, you're probably thinking of the Bufo toads. There is at least one species of toad (Bufo alvarius) that produces venom which contains 5-MeO-DMT. We have vaults of information on psychoactive toad venom and 5-MeO-DMT at :



Toad Venom and

5-MeO-DMT



There is also much debate about this and other species of toad that have venom which contains bufotenin. Most, if not all, analyses of toad venom have shown only traces of bufotenin. Bufotenin is likely active at a similar range of doses to 5-MeO-DMT insufflated, smoked, and oral. Check out our Bufotenin Vault.



But, you asked about frogs. The frog Epipedobates tricolor is used by Peruvian Indians to produce a toxic stupor prior to going hunting. It is rubbed into burns on the flesh--it contains VERY toxic chemicals called batrachotoxins; don't try this one at home. Chemists have extracted epibatidine from this frog, and it at one point showed promise as a "non-addicting" analgesic, but the research was abandoned for reasons I don't remember.



If you find information about other frogs that have been shown to produce psychoactive chemicals, please let us know.



peace,

fire

Corrections and Additions by Jon Hanna

Asked By : Curious one
Answered By : erowid, Jon Hanna
Published Date : 3 / 13 / 2000
Last Edited Date : 2 / 24 / 2002
Question ID : 140

Categories: [ Toad Venom ]



Ask Erowid v1.7 - Jul, 2005

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