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wira
#1 Posted : 2/20/2017 1:35:31 PM

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It was World Pangolin Day the other day apparently - if you don't know what a pangolin is, there are different species in different parts of the world, but basically they are amongst the sweetest, most amazing little creatures out there. Unfortunately they're critically threatened because of humans who don't just eat them but use parts of them for all sorts of medicine and magic.
I read an article in the newspaper today about them, which had something that caught my eye and seemed a bit off, factually speaking - a claim that pangolin scales are used to make 'shabu shabu' or methamphetamine in Indonesia!
(eg. http://www.smh.com.au/wo...mal-20170218-gufx5g.html)
This got me Googling and besides this bizarre claim, I also found a claim that the scales contain tramadol hydrochloride, and that methamphetamine contains tramadol, repeated in a number of web pages in atrocious grammar.
eg. http://timesofindia.indi...articleshow/53978048.cms

I've been unable to find anything verifying this, except the scales do apparently have some analgesic activity.
Does anyone know anything about this?
(p.s. if you buy products containing pangolin you are dead to me!)

 

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entheogenic-gnosis
#2 Posted : 2/21/2017 1:44:40 PM
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VICELAND (television station) did a report on pangolin poaching, it was heartbreaking, I guess the pangolin has a tough outer shell that is used in Asia for various purposes...

Tramadol is opioid...and methamphetamine synthesis from this compound is not reasonable...

Did you say they are mixing tramadol into their methamphetamine?


-eg
 
entheogenic-gnosis
#3 Posted : 2/21/2017 1:51:17 PM
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Ok, here's the claim:

Quote:
Riau University stated that the scales of Sunda pangolin (Manis javanica) are containing the active substance named Tramadol HCl which is a particle binder of psychotropic substances contained in the type of methamphetamine. Tramadol HCl is also an active substance contained in one of the analgesic drug used to treat severe pain either acute or chronic and postoperative pain.
http://bukitlawang.asia/...fficked-mammal-pangolin/


-eg
 
entheogenic-gnosis
#4 Posted : 2/21/2017 1:53:31 PM
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Ok, it's all comming together now:

Quote:
Abstract
RATIONALE:
Polydrug abuse is a common phenomenon in human drug addicts. Previous studies have shown that both tramadol (TRAM) and methamphetamine (METH) share the ability to modulate brain monoaminergic (dopamine, 5-hydroxytryptamine, and noradrenaline) systems that may be involved in behavioral sensitization to METH. Therefore, we hypothesized that there would be an interaction between TRAM and METH on behavioral sensitization induced by METH.
OBJECTIVES:
To investigate whether TRAM affects METH-induced behavioral sensitization.
METHODS:
Male Kunming mice were subjected to two regimens of drugs: (1) Mice were injected with TRAM (1-16 mg/kg, i.p.) alone or a combination of TRAM and METH (1 mg/kg, i.p.) once daily for 7 days. After 7 drug-free days (on day 15), animals were challenged with the corresponding TRAM dose or METH (1 mg/kg, i.p.). On days 1, 7, and 15, locomotion was monitored in the open field test after the last injection. (2) Mice received METH (1 mg/kg, i.p.) once daily for 7 days, followed by 7 drug-free days. On day 15, a challenge of TRAM (1-16 mg/kg, i.p.) or TRAM plus METH (1 mg/kg, i.p.) was given and then locomotor activity was quantified.
RESULTS:
TRAM or METH challenge did not induce hyperlocomotion in mice chronically treated with TRAM, and TRAM challenge was insufficient to induce subsequent hyperlocomotion in METH-sensitized mice. However, TRAM significantly increased METH-induced hyperlocomotion. TRAM plus METH-sensitized mice showed a significantly greater hyperlocomotor response to METH challenge than METH-sensitized mice. Furthermore, TRAM (16 mg/kg, i.p.) plus METH (1 mg/kg, i.p.) challenge enhanced the sensitized locomotor response compared to METH-alone (1 mg/kg, i.p.) challenge in METH-sensitized mice.
CONCLUSIONS:
TRAM fails to produce behavioral sensitization, and there is no apparent cross-sensitization between TRAM and METH. However, TRAM can increase METH-induced hyperlocomotion and potentiate the development and expression of behavioral sensitization to METH.
otentiating effect of tramadol on methamphetamine-induced behavioral sensitization in mice.


-eg
 
entheogenic-gnosis
#5 Posted : 2/21/2017 1:59:17 PM
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I'm not sure yet, as I have only been researching this for a total of 10 minutes, but it appears that this "shabu shabu" is a methamphetamine/tramadol combination...

Why would they use tramadol from these poor animals scales when it is so easily synthesized? Asia has some very relaxed laws regarding manufacture of research chemicals, perhaps known narcotics are regulated in a tighter manner and thus the use these scales?...who knows.


https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/16432683
"Potentiating effect of tramadol on methamphetamine-induced behavioral sensitization in mice"

The above explains how tramadol May have Potentiating effect on methamphetamine...I posted the abstract in my last post.

Good post! Very interesting.

-eg
 
entheogenic-gnosis
#6 Posted : 2/21/2017 2:13:21 PM
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Ok, I've gotten deeper into tramadol being used in methamphetamine synthesis as a particle binder or for other means, interesting stuff chemically, I'll have to return to this topic after I have done some research...

-eg

 
downwardsfromzero
#7 Posted : 2/21/2017 8:25:28 PM

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I seriously doubt that pangolins naturally produce tramadol in their scales. This may be a case of environmental contamination if pangolins come into contact with the urine of tramadol users. Maybe the poor creatures are attracted to tramadol-tainted urine Surprised Confused Crying or very sad




“There is a way of manipulating matter and energy so as to produce what modern scientists call 'a field of force'. The field acts on the observer and puts him in a privileged position vis-à-vis the universe. From this position he has access to the realities which are ordinarily hidden from us by time and space, matter and energy. This is what we call the Great Work."
― Jacques Bergier, quoting Fulcanelli
 
BeatHermit
#8 Posted : 2/22/2017 3:27:54 AM

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Smile
BeatHermit attached the following image(s):
75775332.jpg (133kb) downloaded 122 time(s).
 
wira
#9 Posted : 3/3/2017 1:49:43 PM

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Ah, nice BeatHermit! I have that same pangolin pic (without the words) on my computer Very happy
And entheogenic-gnosis, good job on getting some more leads out of that mess Pleased
I presume the people at Riau University might have done their own analysis of the scales, but I won't believe it until they publish something formally rather than just claim it to the press.
 
entheogenic-gnosis
#10 Posted : 3/3/2017 2:44:44 PM
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downwardsfromzero wrote:
I seriously doubt that pangolins naturally produce tramadol in their scales. This may be a case of environmental contamination if pangolins come into contact with the urine of tramadol users. Maybe the poor creatures are attracted to tramadol-tainted urine Surprised Confused Crying or very sad


Still can not find anything concrete as far as research is concerned. If the pangolin are not producing the tramadol, the excerpt below may offer some insight.

There was debate over an African tree species producing tramadol in its root-bark, below explains environmental contamination as the source...

...are these pangolin not native to this same region?

Quote:
Last year I mentioned a paper that described the well-known drug tramadol as a natural product, isolated from a species of tree in Cameroon. Rather high concentrations were found in the root bark, and the evidence looked solid that the compound was indeed being made biochemically.
Well, thanks to chem-blogger Quintus (and a mention on Twitter by See Arr Oh), I’ve learned that this story has taken a very surprising turn. This new paper in Ang. Chem. investigates the situation more closely. And you can indeed extract tramadol from the stated species – there’s no doubt about it. You can extract three of its major metabolites, too – its three major mammalian metabolites. That’s because, as it turns out, tramadol is given extensively to cattle (!) in the region, so much of it that the parent drug and its metabolites have soaked into the soil enough for the African peach/pincushion tree to have taken it up into its roots.I didn’t see that one coming
http://blogs.sciencemag....atural_product_after_all


-eg
 
downwardsfromzero
#11 Posted : 3/3/2017 5:35:19 PM

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That's exactly the reference I was thinking of. Thanks for digging it up!

Next we'll find that pangolins love eating some part of the pincushion tree or live among its roots...




“There is a way of manipulating matter and energy so as to produce what modern scientists call 'a field of force'. The field acts on the observer and puts him in a privileged position vis-à-vis the universe. From this position he has access to the realities which are ordinarily hidden from us by time and space, matter and energy. This is what we call the Great Work."
― Jacques Bergier, quoting Fulcanelli
 
entheogenic-gnosis
#12 Posted : 3/4/2017 3:00:05 PM
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downwardsfromzero wrote:
That's exactly the reference I was thinking of. Thanks for digging it up!

Next we'll find that pangolins love eating some part of the pincushion tree or live among its roots...


I would not doubt it...


I'm still curious as to why extraction of tramadol from pangolin scales is preferred to synthesis of the compound...

-eg
 
downwardsfromzero
#13 Posted : 3/5/2017 8:58:28 PM

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Quote:
I'm still curious as to why extraction of tramadol from pangolin scales is preferred to synthesis of the compound...

Because - assuming you can get hold of a ready supply of pangolins - it's easier?




“There is a way of manipulating matter and energy so as to produce what modern scientists call 'a field of force'. The field acts on the observer and puts him in a privileged position vis-à-vis the universe. From this position he has access to the realities which are ordinarily hidden from us by time and space, matter and energy. This is what we call the Great Work."
― Jacques Bergier, quoting Fulcanelli
 
entheogenic-gnosis
#14 Posted : 3/6/2017 1:59:17 PM
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downwardsfromzero wrote:
Quote:
I'm still curious as to why extraction of tramadol from pangolin scales is preferred to synthesis of the compound...

Because - assuming you can get hold of a ready supply of pangolins - it's easier?


Makes sense...

There is an interesting story here, and I intend on further investigation, I have some higher priority stuff that I'm working on currently, but there is something interesting here...

-eg




 
BundleflowerPower
#15 Posted : 11/2/2018 6:17:20 PM

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The pangolin spirit is awesome spirit guide for me.
 
 
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