Buzz
Authored by Therese Oneill
While the majority of modern drugs, both legal and illegal, are created in labs, their origins often trace back to nature. Many medicinal and recreational substances were first discovered growing wild in forests, fields, and deserts. Some of these natural sources are still accessible today. Below are some well-known drugs in their unprocessed, natural state.
1. Opium poppy (source of heroin, morphine, and codeine)
Morphine, a prominent opiate, is derived from the opium poppy (pictured above). The buds of the poppy are carefully sliced, releasing a milky latex that dries into raw opium. This raw material undergoes a complex process involving hazardous chemicals, filtration, and heating to enhance its potency. Heroin, a highly potent and fast-acting derivative of morphine, represents the most extreme application of opium. It was first synthesized accidentally in 1874 by English researcher C.R. Wright, who combined morphine with acetic anhydride and boiled the mixture.
2. Blue Agave (Tequila)
Alcohol stands apart in the realm of drugs due to its production through fermentation rather than a specific raw ingredient. Fermentation occurs when yeast consumes the sugars from a plant, producing ethanol as a by-product. Tequila, named after the Mexican town of its origin, derives its sugar from the blue agave plant. The core of the blue agave resembles a pineapple and, once roasted and crushed, yields the sugar necessary for fermentation, ultimately resulting in alcohol.
3. Coca Leaves (Cocaine)
Coca leaves, primarily cultivated in South America, undergo a series of harsh treatments to transform into cocaine. Processes involving powdered cement, gasoline soaking, and battery acid baths are required to concentrate the natural leaves into an illicit drug. Indigenous populations have used these leaves for centuries as a milder stimulant and medicinal remedy. Spanish physician Nicolás Monardes described their effects in 1569: "When they wished to intoxicate themselves and lose their senses, they chewed a blend of tobacco and coca leaves, which made them behave as if they were out of their minds."
4. Ephedra Sinica (Source of Sudafed and Meth)
This unassuming shrub, known as ma huang in Chinese medicine, has been utilized for centuries. Its active compound, ephedrine, was once the key ingredient in decongestants like Sudafed. However, due to its classification as a controlled substance in the U.S., products containing ephedrine or pseudoephedrine are now heavily restricted. The plant's alkaloids are often misused in weight-loss supplements and methamphetamine production. Interestingly, while researching its legality, even the DEA was uncertain. After consulting their records, they clarified that growing and owning Ephedra Sinica is legal, provided you register your garden and agree to government monitoring.
5. Psilocybin Mushrooms (Shrooms)
Psilocybin, the natural compound responsible for the euphoric and hallucinogenic effects of shrooms, is found in over 200 mushroom species, predominantly in Mexico. The concentration of psilocybin varies between species and even within different parts of the same mushroom. A word of caution: many poisonous mushrooms closely resemble psilocybin-containing ones. Consuming the wrong type could lead to a fatal mistake rather than a psychedelic experience.
6. Willow Bark (Aspirin)
Salicylic acid, derived from willow bark, has been a natural remedy for fevers and inflammation for thousands of years. Hippocrates, the father of medicine, even prescribed chewing willow bark to his patients around 300 B.C. Willow trees, native to Europe, China, and North America, have long been valued for their medicinal properties. In 1897, scientists at Bayer in Germany extracted aspirin from this bark. A fascinating historical note: Bayer lost its patents and trademarks during World War I when the U.S. government confiscated the company and sold it to an American firm.
7. Sassafras Root (Ecstasy)
Once a key flavoring agent in root beer and sarsaparilla, sassafras oil is no longer used due to its safrole content, now a controlled substance. Safrole, extracted from the roots and bark of the sassafras tree, is a critical component in producing ecstasy. However, the transformation involves harsh chemicals like formaldehyde, paint thinner, and drain cleaner, making it far from its natural state.
8. Penicillium Mold (Penicillin)
Penicillin, the groundbreaking antibiotic, revolutionized medicine by effectively treating bacterial infections like strep and syphilis. Its discovery was accidental: Alexander Fleming noticed penicillium mold killing staph bacteria in a forgotten petri dish in 1928. This common mold thrives in damp environments and can grow on organic materials. Although Fleming didn’t pursue its medicinal potential, Howard Florey, Ernst Chain, and Norman Heatley later developed it into the life-saving drug we know today.
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