 Amanita muscaria, also known as Fly Agaric, is a yellow-to-orange capped wild mushroom. It grows in symbiosis with arboreal trees such as Birch, Pine or Fir in Europe and the Americas. For over two thousand years, amanita muscaria has been used in shamanic and magical practices. Scholars have suggested that the Viking berserkers ate the mushroom before battle to enter a hyper war-like state. Others have claimed that it is the intoxicant Soma, revered as a God by early Hindus. In Western culture, it is the mushroom of fantasy, a symbol of both poison and magic. Tribal shamans of Siberia and the Pacific Northwest have ingested amanita muscaria to enter altered states of consciousness.
The active ingredient in amanita is muscimol which is converted from ibotenic acid through decarboxylation when the mushroom is dried. Ott’s "Pharmacotheon" (1995) also known as ‘the Shaman’s Desk Reference,’ traces it linguistically to 4000-6000 BC. Ott says it "has been used longer than any other [psychoactive] plant." The amanita mushroom is frequently used in illustrated children's books such as "Alice's Adventures in Wonderland."
Several members of amanita genus are poisonous and similar in appearance. Consumers are advised not to pick their own amanita and to purchase it from a reputable source.
A pure alkaloid extraction produces this highly concentrated crystaline resin. Each gram is equal to approximately 10-15g of the dried Amanita.
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