Hey everybody, this is my first real post, aside from my intro a while back. I've been using this site as a resource for years, and think I have something than can be a solid addition to the knowledge base here. That being said I'm not really sure where to put it.
There are dozens of sources online for LSA extractions, but it doesn’t seem like anybody has performed, compared, and presented multiple methods on a single page. I recently tested out several methods for extracting LSA from morning glory seeds, and attempted to make my several tests as ‘scientific’ as possible.
I performed 5 different extraction methods, each starting with 15g of heavenly blue morning glory seeds. These came in 1.5g packets, each containing about 50 seeds, for a total of about 500 seeds per extraction. For testing, the total extracted material was divided evenly between three subjects; the mass of these doses varied per extraction but should each equate to 5g or 166.6 seeds of source material. Theoretically, the only factor affecting the subjective experiences is the method of extraction, because the dose is a proportion of a measured source material, not a measured product material. By comparing the subjective effects of each extraction we can draw conclusions about each method’s yield and purity.
Method 1: Cold Water Extraction
15g of seeds are ground as fine as possible using a coffee grinder and a mortar and pestle. This material is then added to 750mL of distilled water and shaken vigorously several times a day for about 72 hours. The mixture is then filtered to remove seed material, which is discarded, and we are left with 750 mL of greenish/brown, slightly opaque solution.
Method 2: Ethanol Extraction
15g of seeds are ground and added to 100mL of 95% ABV grain alcohol (Everclear). This solution is shaken periodically for 3 hours, then the seed pulp is filtered out and the ethanol is saved. The seed pulp is given two more ethanol baths and then discarded. We should then be left with 300mL of greenish brown solution. This solution is a little more dilute (in terms of LSA not ethanol) than ideal, as a 100mL dose of 95% alcohol is about 7 standard drinks. I left the solution to evaporate until it had concentrated to 100mL of solution; this is about 2 drinks per dose, less significant but still a factor. Note that light and heat can degrade LSA so it is best to do all storage and evaporation in relatively cool and dark places. I know it can be tempting to use a hot plate or heat lamp to speed up evaporation, but this is not the time.
Method 3: Naptha/Ethanol Extraction
15g of ground seeds are added to 500mL of naptha and shaken periodically over 3 hours. The mixture is filtered and the naptha is discarded. The seed material is then added to a fresh 500 mL of naptha, shaken for 3hrs, filtered again, and the process is repeated for a third time. Basically, a 3x naptha wash to defat the nonpolar adulterants. The seed material is then spread out to dry on a baking sheet. Once the seed material is dry and has no naptha odor, it is added to 100mL of 95% ABV ethanol (I used everclear) and shaken periodically over 3 hours. Again, the wash is repeated 3 times, similarly to the nonpolar naptha step but it is worth noting that this time the liquid is the active material, not the seed pulp. We should then be left with 300mL of yellowish solution. This solution can then be diluted to lower the ethanol dose as described in method 2.
Method 4: Acetone Extraction
This extraction starts the same as Method 1 only using acetone in place of water. However, once you have discarded the seed pulp you are left with 750mL of acetone solution, which unlike the water or ethanol solutions is toxic. The easiest way to do remedy this is to pour the solution into a large tray and let it the acetone evaporate until we are left with a brown/yellow gunk with no acetone smell. This can be scraped and collected, and is best used added to a beverage or placed in a capsule.
Method 5: Naptha/Acetone Extraction
For this extraction we follow method 3 but use 250mL of acetone instead of 100mL of ethanol for the polar wash. You should be left with 750mL of yellowish acetone solution, which can then be evaporated off as done in method 4. Note that the resultant material was less gunky and more crusty than the material collected in the previous method.
To quickly sum up our experiences: (Yield=subjective strength and Purity=subjective side effect profile)
Method 1 had decent yield and decent purity.
Method 2 had a high yield, but had impurities.
Method 3 had a good yield/purity balance.
Method 4 had a similar yield/purity to method 2, but was much easier to store and dose.
Method 5 had a good yield and purity and was easy to store and dose.
I should be posting the full results of the experiment very soon. The test has been finished for a while, but as you can imagine subjective data from 3 individuals on 5 tests is a little tricky to put together into something easily presentable, especially when psychedelics are involved and the experimenter is also a test subject
I'd also like to test out some acid/base extractions, using a different acids and bases
Obviously this is not the most controlled experiment, but it seems to be the best LSA extraction test available!
There are dozens of sources online for LSA extractions, but it doesn’t seem like anybody has performed, compared, and presented multiple methods on a single page. I recently tested out several methods for extracting LSA from morning glory seeds, and attempted to make my several tests as ‘scientific’ as possible.
I performed 5 different extraction methods, each starting with 15g of heavenly blue morning glory seeds. These came in 1.5g packets, each containing about 50 seeds, for a total of about 500 seeds per extraction. For testing, the total extracted material was divided evenly between three subjects; the mass of these doses varied per extraction but should each equate to 5g or 166.6 seeds of source material. Theoretically, the only factor affecting the subjective experiences is the method of extraction, because the dose is a proportion of a measured source material, not a measured product material. By comparing the subjective effects of each extraction we can draw conclusions about each method’s yield and purity.
Method 1: Cold Water Extraction
15g of seeds are ground as fine as possible using a coffee grinder and a mortar and pestle. This material is then added to 750mL of distilled water and shaken vigorously several times a day for about 72 hours. The mixture is then filtered to remove seed material, which is discarded, and we are left with 750 mL of greenish/brown, slightly opaque solution.
Method 2: Ethanol Extraction
15g of seeds are ground and added to 100mL of 95% ABV grain alcohol (Everclear). This solution is shaken periodically for 3 hours, then the seed pulp is filtered out and the ethanol is saved. The seed pulp is given two more ethanol baths and then discarded. We should then be left with 300mL of greenish brown solution. This solution is a little more dilute (in terms of LSA not ethanol) than ideal, as a 100mL dose of 95% alcohol is about 7 standard drinks. I left the solution to evaporate until it had concentrated to 100mL of solution; this is about 2 drinks per dose, less significant but still a factor. Note that light and heat can degrade LSA so it is best to do all storage and evaporation in relatively cool and dark places. I know it can be tempting to use a hot plate or heat lamp to speed up evaporation, but this is not the time.
Method 3: Naptha/Ethanol Extraction
15g of ground seeds are added to 500mL of naptha and shaken periodically over 3 hours. The mixture is filtered and the naptha is discarded. The seed material is then added to a fresh 500 mL of naptha, shaken for 3hrs, filtered again, and the process is repeated for a third time. Basically, a 3x naptha wash to defat the nonpolar adulterants. The seed material is then spread out to dry on a baking sheet. Once the seed material is dry and has no naptha odor, it is added to 100mL of 95% ABV ethanol (I used everclear) and shaken periodically over 3 hours. Again, the wash is repeated 3 times, similarly to the nonpolar naptha step but it is worth noting that this time the liquid is the active material, not the seed pulp. We should then be left with 300mL of yellowish solution. This solution can then be diluted to lower the ethanol dose as described in method 2.
Method 4: Acetone Extraction
This extraction starts the same as Method 1 only using acetone in place of water. However, once you have discarded the seed pulp you are left with 750mL of acetone solution, which unlike the water or ethanol solutions is toxic. The easiest way to do remedy this is to pour the solution into a large tray and let it the acetone evaporate until we are left with a brown/yellow gunk with no acetone smell. This can be scraped and collected, and is best used added to a beverage or placed in a capsule.
Method 5: Naptha/Acetone Extraction
For this extraction we follow method 3 but use 250mL of acetone instead of 100mL of ethanol for the polar wash. You should be left with 750mL of yellowish acetone solution, which can then be evaporated off as done in method 4. Note that the resultant material was less gunky and more crusty than the material collected in the previous method.
To quickly sum up our experiences: (Yield=subjective strength and Purity=subjective side effect profile)
Method 1 had decent yield and decent purity.
Method 2 had a high yield, but had impurities.
Method 3 had a good yield/purity balance.
Method 4 had a similar yield/purity to method 2, but was much easier to store and dose.
Method 5 had a good yield and purity and was easy to store and dose.
I should be posting the full results of the experiment very soon. The test has been finished for a while, but as you can imagine subjective data from 3 individuals on 5 tests is a little tricky to put together into something easily presentable, especially when psychedelics are involved and the experimenter is also a test subject
I'd also like to test out some acid/base extractions, using a different acids and bases
Obviously this is not the most controlled experiment, but it seems to be the best LSA extraction test available!