Why is salvia so expensive?

[Voxide]

I know price threads are against the rules, but I'm hoping there is a difference since salvia is legal. I have seen some outrageous prices on various websites. (A lot of fucking money) for a gram of 40x? No thanks.

However, I've also seen the organic leaf being sold for much lower costs and at much higher amounts upwards to 200 grams. How would one go about creating their own extract? Would this be cheaper in the long run?

 

[sekio]

No prices. And it grows in the dirt so it's theoretically just worth your time.

Use acetone to make an extract.

 

[Voxide]

No prices. And it grows in the dirt so it's theoretically just worth your time.

Use acetone to make an extract.

Fixed. I know it's natural and all, but buying it from a store online really isn't. Wish this stuff was more readily available.

Care to elaborate on making an extract? How would I increase the potency? In theory, would it be possible to make a 200x? How would this differ from making a basic 10x?

 

[RhythmSpring]

i'm not sure 200x can actually exist. I've heard of no higher than 80x, and I think even that is doubtful.

Like your avatar, by the way.

 

[an rud is annamh]

Fixed. I know it's natural and all, but buying it from a store online really isn't. Wish this stuff was more readily available.

Care to elaborate on making an extract? How would I increase the potency? In theory, would it be possible to make a 200x? How would this differ from making a basic 10x?

This is all over the internet,
http://imageevent.com//salvinorincrystals
https://www.dmt-nexus.com/forum/default.aspx?g=posts&t=9022

To make a an extract of Nx, one mixes acetone/salvinorin solution of N-1 parts with leaf to one part dried leaf. For example, 1g of 10x requires 9 grams of salvia dissolved into acetone, repeatedly racked to remove sediment (as is wine) and dried onto 1g of leaf (neglecting the weight of the salvinorin itself, as it is tiny).

It's widely believed that 200x would be impossible, as salvia is about 0.5%-2% salvinorin by weight (or thereabouts). 200x would therefore be pure salvinorin. Which, by the way, would be completely impossible to dose with any accuracy for the average person.

Also, salvia is a joy to grow, and if it is legal where you live, will provide you with an unlimited if irregular supply.

 

[amapola]

i'm not sure 200x can actually exist. I've heard of no higher than 80x, and I think even that is doubtful.

Salivinorin A is the active ingredient and it is about 0.2% of the plant material.
Therefore 1g of 1X would contain 0.002g of Salvinorin A.
...1g of 80x would have 0.84g of Salvinorin A and 0.16g of Salvia leaf.
...1g of 200X would have 0.4g of Salvinorin A and 0.6g of Salvia leaf.
I'm guessing it wouldn't look much like Salvia leaves.

edit:
Source of 0.2% ( actually 0.18% )
Curare 1995
http://www.erowid.org/references/refs_view.php?A=ShowDoc1&ID=6810

 

[lysergication]

because it's super easy to grow, expensive salvia is a rip off.

unless you're a hard head with salvia, you surely can achieve (more than) interesting results with plain leaves. You just have to smoke it right. It will be "stronger" each time. Repeat the experience until you get what you were looking for.

I began with 5X, then I tried 10X. Now plain leaves are perfect for a deeply meditative journey reminding me the nature of reality. Extracts would be used for a "totally otherwolrdly" experience.

 

[an rud is annamh]

Salivinorin A is the active ingredient and it is about 0.2% of the plant material.
Therefore 1g of 1X would contain 0.002g of Salvinorin A.
...1g of 80x would have 0.84g of Salvinorin A and 0.16g of Salvia leaf.
...1g of 200X would have 0.4g of Salvinorin A and 0.6g of Salvia leaf.
I'm guessing it wouldn't look much like Salvia leaves.

edit:
Source of 0.2% ( actually 0.18% )
Curare 1995
http://www.erowid.org/references/refs_view.php?A=ShowDoc1&ID=6810

This has been reported as higher in different papers - no surprise given that it is a plant.
http://www.shaman-australis.com/~pic/EdDunkel/SD-D.Siebert.pdf

Either way, even by your conservative amounts, a 200x extract would be totally impossible.

Also note that the amounts claimed by extract vendors is exaggerated also

http://www.sagewisdom.org/wolowichetal.pdf

Whether this is because of incorrect extraction, adulteration or dishonesty we won't know.

 

[spaceroach]

It costs that much because people will pay it! Simple as that.

 

[Project Will]

...1g of 80x would have 0.84g of Salvinorin A and 0.16g of Salvia leaf.
...1g of 200X would have 0.4g of Salvinorin A and 0.6g of Salvia leaf.

Perhaps you meant 1g of 80x would have 0.16g of Salvinorin A and 0.84g of Salvia leaf?

I agree that salvia extracts are crazy expensive. Buying plain leaves in bulk and making your own is the way to go. Here is a guide to make a salvia extract tincture if you are interested: http://www.erowid.org/plants/salvia/salvia_extraction4.shtml

 

[killermunchies]

Salvia isn't that expensive. Don't bother with anything over 20x unless you have tried 20x first. I've found 20x to be more than sufficient. A gram will last forever, as I doubt you're gonna want to do it that often.

 

[psood0nym]

I think this topic was covered last week. What consensus exists puts the salvinorin A content of "1x" at 2.5 mg per gram of leaf. Therefore, 400x is pure salvinorin A as 2.5 X 400 = 1000 mg.

From Erowid:
How much salvinorin A does a Salvia divinorum plant contain? #
There is no definitive information about the range of quantities of salvinorin A in Salvia divinorum leaf. However, some valuable data does exist. Salvinorin A content was looked at systematically by the John Gruber group. The range they found was 0.89 mg to 3.70 mg per gram of dried leaf, but most samples analysed were in the mid-range at about 2.5 mg/g (Gruber 1999). Non-published underground researchers have reported content percentages higher than 2.5 mg/g in dried leaf that was considered "good quality", including reports of 4-5 mg/g. However, since the extraction, purification, and weighing methods for these informal reports have not been published, it is impossible to know how accurate these figures are.