Tryptamines as an alternative treatment for
Published on Mar 16, 2016
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PRESENTATION OUTLINE
Cluster headache patients have shown a wide variety of responses to standard medication and treatment. Many have been unable to find any relief through traditional treatment methods. Some patients have found self-administration of tryptamines to have a positive affect on their condition. These substances mechanism of action indicates a possible connection between 5-HT2A receptors and treatment.
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Cluster headaches are a primary headache disorder that affects less than 1% of the population. Characterized by intense unilateral head pain, cluster headaches have a rapid onset of
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The exact cause of cluster headaches is undetermined. But it is known that they occur when the trigeminal autonomic reflex pathway is activated. The activation of the trigeminal nerve appears to come from the hypothalamus, but the reason for this isn't known. People who suffer from cluster headaches and migraines tend to have a deficiency of tryptamine and it's metabolites in their plasma.
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Reliable and safe treatment for this condition are a troublesome issue among the cluster headache suffering population. There are currently no medications developed to treat this disorder, and patients are left the options of off label medications like verapamil, topimirate, lithium, and triptans. These treatments have been found unneffective by many. This leaves patients with a very limited number of legal treatment options.
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ALTERNATIVE Treatments
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The limited number of medically accepted medications and treatments makes this already difficult to handle condition that much more stressful for the patient. But if they are willing to be open-minded to alternative treatments, they will be surprised to learn how many options they really have, and what will really help them. Although the substances involved in this treatment are illegal in most countries.
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A group of molecules called tryptamines have been found to be an effective abortive and preventative. Some patients go completely symptom free as long as they adhere to a tryptamine regimen. Tryptamines are a group of organic compounds which can be thought of as derived from tryptamine itself. Tryptamines exist both naturally and artificially. Many patients prefer to use naturally occuring tryptamines rather than pharmecuticals to treat their headaches because they are non-toxic, organic, and have actually been proven to generate new brain cells. Tryptamines used for treatment include the following
LSA
Also known as ergine or d-Lysergic Acid Amide, LSA is an alkaloid of the ergoline family that occurs in various species of vines. It is the active constituent of ololiuhqui, morning glory, and sleepy grass. It produces significant closed and open eye visuals, mood lift, and introspection.
It is an effective abortive aside from the fact that you cant tell the exact amount of active alkaloids in each seed. This is not the most practical option because you risk not getting enough, or getting too much and having an unwanted psychedelic experience.
Psilocybin & Psilocin
Psilocybin and psilocin are the active alkaloids in Psilocybe Mushrooms or 'Shrooms'. They are an extremely effective abortive and preventative of cluster headaches but they are also very powerful hallucinogenic drugs and should be used with caution. A therapeutic dose should cause nothing more than a lift in mood and brighter colors, but if multicolored flowers are blooming out of you're walls, you may have taken more than needed for a cluster headache.
DMT
DMT is a psychadelic tryptamine with very powerful mind-altering affects. It is endogenously produced in the human brain and exists in every organism on the planet. It is typically consumed through smoking a purified extract or a brew containing MAOI's called Ayahuasca. It is a natural drug that has been used by humans safely for hundreds of years and is nicknamed "The Spirit Molecule" because many believe that it has a deep connection to consciousness and is a powerful spiritual tool. It can be a very useful abortive in the event of a cluster headache but is extremely potent and would unavoidably cause the user to hallucinate, making it unnecessarily powerful for use in daily life.
LSD
LSD is a psychedelic drug of the ergoline family. It was first synthesized in 1938 by Albert Hoffman for use as a medicine but instead it became a popular drug in the 1960's. After it became illegal it continued to be used around the world recreationally and has even inspired some of the inventions we use everyday. LSD is a very effective abortive and can be used to treat headaches with no unwanted affects. Unfortunately, it is illegal in nearly every country on the planet so it is both dangerous and difficult for patients to obtain safe and appropriately dosed medicine.
BOL-148
BOL-148 or 2-Bromo-LSD is a molecule of the ergoline family. It is closely related to LSD but does not have the hallucinogenic effects LSD is famous for. This compound has been found extremely useful in the treatment of cluster headaches because it has the same mechanisms of metabolic action as the other hallucinogens being used for this disorder, without any mind-altering affects. BOL-148 is illegal under the federal analogue act meaning it is illegal to consume, but not to buy or possess. This is a grey area of the law and it is unclear whether patients are breaking the law by buying it online and using it for treatment of their headaches.
5-Meo-dalt
5-Meo-DALT is a synthetic tryptamine first synthesized by Alexander Shulgin in 2004. It is an extremely effective abortive and preventative for cluster headaches and is getting alot of attention as a potential medication for them. Many patients have been able to completely rid themselves of symptoms with regularlly administered doses of 5-Meo-DMT. This is a relatively newly discovered substance and extensive research has not yet been done, but the structure of this compound suggests that it is non-toxic and relatively safe for humans to consume.
In conclusion, cluster headaches are a severe issue for those suffering from them. But it can be managed and many are able to find relief from symptoms through the use of tryptamines, particularly 5-Meo-DALT and BOL-148. Although it is not for everybody, it works better than traditional methods for most patients, and should be further investigated and considered for commercial treatment of cluster headaches and migraines.
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