Public Awareness: “The Spirit Molecule” - the Movie.

THE SPIRIT MOLECULE weaves an account of Dr. Rick Strassman's groundbreaking DMT research through this multifaceted approach to this intriguing hallucinogen found in the human brain and hundreds of plants. Utilizing interviews with a variety of experts to explain their thoughts and experiences with DMT within their respective fields, and discussions with Strassman’s research volunteers brings to life the awesome effects of this compound, and far-reaching theories regarding its role in human consciousness and evolution.  Several themes explored include possible roles for endogenous DMT; its theoretical role in near-death and birth experiences, alien-abduction experiences; and the uncanny similarities in Biblical prophetic texts describing DMT-like experiences.  Our expert contributors offer a comprehensive collection of information, opinions, and speculation about indigenous use of DMT, the history and future of psychedelic research, and current DMT research. All this, to help us understand the nature of the DMT experience, and its role in human society and evolution.     
  
The subtle combination of science, spirituality, and philosophy within the film’s approach sheds light on an array of ideas that could considerably alter the way humans understand the universe and their relationship to it.

Digital Library

We are delighted to announce the launch of the Cottonwood Research Foundation, Inc. Digital Library. This library will allow access to research material previously unavailable to the Internet. CRF is dedicated to the dissemination of knowledge regarding naturally-occurring and synthetic hallucinogens, as well as other spiritual technologies that so profoundly affect human consciousness. By allowing free access to this library, CRF provides means for inquiring minds to investigate the literature on these substances, techniques, and states, as well as theoretical bases for understanding them.

We hope this is the first step in establishing Cottonwood Research Foundation as a premier repository of scientific, medical, religious/spiritual, and philosophical literature, both digital and physical, for consciousness research.

Funds raised for this project will go towards maintenance of the database and server, mailing and copying costs, and consulting fees to those working on the library.

Endogenous Hallucinogen Assay Advances

One of our primary research projects, developed by Steven Barker, Ph.D. (Vice-President of Cottonwood Research Foundation), his graduate student Ethan McIlHenny (School of Veterinary Medicine, Louisiana State University, Baton Rouge Louisiana) and Dr. Rick Strassman (President of Cottonwood Research Foundation), is the development of a new methodology to measure DMT, 5-methoxy-DMT, and bufotenine, as well as their precursors and metabolic breakdown products using state-of-the-art liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry (LC/MS) equipment. Previous investigations into the role of endogenous tryptamine hallucinogens in humans did not have at their disposal methods sensitive enough to measure the parent hallucinogens at their apparent very low levels, particularly in blood. Additionally, all such studies have previously ignored the importance of the levels of their precursors and metabolites, information that is necessary to fully assess the status of the endogenous hallucinogen pathway. This project provides an improvement over previous assay sensitivity by at least one thousand-fold and finally provides information on the entire pathway as a function of time and in health and disease.

We have established a simple method to, at present, separate, identify and quantify 26 compounds simultaneously in a single blood or urine sample. Our current methodology provides us with the ability to prepare a blood or urine sample for analysis as small as 100 microliters in as little as ten minutes and complete the sample analysis in as little as twenty minutes, all at the sub-nanogram level for the compounds being examined. The method is currently undergoing further validation studies and we are continuing to examine ways to enhance overall assay sensitivity.

The first application of the expanded, 26 compound method, examining all of the relevant compounds in the endogenous hallucinogen pathway, has been in urine samples obtained in a clinical trial in which known doses of ayahuasca were administered to healthy young volunteers. The study was conducted by Dr Jordi Riba (Drug Research Center, Hospital de Sant Pau, Autonomous of Barcelona), whose team has been the first to study ayahuasca in a clinical research setting. The analyses have shown a major metabolite of DMT, DMT-N-oxide, being excreted in the urine. This is the first time this metabolite has been reported in humans following DMT administration, although previous studies in rats and research conducted in tissues in vitro had suggested it would be present. What these data also show, however, is that all previous studies that attempted to measure DMT in urine failed to measure this compound and thus may have missed significant additional evidence for the presence of DMT. We believe that similar results will also occur for the endogenous hallucinogens bufotenine and 5-methoxy-DMT and that measurement of their N-oxide metabolites will also greatly enhance our ability to determine the normal role and function of these compounds. Similar measurements on blood samples from consumers of ayahuasca are also underway and new data that further enlighten us as to how best to detect and study these compounds is being obtained.

In addition, we will determine levels in sleep, dreams, meditation, childbirth, and near-death states. Establishing the role of endogenous tryptamines in these states will provide tremendous insight into their origination, and may lead to more reliable means of working with and studying their utility.

With additional funding from our contributors, we anticipate that it will take approximately a year to complete the development of the new assay, and establish normative values. Subsequent research into these compounds role in naturally occurring altered states, occurring in collaboration with research centers around the world, will be ongoing for many years.

Research Site

One of the long range goals of The Cottonwood Research Foundation is the purchase and development of a site where research, education, and training takes place in an highly focused manner. Such a center, based in an area of natural beauty in northern New Mexico, will house research faculty, staff, and volunteers. It will contain laboratory and computer equipment for ongoing studies‚ analytic and statistical needs.

In addition to serving as a clinical research center, it will also provide educational and training activities. The site will feature a library housing all forms of media regarding psychoactive plants and derivatives. It will also contain facilities for symposia, conferences, seminars, and training programs. We will publish proceedings from symposia and conferences that deserve wide exposure.

This research site will be the most enduring legacy of The Cottonwood Research Foundation, and will require the greatest input of funds and time. However, its potential for evolving into a unique center of consciousness studies is inestimable.