This is the hallucinogenic honey of the Himalayan bees

As much as drugs are currently associated with all kinds of synthetic substances created in laboratories, in reality They have been around for millennia, and some of them don't even have to go through the “kitchen” to have potent effects on the mind. human.

Hallucinogenic honey that is extracted from certain combs in the Himalayas is a clear example of this. In the following lines we will see what this psychoactive substance is like and what effects it produces after its consumption.

• Related article: "Types of drugs: know their characteristics and effects"

What is hallucinogenic honey?

Hallucinogenic honey is a type of honey produced by the giant bees of the Himalayas. when they feed on the flowers of a species of rhododendron usual in the area. These flowers contain a type of poison called grayatoxin whose effects on the activity of the human nervous system are significant if consumed properly.

This substance is more reddish in color than is usual in honey sold in any supermarket, and its flavor is different.

The psychoactive effects that it produces, in addition, make every year they venture in their search some people risking their lives to reach these hives, located on top of large stone walls in mountainous areas of Nepal. Normally, to reach them, ladders of several tens of meters, made with bamboo, are used.

The peoples of the Kirat Kulung ethnic group are usually the ones who go in search of this substance on a regular basis, since it is part of the remedies that have been used for centuries to try to combat certain diseases.

Due to the difficulties in obtaining it and the high risk associated with reaching the beehives, hallucinogenic honey is sold on the black market at a fairly high price, of more than 100 euros per kilo. In addition, the person who ventures to put her life at risk to expose himself to the danger of these precipices is assisted by many helpers, who form teams of up to ten individuals.

However, several beekeepers around the world, especially in Turkey and the United States of America, also make a similar product taking advantage of contexts where when the rhododendrons flower the bees have little more food available, so the amount of grayatoxins passing into the final product is high.

• You may be interested in: "Hallucinogenic mushrooms: these are their effects on our minds"

The effects of this substance

Grayatoxins, present in high concentration amounts in the blood, increase the amount of acetylcholine available in the human brain.

Acetylcholine, in turn, is an element used by the neurons of the nervous system to communicate with each other, so that it is fully involved in the physiological processes and psychological.

When excess acetylcholine floods the brain, a phenomenon known as cholinergic syndrome occurs. The effects of intoxication by hallucinogenic honey are, ultimately, those that result from the union of the hallucinations and the symptoms of this syndrome, which produces gastrointestinal problems, vomiting, tearing and urinary incontinence.

Normally, the effects of hallucinogenic honey appear between a quarter of an hour and an hour after it has been ingested, but both the intensity of the effects and the duration of these are very difficult to know in advance, since one of the particularities of this product is that it is sold without knowing the exact concentration of grayatoxins that it contains. contains.

yes, like the effects are not immediate but several minutes pass between ingesting and appearing, there is a danger of binge eating, not being aware that all the toxins ingested will have a very negative effect on health.

• You may be interested in: "Hallucinations: Definition, Causes, and Symptoms"

Its traditional use

As in many other cultures, villages in Nepal routinely use home remedies whose efficacy has not been scientifically proven in clinical studies. Specifically, they usually eat this food after purging, to combat coughs and other symptoms of relatively common diseases.

Thus, the psychotropic effects of this honey are not the main reason why it is consumed in those towns where its use is traditional, although they have possibly contributed to giving it an image of food with unique qualities and significantly different from those of the regular honey.

The lack of controls and ignorance can make that this substance endangers the lives of patients, since it significantly alters the heart rate, causing it to drop a lot. If we add to this that it is used in people whose state of health is not good, the risk increases even more.