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| Green, Tawny and Red sugar Cane Stalks |
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Abstract
Rig Veda, an ancient sacred text of Indo-Aryans described a
godly plant known as Soma. The juice of this plant imparted huge improvements
in physical, intellectual and emotional abilities to ancient Indo-Aryans who
consumed it. Some modern studies have identified certain intoxicating plants as
possibly being Soma but these do not come close to the original description.
Soma was neither intoxicating nor hallucinatory. Rather, its effect was
precisely opposite. It increased focus, alertness and memory. An earlier study
by this author suggested that sugarcane grasses appear to be similar in
description to this plant. However, sugarcane juice as available now, although
healthy, does not have the unusual enhancing properties of Soma. It appears
that it does not contain the active compounds that Soma had as described in
texts. The original Soma variety is likely to have become extinct now. A natural organic compound that seems to
have effects similar to those described for Soma, albeit to a lesser degree is
2-Phenylethylamine. It seems this compound is not present in sufficient
quantity in modern varieties of sugarcane. However, it seems possible to modify
existing sugarcane grasses with the help of modern science so as to produce the
required compounds. It may then lead to a sugarcane variety close or similar to
the original Soma plant. It may be mentioned that consumption of 2-
phenylethylamine in isolation will not produce the same effect as a combination
of compounds as exist in a plant. It may also have adverse side effects as many
isolated chemicals do. The natural
juice of the Soma plant is needed to derive its full benefits.
Introduction
An ancient plant was described as a god amongst plants in Rig
Veda, an ancient sacred text of Indo-Aryans. The proper identification of this
plant has been lost to mankind since ancient times. Scholars have made several
attempts to identify this plant but none of the proposals come near the
original Soma plant. The plant was perhaps harvested to extinction in ancient
times, especially because it as not the fruit or flower of this plant that was
needed for a drink but its wood and stems. Thereafter, ancient civilizations
from South Asia, Iran Turkey etc. have made use of substitutes such as ephedra
or mixtures of opium, ephedra and cannabis in an attempt to approach the same
effect, even calling the resulting potion by similar names. However, these
latter choices were narcotics with adverse effects and none came near the
magical Soma of lore.
Effects of Soma included ethical behavior, poetic insights,
enhanced fertility, alertness, wakefulness, ability to heal, attainment of
wealth, beauty and great physical strength useful for warriors. The drink of
Soma was neither intoxicating nor hallucinatory and this rules out many of
suggestions of modern scholars about what it might have been. In fact Soma did
precisely the opposite. It increased focus, concentration, attention and
memory. It also provided physical strength and accuracy in use of weapons such
as a bow and arrow to warriors rather than intoxication or hallucinations. It
seems that human aging was retarded while under the effect of Soma and it was
therefore regarded as a drink of immortal gods.
Identification of Soma with Sugarcane grasses
An earlier study by this author [1] identified similarities
of Soma with sugarcane grasses. The interested reader is referred to the
earlier note [1] for arguments leading to this suggestion. The process of
preparing the drink from this plant includes crushing the stalks to extract a
sweet frothy juice as is done with modern sugarcane, filtering, resting in wooden
vats and mixing with milk before consumption. The process is described in
greater detail in the earlier note. It was also mentioned in the same note that
modern varieties do not have all of the active compounds that were present in
original Soma. One particular compound 2-Phenyletylamine was suggested as a
possible compound that the Soma plant might have had because some of its
effects appear to be similar to Soma. Sugarcanes are stalks that need crushing
to produce a sweet frothy juice similar to Soma juice in Rig Veda. The stalks
occur in green, yellow, brown and red colors precisely as described in the Rig
Veda
2-PhenylEthylAmine
Other names of this
compound are phenylethylamine, β-phenylethylamine, phenethylamine,
β-phenethylamine 2-phenethylamine and PEA. This compound is a natural compound
that is a part of the natural biochemistry of humans, plants and animals.
It is important and critical to distinguish this compound
from a class of compounds known as phenylethylamines that are chemically
modified forms of this compound. Some of these latter find use in medicines and
others in illegal and dangerous drugs, many of them with serious adverse
consequences. Most of these latter compounds do appear not to be natural like
2-phenylethylamine, the focus of the present note. This last compound does not
appear to be illegal in most countries and also appears to be unscheduled in
most as per information in Wikipedia. Some athletes and sportspersons use it as
a performance enhancing substance. For more on this compound please see [2]
The present note does not recommend that anyone consume this
latter substance without advice from a medical practitioner even though it
seems to be freely available at the present time without prescription. It is
also necessary to ascertain correct dosages and methods of consumption since
this compound is a potent one. It may be mentioned that many isolated chemicals
often have adverse side effects even though their origin may be a natural
source as opposed to an organic compound consumed as a part of a health giving
food that contains a host of other compounds that serve to balance its effects.
The latter is a part of plant, human and animal life processes out of which
life has evolved. An international study [3] described how many common
chemicals used in the modern food industry may lead to cancers. This was
conclusion reached by a massive study involving 174 scientists from 28
countries published in the journal Carcinogenesis. Therefore, the attempt of
mankind must be to rediscover, Soma the plant rather than discover its isolated
chemicals. If an isolated chemical has been mentioned here, it is for purpose of
identification and/or regeneration of the plant.
Another organic compound of interest is Hordenine that has
effects similar to PEA. It is occurs naturally in food grains such as barley
and sorghum grasses that are closely related to sugarcane grasses. Presence of
hordenine in smaller quantities (about ten percent) slows down the breakdown of
PEA in the human body and therefore prolongs the effect.
It is interesting to note
that users of the stated organic compound have described different effects,
some describing beneficial ones and others unpleasant ones. This is in
agreement with descriptions of Rig Veda that has suggested that in order to
derive benefits from Soma one must be an ethical person,
“To
him who keeps the law, both old and young, thou give happiness and energy that
he may live.”
Regenerating Soma
An earlier study [4] has
described how C4 grasses of which sugarcane is one, are eminently suited to be
engineered with modern genetic engineering to produce a wide range of natural
organic compounds including 2-phenylethylamine. Therefore, an attempt to
regenerate Soma must focus on genetically modifying sugarcane to yield 2-
phenylethylamine as also perhaps hordenine in a smaller quantity (about ten
percent) in the expressed juice.
Preparing the Soma Drink
The process of preparing the Soma drink from the juice of the
plant is available only in poetic descriptions of Rig Veda. Precise times and
quantities are not known. These include,
1. How long should the sugarcane juice be rested in wooden
vats after filtration and what type of wood may be employed for the vat?
2. How much milk is to be mixed in the juice to prepare the
drink?
Both factors as mentioned here might have important influence
on quality of the final drink but it is something that should not be difficult
to research once the Soma plant has been regenerated.
A Substitute Soma drink
A substitute Soma drink may be conceived in which chemical 2-
phenylethylamine is added to fresh sugarcane juice and the process followed
through. Although this mixing may mitigate some of the adverse chemical effects
as compared to consuming the chemical in isolation, it nevertheless will not be
natural. When an organic compound is produced by a plant, a host of associated
compounds are also produced that serve to make the product natural. As a
starting point one may attempt adding 200 mg of PEA HCL in salt form to a glass
of sugarcane juice, resting it for a few hours in a wooden container and then
mixing an equal quantity of milk. This may be attempted with or without an
addition 20mg of Hordenine HCL salt to see the different effects. Both salts
are available as supplements with online stores such as Amazon along with
reviews of users.
Fresh sugarcane juice is not available in all places at all
times and one may be tempted to use other sweeteners. Neither honey, nor sugar
is suitable as they do not contain the compounds present in C4 grasses but
diluted sorghum syrup appears to be a better choice when sugarcane juice is not
available. Sorghum is also a C4 grass like sugarcane.
This substitute drink has
not been researched and its full effects are unknown. The public without
medical advice must not consume it. It has been mentioned here as a topic for
study and research.
Conclusion
The present note suggests a pathway to regenerating the
ancient Soma Plant of Rig Veda. Central to the proposal is to locate, breed or
genetically engineer sugarcane plants to produce the organic compound
2-phenylethylamine as also hordenine in required quantities along with other
compounds sugarcane grasses produce naturally. It may be mentioned that the
range of organic compounds as exist in nature are huge and one does not for
sure what the original Soma plant contained. However, suggestions of this note
offer a starting point towards a discovery of a plant similar if not identical
to Soma of ancient fame. It appears to be a promising step in the right
direction. The hope is that if such a discovery bears fruit, it would help
mankind derive the immense benefits that Soma provided ancient Indo Aryans of
Vedic fame.
References
1.
Malhotra, A. (2015). On Revival of Soma Plant of Rig Veda, 2015 https://www.scribd.com/doc/290825034/On-Revival-of-Soma-plant-of-Rig-Veda
2.
Irsfeld, M., Spadafore, M., & Prüß, B. M. (2013). β-phenylethylamine, a
small molecule with a large impact. WebmedCentral, 4(9), 4409.
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