I enjoy powdered ginseng mixed with tobacco snuff every bit as much as I did when I started this thread in March of 2014 and I agree with everything I said in this thread as well.
The only difference is that the product itself now has 10% ginsenosides instead of 7%, which of course, is very good thing. I also looked up the quality of that particular brand on a supplement rating website and it is rated as very high quality ginseng.
Let me know if you try it and how you experienced the effects.
@fredhanna I have done a number of home made snuffs using coffee, cinnamon and menthol crystals with mostly no ill effects. I say mostly as when I first used cinnamon powder I did end up with nose bleeds until I added a larger portion of tobacco flour. I had originally mixed up the cinnamon and menthol as way to treat chronic sinus infection due to a botched dental procedure. I still take that one on a regular basis and very much enjoy the huge punch it provides. Jim
I’ve been taking ginseng powder under my tongue for years. When I discovered snuff I tried some up my nose and liked it, so now it’s a regular morning routine for me. I think i’m going to try my hand at mixing soon.
Ginseng has always made me feel like that, it’s what it does. Doing it nasally just helps you feel smarter faster…it hits almost instantly, maybe even faster than doing it orally.
@nicmizer I used to mix it with Dholakia White . It was an eye opener. A bit earthy for my taste now.
By the way I am not doing very well at all. Everyday a new pain or difficulty with the cancer killing me super slowly. I survived 4 years so far as of this month. I don’t know what I did to deserve this punishishment. Must had been in my drunken days I can’t recall…
@basement_shaman we all appreciate you and your great snuff knowledge which you so freely share. I have learned from you and am grateful for your posts here on Snuffhouse.
As for a ginseng and snuff blend, yes indeed, I still do it regularly and am still amazed by it potency and positive benefits.
As I mentioned in the original post of this thread, research has shown that ginseng enhances the capacity for conceptual thought and also produces a sense of well being.
However, different kinds of ginseng contain varying amounts of ginsenosides, which are the active ingredients of ginseng. I have experimented with several different ginsengs, some of which are in powder form and others I have gotten as a powder by simply emptying the capsules. It is important to remember that some ginseng formulations on the market lack ginsenosides or have very little of them, and what this means, of course, is that they are useless without ginsenosides. I wish I had more extensive knowledge of all of this but I guess you can chalk this up to just one more thing of which my knowledge is insufficient.
Some are smoother than others in the nose. But beware, pure ginseng powder taken orally is very bitter, and so is the backdrip of ginseng even when blended with tobacco snuff. This is another reason I prefer to take ginseng nasally.
I got some ginseng extract powder with 7% ginsenocides.
Mixed it with some rustica and the scent was quite pleasant- reminiscent of marzipan.
The grind of the powder is a little course, so I’m planning on working it with a mortar and pestle.
I noticed a slight but definite euphoric and focused effect which might be expected that to accumulate with regular use.
It would be useful to know if the absorption of the ginsenosides would be facilitated by alkalization- or if that’s even possible.
There has been some research into additives that improve the nasal absorption of the ginsenosides (link to abstract below). In the study, there were 2 additives that improve absorption without toxicity: 0.5% borneol and 0.5% chitosan. Both of these are available commercially- the first as an aromatherapy extract and the second as a powder used as a nutritional supplement (white licorice extract). The ginseng to additive ratio is steep (200:1), so the chitosan powder is probably not practical unless it has high solubility and can be applied in liquid form. The borneol is a brighter prospect as it’s in liquid form, but what I found was “therapeutic grade” (aromatherapy) and not food grade. Maybe some member who has a chemistry background could shed more light on this?
My apologies for misinformation in the previous post. Chitosan is not sourced from white licorice but from shellfish.
Borneol is a terpene derivative extracted from genus Artemisia which includes mugwort, wormwood, and sagebrush. This alone could add some interesting flavor if only a food-grade extract could be found.