The conversion of medicinal plants into psychologically active substances usually involves a variety of processing processes that can extract, concentrate, or change the chemical composition of plants to enhance or change their psychologically active effects. The following are some common processing methods： ### 1. **Extraction (Extraction)** -**Solvent extraction**: Use solvents such as ethanol, methanol, acetone or water to extract active ingredients from plants. For example, ethanol is used to extract cannabinoids (such as THC and CBD) from cannabis. -**Supercritical fluid extraction**: Using supercritical carbon dioxide (CO2) as a solvent, it is suitable for extracting heat-sensitive compounds such as cannabinoids or essential oils. ### 2. **Distillation (Distillation)** -**Steam distillation**: Used to extract volatile compounds such as essential oils. For example, extract essential oils from mint or rosemary. -**Vacuum distillation**: Carried out under reduced pressure, suitable for extracting heat-sensitive compounds. ### 3. **Fermentation (fermentation)** -**Microbial fermentation**: Through the action of microorganisms (such as yeast or bacteria), sugars or other components in plants are converted into alcohol or other psychologically active substances. For example, grapes are fermented into wine, or malt is fermented into beer. -**Plant fermentation**: Some plants produce psychologically active substances after fermentation under natural conditions, such as Kava or certain mushrooms. ### 4. **Pyrolysis (Pyrolysis)** -**Heating decomposition**: By heating plant materials, the macromolecular compounds in them are decomposed into smaller psychologically active molecules. For example, cannabis is heated (burned or evaporated) to release THC. ### 5. **Chemical Modification (Chemical Modification)** -**Acid-base treatment**: Extract or transform the active ingredients in plants by changing the pH value. For example, coca leaves are treated with an alkaline solution to extract cocaine. -**Chemical synthesis**: Compounds extracted from plants can be further modified by chemical reactions to enhance their mental activity or change their properties. For example, methamphetamine (methamphetamine) is synthesized from ephedrine. ### 6. **Concentration (Concentration)** -**Evaporation and concentration**: By evaporating the solvent, the extract is concentrated into a purer form. For example, concentrate hemp extract into hemp oil. -**Freeze-drying**: Through freezing and vacuum drying, the active ingredients in the plant are retained while removing moisture. For example, freeze-dried products for certain mushrooms are prepared. ### 7. **Blending and Formulation (Blending and Formulation)** -**Mixed extracts**: The extracts of different plants are mixed to create a mixture with specific psychodynamic effects. For example, mix different cannabis extracts to regulate the ratio of THC and CBD. -**Formulation**: The extract is made into specific dosage forms, such as capsules, tinctures, sprays or electronic cigarette oils, for easy use and dose control. ### 8. **Enzymatic Hydrolysis (Enzymatic Hydrolysis)** -**Enzyme treatment**: Specific enzymes are used to break down macromolecular compounds in plants, releasing psychologically active ingredients. For example, certain plants are treated with enzymes to release their potentially active compounds. ### 9. **Biotransformation (Biotransformation)** -**Microbial transformation**: Through the action of microorganisms, precursor compounds in plants are converted into psychologically active substances. For example, certain fungi can convert precursor compounds in plants into psychologically active metabolites. ### 10. **Nanotechnologies (Nanotechnology)** -**Nano-emulsification**: Psychologically active compounds are made into nano-particles to improve their bioavailability and absorption rate. For example, cannabinoids are made into nano-emulsions to enhance their oral or transdermal absorption. ### 11. **Crystallization and Purification (Crystallization and Purification)** -**Crystallization**: Through the crystallization process, high-purity psychologically active compounds are separated from plant extracts. For example, cocaine is crystallized from coca leaf extract. -**Purification**: Through chromatography or other separation techniques, impurities are removed to obtain high-purity active ingredients. ### 12. **Traditional processing methods** -**Chewing**: Certain plants (such as coca leaf or cava root) release psychologically active ingredients through chewing. -**Soaking**: Soak plant materials in water or other solvents to extract the active ingredients. For example, prepare kava tea or certain herbal extracts. ### Precautions： -**Law and Ethics**: Many psychologically active substances are subject to strict legal control, and unauthorized production, processing or use may involve illegal acts. -**Health risks**: The processing and use of psychologically active substances may have serious health effects, including addiction, psychological dependence, and other health problems. When considering any processing process, be sure to comply with relevant laws and regulations, and consult professionals for advice.