Sassafras

Elves and Sassafras

A curious quirk of elvish physiology, the chemical compound safrole has numerous psychoactive effects in elves. Safrole is present in a number of plants, but it is present in significant amounts in the sassafras plant native to northeastern Ulera. The elves of northeastern Ulera would brew a tea from sassafras to experience its effects. In natural concentrations, such as those from sassafras tea, the effects are rather mild, causing mostly mild euphoria/contentedness and relaxation. However, modern chemical techniques have allowed the isolation of pure safrole. In higher doses, safrole in elves causes euphoria, reduced inhibition, enactogenic effects, mydriasis, relaxation, emotional intensity, enhanced perception, sensation, and sexuality, and tachypsychia, and is used as a recreational drug, often referred to as "syrup" or "amber".
When human settlers arrived in Ulera, they were curious about the drink. They found the did not experience the same psychoactive effects, but did enjoy the flavour of the beverage. Eventually, this human enjoyment of the flavour would result in root beer.
The differing effects of safrole between elves and Chilovakian species are due to differences in genome and metabolism. In Chilovakians safrole is metabolised via hydroxylation to 1’-hydroxysafrole. In elves, while the a significant fraction is metabolised through this same pathway, some fraction is metabolised first via a different CYP to 2’-hydroxysafrole (an enol) and then by an aminotransferase, by which the ketone is exchanged for an amine, to become 3,4-methylenedioxyamphetamine (MDA) which is responsible for the psychoactive effects. As only a relatively small portion of intaken safrole is metabolised to MDA, relatively high doses of safrole are required to achieve significant effects. When used recreationally, safrole oil is applied to the gums. As the compound must first be metabolised to be biologically active, vasodilators such as amyl nitrite are sometimes used to speed up the action of the drug. In Is Nagain, this combination is referred to as the "double crown", while with the addition of cocaine it is called the "triple crown".