Psychoactive Plants

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Psychoactive Plants

• Hallucinogens II Peyote (Mescaline) and Others

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Peyote

• Peyote is a small spineless barrel cactus
  (Lophophora williamsii)
• Native to Mexico and southwest Texas

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Peyote

• Long history of use as a psychoactive plant,
  dating back at least 3000 years in Mexico.
• Early accounts from 16th century Spanish
  missionaries in Mexico described the plant and
  its use as a hallucinogen in religious rituals
  among many Indian tribes
• Spanish initially attempted to suppress the
  peyote rituals, the practices continued

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Mescal Buttons

• Cactus is sliced and dried into mescal buttons
• Softened in the mouth and swallowed
• Soaked in water and water drunk
• Dried buttons retain hallucinogenic properties
  since alkaloids not volatile

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Mescaline

• Peyote contain about 30 alkaloids with mescaline
  the major hallucinogen

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Hallucinations

• Peyote induced hallucinations are reported to be
  profound, kaleidoscopic hallucinations involving
  a progression of vivid colors

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Possible mode of action

• Mescaline possibly binds to serotonin reuptake
  transporters, allowing serotonin to stay in
  synapse longer
• Binding by mescaline causes some conformational
  changes to this protein that may allow other
  neurotransmitters, such as dopamine and
  glutamate, to enter the axon terminal

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Hallucinogens

• Most serotonin agonists cause hallucinations
• The relationship between the hallucinogenic drugs
  and serotonin has given rise to the hypothesis
  that schizophrenia is caused by an imbalance in
  the metabolism of serotonin
• excitement and hallucinations result from an
  excess of serotonin in certain regions of the
  brain
• depressive and catatonic states resulting from
  serotonin deficiency
• therapy with hallucinogens outlawed in late 1960s

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Native American Church

• Origins of Native American Church in 1870s with
  Kiowas and Comanche tribes of Indian Territory
  (Oklahoma)
• Combined Christianity with peyote rituals
• Church spread throughout southwest and plains
  states into Canada
• Native American Church formally incorporated in
  1918
• Peyote rituals of Church protected by Bill of
  Rights however opposition to peyote continued
• A 1990 Supreme Court decision upheld Oregons
  right to outlaw peyote

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Tropane Alkaloids
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Tropane Alkaloids

• A group of alkaloids with similar structure and
  similar physiological action are found
  predominantly in the family Solanaceae
• Known as tropane alkaloids and include
• atropine
• hyoscyamine
• scopolamine

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Tropane Alkaloids

• Have a variety of physiological effects
• relax smooth muscles
• dilate the pupils of the eye
• dilate blood vessels
• increase heart rate and temperature
• induce sleep and lessen pain
• stimulate and then depress CNS
• some induce hallucinations

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Tropane Alkaloids

• One unique property of tropane alkaloids is their
  ability to be absorbed through the skin,
• Tropane alkaloids occur in varying levels in
• Atropa belladonna - deadly nightshade or
  belladonna
• Hyoscamus spp.- henbane
• Mandragora officinarum - mandrake
• Datura spp - Jimsonweed

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Atropa belladonna

• Branching herbaceous perennial native to Europe
  and Asia
• Long history of use as a medicinal, psychoactive,
  and poisonous plant - extremely toxic
• One use of the plant that led to its name
  "belladonna" was the practice by Mediterranean
  women of applying the plant's juice to the eyes.
• The result was dilation of the pupils to produce
  an alluring effect hence "bella donna" or
  beautiful lady.
• Response is due to atropine which is used today
  by ophthalmologists.

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Atropa belladonna
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Atropine Uses

• As an anti-spasmodic for treating Parkinson's
  disease, epilepsy, and stomach cramps
• As a bronchodilator for treating asthma
• As a heart stimulant following cardiac arrest
• As an antidote for various poisons or overdoses

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Datura species

• Datura spp. have a cosmopolitan distribution
• Grows wild over much of U.S.
• Have been extensively used by many indigenous
  peoples for both medicinal and hallucinogenic
  purposes
• In the New World, there are several species of
  Datura which have an extensive history as sacred
  hallucinogens

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Datura stramonium

• Probably the most widely distributed species
• Today cultivated for its scopolamine content
  which is used today for motion sickness and for
  its sedative effects
• The common name for this species, jimsoneed or
  Jamestown weed, refers to an incident of
  accidental poisoning of British sailors in
  colonial Virginia in 1676
• They mistook Datura for an edible plant and
  suffered the consequences

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Seed Capsule
Flower
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Jimsonweed

• All parts of the plant contain atropine and
  scopolamine but highest level in the seeds
• Commonly consumed in herbal teas
• Seeds, leaves, and flower nectar can also be
  eaten or smoked
• High experienced by users often includes
  delirium, delusions, hallucinations,
  disorientation, and incoherent speech
• Often users do not recall the experience

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Jimsonweed

• High school and even college students seeking a
  no-cost high turn to jimsonweed as an
  alternative to costly drugs
• Easy access and limited legal restrictions make
  jimsonweed a viable substitute for other highs,
  particularly in areas where the plant is
  prevalent and the availability of other drugs is
  limited

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Jimsonweed

• Use of jimsonweed has been sporadic and is
  expected to remain so
• However, ingestion can lead to seizures, coma,
  and death
• Symptoms include dry mucous membranes, difficulty
  swallowing and speaking, blurred vision,
  photophobia, hyperthermia, confusion, agitation,
  combative behavior, and hallucinations (red as a
  beet, mad as a hatter, dry as bone)

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Jimsonweed

• Jimsonweed is not scheduled under the Controlled
  Substances Act
• Several states have passed some form of
  legislation to control jimsonweed
• Heightened awareness of the "bad high" and
  potentially deadly consequences of jimsonweed use
  is key to curbing the appeal of this plant

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Morning Glory Seeds

• Certain members of the morning glory family, the
  Convolvulaceae, used as hallucinogens in the New
  World
• Historically these were revered as powerful
  medicines among the Aztecs
• Morning glories continue to be used by tribes in
  present day Mexico

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Morning Glory

• The seeds of Ipomoea violoaceae as well as other
  Ipomoea and Rivea species contain amides of
  D-lysergic acid similar to, but far milder than
  LSD
• Known as ololiuqui among the Aztecs - it was used
  in divination as well as other religious and
  magical rites
• The shaman would consume a drink prepared from
  the seeds and in the hallucinogenic state that
  followed would divine the cause of a person's
  illness

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Lysergic Acid Amide

• Derivative of tryptamine an indole alkaloid
• Has about 1/10 the potency of LSD

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Nutmeg

• Myristica fragrans - nutmeg has a long history as
  a culinary spice,
• Also been used for its hallucinogenic properties.
  
• In Ayurvedic medicine in India was called the
  "narcotic fruit."
• Also mixed with betel nut or tobacco snuff for
  its intoxicating effects

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Nutmeg

• The reaction to nutmeg is unpredictable since the
  active principle is volatile and thus potency
  varies greatly
• Side effects, however, are predictable and
  extremely unpleasant
• headache, nausea, dizziness, vomiting, irregular
  heart beat
• unpopular choice as a hallucinogen

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Myristicin

• Hallucinogenic compound in nutmeg is believed to
  be myristicin
• Not an alkaloid
• One of the essential oils in nutmeg - volatile
  compound
• In other herbs and spices as well

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Other Hallucinogens

• Ergot
• Amanita muscaria
• Psilocybe mushrooms