Salvia Divinorum - Effects on the Body

Effects on the Body

The psychotropic effects of Salvia divinorum are of interest to scientific researchers. The active ingredient in the plant has been identified as salvinorin A. Testing on animals and human volunteers in research projects has shown that the effects of salvinorin A in its pure, crystallized form are similar to those of mescaline, the active ingredient in one of the most widely recognized of the psychotropic plants, the peyote cactus. (An entry on mescaline is available in this encyclopedia.)

A dose as small as 200–500 micrograms of pure salvinorin A will produce hallucinations when the crystalline form is vaporized and inhaled. Salvia divinorum has a reputation as a very mild psychotropic. However, when pure forms of the active ingredients of the various psychotropics are compared, salvinorin A turns out to be the most powerful natural hallucinogen of all, based on the size of the effective dose. The leaves, in their natural form, contain between 1 and 4 milligrams of salvinorin A per gram of dry leaf.

Not Like Other Hallucinogens

Most hallucinogenic drugs seem to bring about their strange effects on the mind by affecting the places on the brain's nerve cells that respond to serotoninA combination of carbon, hydrogen, nitrogen, and oxygen; it is found in the brain, blood, and stomach lining and acts as a neurotransmitter and blood vessel regulator.. Serotonin is a chemical messenger that has a powerful effect on many other chemicals within the brain. Tests were conducted to measure the effect of salvinorin A on nearly fifty different chemical receptorsGroup of cells that receive stimuli. in the various tissues of the body, including the brain. None of these receptor sites, including the serotonin receptors, seemed to exhibit any unusual activity due to the presence of salvinorin A.

However, in the early twenty-first century, the drug was re-examined using new technology. In 2002 B. L. Roth and other researchers revealed that salvinorin A binds to kappa opioid receptors (KOR), which influence human intellect and perception. Since this finding, Salvia divinorum has been the subject of considerable research. According to researchers, the plant may prove useful in the development of antipsychotic drugs.

In tests conducted on mice, it was noted that salvinorin A seemed to bring about responses similar to mescaline. Mice in the tests became quiet and inactive. They appeared to be under sedation, but this was not really the case. If touched or startled by a noise, they were easily stimulated to move, and they continued to display the righting reflex, or the natural urge to get back on their feet if turned over. If truly sedated, the mice would not have been able to respond to these stimuli.

Wide-Ranging Effects

The effects of Salvia divinorum on humans range from mild feelings of well-being to full-blown, intense hallucinations, extreme anxietyA feeling of being extremely overwhelmed, restless, fearful, and worried., and feelings of leaving the body altogether. The size of the dose, the method of taking it in, and the surroundings and emotional state of the person taking the substance will all affect the outcome.

Users in the United States have reported that chewing the leaves in a cud or smoking them brings on an experience that is even more intense than one resulting from LSD, although it will last for a much shorter time span. An LSD experience may last for many hours, while the effects of Salvia divinorum usually peak within twenty minutes and begin to fade away after an hour. A dose of 200–500 micrograms of salvinorin A will bring on a strong hallucinatory experience, lasting anywhere from between half an hour to two hours.

Seeking the Truth

In Mexico, the Mazatec Indians have used Salvia divinorum and other hallucinogenic plants in their religious practices for thousands of years. Within the native culture, physical illness is seen as a symptom of a spiritual problem. Therefore, religious practice and medical treatment are combined. The curandero, or medicine man, is both a doctor and a religious leader. Curandero is Spanish for shaman.

In addition to using Salvia divinorum to treat physical symptoms, the curanderos have also traditionally used the herb in rituals that are meant to uncover hidden truths, or even to find lost objects. If a crime has been committed but remains unsolved, the curandero may attempt to clear up the matter by giving Salvia divinorum leaves to someone involved in the incident. The shaman will then sit and listen when the person becomes intoxicated and begins to talk. It is believed that the person's speech will reveal the truth about whatever happened.

In the case of a lost object or animal, the person who cannot find his or her property may be given a dose of Salvia divinorum and encouraged to go to sleep. Another person stays close by, listening carefully when the person who has taken the dose begins to talk in his or her sleep. As in the case of undiagnosed illness or unsolved mysteries, it is believed that the words of the speaker will reveal the true location of the lost animal or object. When the next day comes, the two people will go together to locate the lost item.

Salvia divinorum is also considered an important tool for training new curanderos. It is believed that the trance brought on by consuming the leaves allows one to travel to heaven and learn from God, as well as from saints that are already in heaven. Also, because Salvia divinorum is relatively weak, it is thought to be an ideal starting point for training the curanderos to work with more powerful hallucinogenic plants, such as peyote, psilocybin mushrooms, or morning glory seeds.

While many hallucinogens simply distort true perceptions, making everyday objects appear strange or alive, a high dose of Salvia divinorum may bring on true hallucinations, or vivid, intense images of things that simply are not there at all. This can be very frightening and disorienting to the user. Visions of people, places, and objects may take over the user's mind. The sense of personal identity may be lost. The user may feel completely disconnected from his or her body. There can be a sense of being in many places at once, or in many time periods at once. The user may feel that he or she is taking on the identity of some object.

Other Bizarre Feelings

Another commonly reported feeling is that of turning into a two-dimensional surface, then being twisted and pulled. At times, users laugh uncontrollably for no apparent reason. When heavy doses are taken, the user sometimes babbles uncontrollably and staggers about in an uncoordinated way, creating the risk of accidental injury. The native peoples typically take the Salvia divinorum user to a dark, quiet place, but users in more stimulating environments may find themselves overreacting, or reacting inappropriately, to normal stimuli.

Other hallucinogenic drugs can have adverse effects or negative side effects on the brain from long-term use. As such, some researchers suspect that Salvia divinorum may have similar effects. However, as of 2005, there is no scientific proof of this.