Rivea corymbosa / Ololiuhqui / Convolvulaceae (Bindweed family)

Information

This product is not sold or intended for the purpose of human consumption or cosmetic use. Any information provided about this product on this website, including any links to external websites, are solely intended for historical, scientific and educational purposes and must not be interpreted as a recommendation for a specific use of the product. The statements contained herein have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration and the product is not intended to "diagnose, treat, cure or prevent any disease." The use and application of this product, based on the historical and scientific context provided in the product descriptions and articles, is solely at the customer's risk. This product is a botanical specimen of ethnographic value and interest only and is delivered with no express or implied fitness for any purpose. The product descriptions are compiled from sources we deemed to be reliable up to the date it was written but may contain omissions or errors in fact, or become outdated. It outlines the documented history of uses but should no way be construed to make any medical claims about the ability or efficacy of any of these plants to treat, prevent or mitigate any disease or condition. Although a plant may have a long history of being used for a particular purpose, scientific evidence proving its efficacy for that purpose may be lacking.

Other Names

Round Thing, Green Snake, Turbina corymbosa

Contents

The main component in the seeds is ergine (also called d-lysergic acid amide or LSA), an alkaloid structurally similar to LSD, also present in Argyreia nervosa (Hawaiian Baby Woodrose) and Ipomoea tricolor (Morning Glory). Rivea corymbosa seeds also contain the alkaloids: d-Isolysergic acid amide (isoergine), Chanoclavine, Elymoclavine, Lysergol. (4)

Historical

The seeds of Turbina corymbosa, better known as Rivea corymbosa, are valued as one of the major entheogens of numerous Indian groups in southern Mexico. Their use goes back to early periods. Known as Ololiúqui (also spelled Ololiuhqui or Ololiuqui), they were important in Aztec ceremonies. (1)
The natives of Mexico were well aware of the powers possessed by the Rivea corymbosa seeds. Their Christian conquerors believed that the healing power of the seeds came from the devil, and sought to deliver the Indians from the perceived devil worship. While some of the Aztecs were converted to the Christian faith, in private many continued to make use of Ololiuhqui, believing that it was indeed holy. In fact the seeds of the Rivea corymbosa are still being openly used by the tribes that managed to keep away from Christians and live in isolation throughout the more remote parts of Mexico. Research shows the plant was commonly used by the Aztecs as an important ingredient in magic potions and ointments. (2)
The seeds are also used by Native curers in order to gain knowledge in curing practices and ritual, as well as the causes for the illness. The Nahuatl word Ololiuhqui means "round thing", and refers to the small, brown, oval seeds of the Morning Glory, not the plant itself, which is called "Coaxihuitl", "snake-plant", in Nahuatl, and "Hiedra" or "Bejuco" in the Spanish language. The seeds, in Spanish, are sometimes called "Semilla de la Virgen" (seeds of the Virgin Mary).
In 1941, Richard Evans Schultes first identified Ololiuhqui as Rivea corymbosa and the chemical composition was first described on August 18, 1960, in a paper by Dr. Albert Hofmann. (3)

Plant Description

Rivea corymbosa (common synonym: Turbina corymbosa), is a species of Morning Glory, native throughout Latin America from Mexico in the North to Peru in the South and widely naturalised elsewhere. This plant also occurs in Cuba, where it usually blooms from early December to February. Its flowers secrete copious amount of nectar, and the honey the bees make from it is very clear and aromatic. It is considered one of the main honey plants from the island. (3)
Turbina corymbosa is a large woody vine with heart-shaped leaves 2—3½ in. (5—9cm) long and 1-1¾ in. (2.5—4.5cm) wide. The cymes are many-flowered. The bell-shaped corollas, ¾ -1½ in. (2—4cm) long, are white with greenish stripes. The fruit is dry, indehiscent, ellipsoidal with persistent, enlarged sepals, and bears a single hard, roundish, brown, minutely hairy seed about 1/8 in. (3 mm) in diameter. (1)

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References

(1) Plants of the Gods, by Richard Evans Schultes and Albert Hofmann
(2) Ololiuqui (Rivea corymbosa) Information, a1b2c3.com
(3) Rivea corymbosa, Wikipedia
(4) Teonanácatl and Ololiuqui, two ancient magic drugs of Mexico, Albert Hofmann, Bulletin on Narcotics (Issue 1, 1971; 3-14)

Articles

Any information provided about products on this website, including any links to external websites, is purely intended for historical, scientific and educational purposes and should never be interpreted as a recommendation for a specific use of the products.

Ergot
Lysergic acid
Rivea corymbosa - Erowid

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Morning Glory (Ipomoea tricolor)

Heimia salicifolia / Sinicuichi / Lythraceae (Loosestrife family)

Information

This product is not sold or intended for the purpose of human consumption or cosmetic use. Any information provided about this product on this website, including any links to external websites, are solely intended for historical, scientific and educational purposes and must not be interpreted as a recommendation for a specific use of the product. The statements contained herein have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration and the product is not intended to "diagnose, treat, cure or prevent any disease." The use and application of this product, based on the historical and scientific context provided in the product descriptions and articles, is solely at the customer's risk. This product is a botanical specimen of ethnographic value and interest only and is delivered with no express or implied fitness for any purpose. The product descriptions are compiled from sources we deemed to be reliable up to the date it was written but may contain omissions or errors in fact, or become outdated. It outlines the documented history of uses but should no way be construed to make any medical claims about the ability or efficacy of any of these plants to treat, prevent or mitigate any disease or condition. Although a plant may have a long history of being used for a particular purpose, scientific evidence proving its efficacy for that purpose may be lacking.

Other Names

Sun Opener, Sinicuichi, Heimia, Plant of the Yellow Vision, Herb of Life, Huauchinal, Anchinol, Xonecuili, Shrubby Yellowcrest.

Aromatic Properties

"Sun Opener", "Plant of the Yellow Vision", "Herb of Life". The natives believe that Sinicuichi has sacred or supernatural qualities. Increases communication and listening skills, quietens in order to hear others and understand, lifts emotional burdens from the heart. Joy, creativity. Clearer decision-making, choice of direction. Deep satisfaction and experience of harmony.

Contents

Vertine (cryogenine) is generally regarded as the primary psychoactive component and is also generally the most abundant constituent of alkaloidal extracts.(4) Other alkaloids which have been isolated from Heimia salicifolia are lythrine, dehydrodecodine, lythridine, heimidine, lyfoline, epi-lyfoline, 9beta-hydroxyvertine and (2S,4S,10R)-4-(3-hydroxy-4-methoxyphenyl)-quinolizidin-2-acetate.(5)

Historical

"This plant was called Sinicuiche or Sinicuichi by the Aztec and is still used by Mexican shamans as a trance-divination catalyst"(1). This plant typifies an hallucinogen of which the hallucinogenic characteristics are auditory, not visual. The natives believe that Sinicuichi has sacred or supernatural qualities, since they hold that it helps them recall events which took place many years earlier as if they had happened yesterday; others assert that they are able, with Sinicuichi, to remember pre-natal events.(2)
"The aerial parts have a wide folk reputation for antisyphilitic, sudorific, antipyretic, laxative and diuretic activity, and are reported to be useful in preparing post partum baths and to enhance wound healing."(3)
Other Mexican names for this plant are Huauchinal, Anchinol and Xonecuili. In English it is called "Sun Opener" or "Shrubby Yellowcrest".

Plant Description

Heimia salicifolia is a shrub with numerous small dark green leaves, and often dozens of tiny bright yellow flowers. It can grow to 3 m tall. The yellow flowers are 5 petaled and 2-3 cm in diameter. The leaves are approximately 1 cm wide and 3-5 cm long. The plant is native to most of the tropical regions throughout the Western Hemisphere, specifically Texas, Mexico, El Salvador, and all areas between Colombia and Argentina - most commonly found in ditches and other wet soils. This plant is cold and drought tolerant, but will not survive a solid freeze.

Legal Remarks

References

(1) Psychedelic Shamanism, Jim DeKorne
(2) The plant kingdom and hallucinogens (part III), Richard Evans Schultes
(3) Heimia salicifolia: a phytochemical and phytopharmacologic review. Malone MH, Rother A, Department of Physiology and Pharmacology, School of Pharmacy, University of the Pacific
(4) Heimia salicifolia FAQ, Rev. MeO, Auxin, and Erowid
(5) Alkaloids from Heimia salicifolia, Rumalla CS, Jadhav AN, Smillie T, Fronczek FR, Khan IA, National Center for Natural Products Research, University of Mississippi

Pfaffia paniculata / Suma / Amaranthaceae (Amaranth family)

Information

This product is not sold or intended for the purpose of human consumption or cosmetic use. Any information provided about this product on this website, including any links to external websites, are solely intended for historical, scientific and educational purposes and must not be interpreted as a recommendation for a specific use of the product. The statements contained herein have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration and the product is not intended to "diagnose, treat, cure or prevent any disease." The use and application of this product, based on the historical and scientific context provided in the product descriptions and articles, is solely at the customer's risk. This product is a botanical specimen of ethnographic value and interest only and is delivered with no express or implied fitness for any purpose. The product descriptions are compiled from sources we deemed to be reliable up to the date it was written but may contain omissions or errors in fact, or become outdated. It outlines the documented history of uses but should no way be construed to make any medical claims about the ability or efficacy of any of these plants to treat, prevent or mitigate any disease or condition. Although a plant may have a long history of being used for a particular purpose, scientific evidence proving its efficacy for that purpose may be lacking.

Other Names

Hebanthe paniculata, Gomphrena paniculata, G. eriantha, Iresine erianthos, I. paniculata, I. tenuis, Pfaffia eriantha, Xeraea paniculata, Suma, Brazilian Ginseng, Pfaffia, Para Toda, Corango-Acu.

Contents

Suma root contains several major constituents, including the nortriterpene pfaffic acid, six pfaffic acid saponins (pfaffosides A-F), pterosterone, ecdysterone, and ecdysteroid. (2)

Historical

There are many claims and little evidence about the historical use of Pfaffia peniculata. The root has supposedly been used for generations by indigenous peoples of the Amazon region. There are also reports of its use in modern herbal medicine in Brazil, North America, Europe. It has also been called "the Russian secret", claiming that Rusian Olympic athletes have used it for many years. (1)
There is no human clinical research to support most of the wide variety of health benefits attributed to this plant by its advocates. "What little research has been done focuses on the plant's anti-tumor, anti-inflammatory, and aphrodisiac effects and has been completed only in test tubes or with animals." (2)

Plant Description

Suma is a large, rambling, shrubby ground vine with an intricate, deep, and extensive root system. It is indigenous to the Amazon basin and other tropical parts of (southern) Brazil, Ecuador, Panama, Paraguay, Peru, and Venezuela. Since its first botanical recording in 1826, it has been referred to by several botanical names, including Pfaffia paniculata, Hebanthe paniculata, and Gomphrena paniculata. The genus Pfaffia is well known in Central and South America, with over 50 species growing in the warmer tropical regions. (1)

References

(1) Suma, Raintree Tropical Plant Database
(2) Suma, Blue Shield of California
Published research on the Pfaffia paniculata can be found at PubMed.

Lagochilus inebrians / Turkestan Mint / Lamiaceae (Mint family)

Information

This product is not sold or intended for the purpose of human consumption or cosmetic use. Any information provided about this product on this website, including any links to external websites, are solely intended for historical, scientific and educational purposes and must not be interpreted as a recommendation for a specific use of the product. The statements contained herein have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration and the product is not intended to "diagnose, treat, cure or prevent any disease." The use and application of this product, based on the historical and scientific context provided in the product descriptions and articles, is solely at the customer's risk. This product is a botanical specimen of ethnographic value and interest only and is delivered with no express or implied fitness for any purpose. The product descriptions are compiled from sources we deemed to be reliable up to the date it was written but may contain omissions or errors in fact, or become outdated. It outlines the documented history of uses but should no way be construed to make any medical claims about the ability or efficacy of any of these plants to treat, prevent or mitigate any disease or condition. Although a plant may have a long history of being used for a particular purpose, scientific evidence proving its efficacy for that purpose may be lacking.

Other Names

Inebriating Mint, Intoxicating Mint, Turkmenistan Mint, Turkistan Mint.

References

Erowid Herb Vault

Virola peruviana / Virola / Myristicaceae (Nutmeg family)

Information

This product is not sold or intended for the purpose of human consumption or cosmetic use. Any information provided about this product on this website, including any links to external websites, are solely intended for historical, scientific and educational purposes and must not be interpreted as a recommendation for a specific use of the product. The statements contained herein have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration and the product is not intended to "diagnose, treat, cure or prevent any disease." The use and application of this product, based on the historical and scientific context provided in the product descriptions and articles, is solely at the customer's risk. This product is a botanical specimen of ethnographic value and interest only and is delivered with no express or implied fitness for any purpose. The product descriptions are compiled from sources we deemed to be reliable up to the date it was written but may contain omissions or errors in fact, or become outdated. It outlines the documented history of uses but should no way be construed to make any medical claims about the ability or efficacy of any of these plants to treat, prevent or mitigate any disease or condition. Although a plant may have a long history of being used for a particular purpose, scientific evidence proving its efficacy for that purpose may be lacking.

Other Names

Epeña, Ebena, Nyakwana, Paricá, Cumala

Contents

5-MeO-DMT, small amounts DMT and 5-Methoxy-tryptamine.

Plant Description

Virola peruviana is a species of tree in the Myristicaceae family. It is found in Brazil (Amazonas, Pará), Columbia, Ecuador and Peru. It grows to a height of about 35 m (100 ft). The fruit is ellipsoidal, 14-24 mm long and 11-23 mm in diameter, forming groups of about 5 to 15.

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Articles

Any information provided about products on this website, including any links to external websites, is purely intended for historical, scientific and educational purposes and should never be interpreted as a recommendation for a specific use of the products.

Ayahuasca Homepage
Banisteriopsis caapi - Vine of the Soul - taken from “Plants of the gods, their sacred, healing and hallucinogenic powers”
The Use of the Genus Virola as a Hallucinogen In South America
Virola (Epena) from Plants of the Gods

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Anadenanthera colubrina / Yopo / Leguminosae (Pea family)

Information

This product is not sold or intended for the purpose of human consumption or cosmetic use. Any information provided about this product on this website, including any links to external websites, are solely intended for historical, scientific and educational purposes and must not be interpreted as a recommendation for a specific use of the product. The statements contained herein have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration and the product is not intended to "diagnose, treat, cure or prevent any disease." The use and application of this product, based on the historical and scientific context provided in the product descriptions and articles, is solely at the customer's risk. This product is a botanical specimen of ethnographic value and interest only and is delivered with no express or implied fitness for any purpose. The product descriptions are compiled from sources we deemed to be reliable up to the date it was written but may contain omissions or errors in fact, or become outdated. It outlines the documented history of uses but should no way be construed to make any medical claims about the ability or efficacy of any of these plants to treat, prevent or mitigate any disease or condition. Although a plant may have a long history of being used for a particular purpose, scientific evidence proving its efficacy for that purpose may be lacking.

Other Names

Curupau, Curupay, Cebil, Yopi, Yopo, Cohoba, Yupa, Vilca, Huilca, Angico Preto, Curupay-atá, Niopo, Hisioma, Angico, Vilica, Sebil.

Contents

Twelve indole alkaloids have been detected in the genus Anadenanthera. The discribution of these compounds in the various organs and vegetable parts of the plants is not uniform and no species has been found to contain all 12 alkaloids. The primary active constituent of the seeds is bufotenin, a tryptamine related to serotonin and DMT. The seeds contain small amounts of N,N-dimethyltryptamine (DMT) and 5-hydroxy-N-monomethyltryptamine. (1)

Historical

The genus Anadenanthera was, together with tobacco, one of the most widely used shamanic inebriants. It is primarily South American in distribution and includes two species with two varieties each. The earliest evidence for the use of psychoactive plants in South America is provided by remains of seeds and pods recovered from archaeological sites four millennia old. Seeds are roasted, pulverized and inhaled through the nose, or smoked in pipes or as cigars. Anadenanthera also serves as an ingredient for chicha (a fermented drink) or similar preparations. The archaeological and ethnographical record have provided a wealth of information concerning the use of Anadenanthera. This is particularly true for regions of Peru, Chile, Bolivia, and Argentina where the climate has favored preservation of ancient artifacts and human remains. Study of these materials has provided evidence of the continuous association of Anadenanthera with emerging Andean cultures. Such findings are indicative of its central role in the cultural development of indigenous New World societies.
Throughout Orinocia and Amazonia Yopo snuff is seen as an intermediary, and it is the element that allows access to the extra-human. The ceremonies were all-night sessions involving continuous use of the snuff. The use of snail shell as a snuff container is widespread, as is association with feline imagery. (1)
The snuff made of Anadenanthera seeds is taken for such purposes as magic or religious ceremonies and the diagnosis of illness by means of divination. At present, in some areas of northwestern Argentina the seeds of cebil are used to prepare an infusion taken mostly for disorders said to be of supernatural origin. (2)

Plant Description

Anadenanthera is a beautiful delicate fern-leaved tree with spreading branches, white puff-ball flowers and dark leather brown pods with 10-15mm diameter black pip seeds. It resembles the Lead Tree, the Albizia and many other legume trees, but it has the most delicate doubly pinnately-compound mimosa leaves.
Plants need full sunlight and prefer well-drained soil. Let the soil dry completely between watering. A. colubrina can handle some short term freezing conditions.
Anadenanthera peregrina is a species that occurs naturally and cultivated in the open plains or llanos region of the Orinoco basin of Colombia and Venezuela, in savannahs and light forests in British Guiana and in Brazil in the open grasslands.

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• Australia
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References

(1) Anadenanthera: Visionary Plant of Ancient South America by Constantino Manual Torres, David B. Repke
(2) Hallucinogenic Snuff from Northwestern Argentina by M. L. Pochettino, A. R. Cortella, and M. Ruiz

Articles

Any information provided about products on this website, including any links to external websites, is purely intended for historical, scientific and educational purposes and should never be interpreted as a recommendation for a specific use of the products.

Ayahuasca Homepage

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