Apocynum androsaemifolium / Bitter Root / Apocynaceae (Dogbane 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sources we deemed to be reliable up to the date it was written but may contain omissions or errors in fact, or become outdated.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

Purple Wolfsbane, Dogbane, Bitter Root, Milkweed, Fly-Trap, Canadian Hemp, Chanvre Du Canada, Spreading Dogbane, Vliegenwurger, American Ipecac, Bitter Dogbane, Black Indian Hemp, Catch Fly, Colicroot, Honey Bloom, Indian Hemp, Milk Ipecac, Rheumatism Wood, Wandering Milkweed, Western Wallflower, Wild Ipecac, Gewöhnliches Hundsgift, Rattlesnake Root, Snakebite, Three-leaved Nightshade, Trillium, Wakerobin, Birthroot.

Description

Bitter Root is a herbaceous perennial, indigenous to America, growing along fences and upon hill-sides. 150-180cm in height, branching and, in common with the other three members of the genus, yielding on incision a glutinous milky juice resembling Indiarubber when dry. This latex, is a possible source of rubber. Parts of the plant were utilized medicinally by Native Americans and pioneers as cough medicine, and a tea to treat internal parasites.
From the tough, fibrous bark of the stalks they twisted thread as a substitute for hemp, to make bowstrings, twine, bags, fishing nets, lines, and linen etc.
The common name, Dogbane, refers to the plant's toxic nature, which has been described as poisonous to dogs. Apocynum means "Away, dog!" Has a musty odour and starchy, bitter taste.
The root of this plant is many feet in length, creeping horizontally, and tapering from the size of a man's finger; this root, or more properly the corticle, is the active part. Age impairs its powers.

Scent

Almost inodorous, a slight, rather musty odour and a starchy, bitter taste.

Aromatic Properties

The fragrance is stimulant and relaxant about equally; manifesting its powers slowly, and quite persistently. It enhances one's creativity and imagination, bringing out the child within. Some believe Dogbane should be used on Autum Eve, in order to enter the realm of Faery and to be able to see natural spirits. It is a herb of protection, under the rule of Jupiter, said to encourage nature's Spirits and the presence of Deva's to be invited.

Contents

Contains apocynamarin, a cardiac glycoside, as well as other glycosides and resins.

Synergic Combinations

Dogbane goes well with Ginger and Anise.

Health Warnings

It is official in the United States Pharmacopoeia and has emetic, cathartic, diaphoretic, expectorant and diuretic properties, and on account of the last-named action it is used in dropsical affections. It should be used with great caution, and only under the supervision of a qualified practitioner if taking this plant internally. It has a powerful action in slowing the pulse and also has a very strong action on the vaso-motor system, it is rather an irritant to the mucous membranes though, so some people cannot tolerate it.

Plant Description

A shrub-like, perennial herb, 30-120cm tall. Leaves paired and ovate, toothless, dark green above, paler and downy beneath, 5-8cm long. Stems ruddy and branching, and, in common with the other three members of the genus, yielding on incision a milky juice resembling India rubber when dry. Flowers bell shaped, white, tinged with red and fragrant, dangling from curved stalks; five scales in the throat of the corolla secrete a sweet liquid, attractive to flies. These scales are very sensitive, and when touched bend inward, imprisoning the insects. Fruit dry narrow pods, in pairs, 10-20cm long. Seeds reddish, with long white hairs. Blooms mid-June through the end of July in the North Country. Reproduces by seed and vegetatively by rhizomes.
The bark yields a good quality fibre that is used for making twine, bags, linen etc. The fibre is finer and stronger than cotton. It can be harvested after the leaves fall in the autumn but is probably at its best as the seed pods are forming.

Pinus nigra / Black Pine / Pinaceae (Pine 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.

Description

The European Black Pine Pinus nigra (generally called Black Pine in Europe), is a variable species of pine, occurring across southern Europe from Spain to the Crimea, and also in Asia Minor, Cyprus, and locally in the Atlas Mountains of northwest Africa. It is found at elevations ranging from sea level to 2,000 m. Like all other pines, Pinus nigra is a useful medicinal plant, primarily for the turpentine obtained from the resin. The resin can also be burned on charcoal disks releasing a fresh forest aroma. An essential oil obtained from the needles and cones is used in aromatherapy for its refreshing and uplifting effects.

Scent

Green, fresh, forest aroma.

Aromatic Properties

Emotionally, Pine reinforces our sense of boundaries. It separates us from the potentially stressful emotions of others. It is warming, refreshing, stimulating, and encourages positive thought. Pine eases stress and anxiety, and builds self-identity and self-confidence.

Contents

alpha- & beta-Pinene, delta-3-Carene, Bornyl-Acetate, Limonene, Borneol.

Synergic Combinations

Blends well with Cedarwood, Cinnamon, Cypress, Eucalyptus, Frankincense, Lavender, Niaouli, Rosemary, Thyme.

Historical

All the Pines yield resin in greater or smaller quantities, which is obtained by tapping the trees. The crude resin is almost entirely used for the distillation of Oil of Turpentine and Rosin, only small quantities being employed medicinally - for ointments, plasters, etc. When the Oil of Turpentine is entirely distilled off, the residuum is Rosin or Colophony, but when only part of the oil is extracted, the viscous mass remaining is known commercially as common Crude Turpentine. Rosin is used not only by violinists, for rubbing their bows, but also in making sealing wax, varnish, and resinous soaps for sizing paper and papier maché and dressing hemp cordage. Oil of Turpentine is a good solvent for many resins, wax, fats, caoutchouc, sulphur, and phosphorus, and is largely employed in making varnish, in oil-painting, etc. Medicinally, it is much employed in both general and veterinary practice. Often used in herbal steam baths, pine always creates a fresh and uplifting atmosphere.
The tree is a valuable assets to wild life as a food source and a place of shelter. Hikers can use the trees resources as well and just the smell of the Black Pine can make the journey lighter and makes it easyer to lift the feet.The Black Pine roots deep and is thus planted as a windbreaker. It's also a popular landscape tree. And ofcourse as all pines it is used as a Christmas tree.
On account of the straight grain, strength, and other qualities of pine timber, it is used for nearly every sort of constructional work and the trade in it is enormous.

Plant Description

It is a large tree, growing to 20–55 m tall at maturity. The bark is grey to yellow-brown, and is widely split by flaking fissures into scaly plates, becoming increasingly fissured with age. The leaves ("needles") are in fascicles of two, dark green, and 8–20 cm long. The ovulate and pollen cones appear from May to June. The mature seed cones are 5–10 cm long, with rounded scales; they ripen from green to pale yellow-buff in September to November 18 months after pollination. The winged seeds are wind-dispersed when the cones open from December to April. Sexual maturity is reached at 15–40 years; large seed crops are produced at 2–5 year intervals. It is moderately fast growing (30–70 cm/year) and usually has a rounded conic form, becoming irregular with age; it is fairly long lived, with some trees probably over 500 years old.

References

Pine, A Modern Herbal by Maud Grieve
Pinus nigra, Plants For A Future
European Black Pine, Wikipedia
Antioxidant and analgesic activities of turpentine of Pinus nigra Arn. subsp. pallsiana (Lamb.) Holmboe, lhami Gülçin, M. Emin Büyükokuroglu, Münir Oktay and Ö. Irfan Küfrevioglu

Turnera aphrodisiaca / Damiana / Turneraceae (Damiana 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

Damiana, Damiane, Oreganillo, Thè Bourrique, Mexican Damiana, Mexican Holly, Damiana de Guerrero.

Description

Damiana leaves are harvested from the plant Turnera aphrodisiaca, a small shrub native to Mexico. Besides being used in the production of a popular Mexican liqueur called Damiana, this fragrant herb has enjoyed a long and unwarranted history of use as an aphrodisiac, supposedly able to stimulate the libido of men and women alike.
It is also regarded as an important folk medicine in Mexico. Damiana is known to help strengthen the body, contribute to physical wellbeing and support energetic alertness.(1)

Scent

The shrub is said to have an odor somewhat like Chamomile or Cannabis sativa, due to an oil present in the plant.(3)

Contents

The main constituents of Damiana include: Albuminoids, alpha-copaene, alpha-pinene, arbutin, barterin, beta-pinene, beta-sitosterol, calamenene, caoutchouc, chlorophyll, 1,8-cineole, cymene, cymol, damianin, essential oil, gamma-cadinene, gonzalitosin-i, hexacosanol-1, luteolin, quinovopyranosides, tannins, tetraphyllin b, thymol, triacontane, and trimethoxyflavones.(2)

Historical

The leaves have traditionally been made into a tea which was used by native people of Central and South America for its aphrodisiac effects. A Spanish missionary first reported that the Mexican Indians made a drink from the Damiana leaves, added sugar, and drank it for its purported power to enhance lovemaking. (2)

Plant Description

Damiana is a small shrub that grows 1-2 m high and bears aromatic, serrate leaves that are 10-25 cm long. Small yellow flowers bloom in early to late summer which are followed by small fruits with a sweet smell and fig-like flavor. The medicinal part of the plant is its leaves, which are harvested during the flowering season. Damiana is found throughout Mexico, Central America, and the West Indies, as well as in parts of South America. Turnera diffusa and T. aphrodisiaca are generally regarded as the same plant in herbal commerce. A closely-related species, T. ulmifolia, is similar in appearance, but it has different traditional medicinal uses. (2)

References

(1) Document: NL-E4-0-C-REF, Netherlands Ministry of Health, Welfare and Sport
(2) Damiana, Raintree Tropical Plant Database
(3) Damiana, Wikipedia

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.

Turnera afrodisia - Erowid

Turnera aphrodisiaca / Damiana / Turneraceae (Damiana 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

Damiana, Damiane, Oreganillo, Thè Bourrique, Mexican Damiana, Mexican Holly, Damiana de Guerrero.

Description

Damiana leaves are harvested from the plant Turnera aphrodisiaca, a small shrub native to Mexico. Besides being used in the production of a popular Mexican liqueur called Damiana, this fragrant herb has enjoyed a long and unwarranted history of use as an aphrodisiac, supposedly able to stimulate the libido of men and women alike.
It is also regarded as an important folk medicine in Mexico. Damiana is known to help strengthen the body, contribute to physical wellbeing and support energetic alertness.(1)

Scent

The shrub is said to have an odor somewhat like Chamomile or Cannabis sativa, due to an oil present in the plant.(3)

Contents

The main constituents of Damiana include: Albuminoids, alpha-copaene, alpha-pinene, arbutin, barterin, beta-pinene, beta-sitosterol, calamenene, caoutchouc, chlorophyll, 1,8-cineole, cymene, cymol, damianin, essential oil, gamma-cadinene, gonzalitosin-i, hexacosanol-1, luteolin, quinovopyranosides, tannins, tetraphyllin b, thymol, triacontane, and trimethoxyflavones.(2)

Historical

The leaves have traditionally been made into a tea which was used by native people of Central and South America for its aphrodisiac effects. A Spanish missionary first reported that the Mexican Indians made a drink from the Damiana leaves, added sugar, and drank it for its purported power to enhance lovemaking. (2)

Plant Description

Damiana is a small shrub that grows 1-2 m high and bears aromatic, serrate leaves that are 10-25 cm long. Small yellow flowers bloom in early to late summer which are followed by small fruits with a sweet smell and fig-like flavor. The medicinal part of the plant is its leaves, which are harvested during the flowering season. Damiana is found throughout Mexico, Central America, and the West Indies, as well as in parts of South America. Turnera diffusa and T. aphrodisiaca are generally regarded as the same plant in herbal commerce. A closely-related species, T. ulmifolia, is similar in appearance, but it has different traditional medicinal uses. (2)

References

(1) Document: NL-E4-0-C-REF, Netherlands Ministry of Health, Welfare and Sport
(2) Damiana, Raintree Tropical Plant Database
(3) Damiana, Wikipedia

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.

Turnera afrodisia - Erowid

Calea zacatechichi / Dreamherb / Compositae (Sunflower 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

The name of the species comes from Nahuatl "Zacatechichi" which means "Bitter grass" and is the common name of the plant all over Mexico. It is also known with the Spanish names of "Zacate de Perro" (Dog's grass), "Hoja Madre" (Mother's leaf) "Hoja de Dies" (God's leaf), and Thle-pela-kano in Chontal.

Description

Calea zacatechichi, also known as Dream Herb, Cheech, and Bitter Grass, is a plant used by the indigenous Chontal of the Mexican state of Oaxaca for oneiromancy (a form of divination based on dreams). Whenever they desire to know the cause of an illness or the location of a distant or lost person, dry leaves of the plant are smoked, drunk in infusions, and put under the pillow before going to sleep. Reportedly, the answer to the question comes in a dream. (1)(2).

Contents

Several sesquiterpene lactones had been isolated from the plant. Calaxin and ciliarin were identified by Ortega et al. (1970), and the germacranolides, 1B-acetoxy zacatechinolide and l-oxo zacatechinolide, by Bohlmann and Zdero (1977). Quijano at al. (1977-1978) identified caleocromenes A and B and caleins A and B. while Ramos (1979) found caleicins I and II. Herz and Kumar (1980) isolated acacetin, o-methyl acacetin, zexbrevin and an analogue, as well as several analogues of budlein A and neurolenin B, including calein A. The chemical composition varies between samples. (5)

Historical

Dreams have an important place in mesoamerican cultures. They are believed to occur in a realm of suprasensory reality and therefore are capable of conveying messages. In 1968 a naturalist, Thomas MacDougall, working among the Chontal Indians, reported a "secret" plant that is made into a tea or infusion and consumed in solitude while a cigarette of the same leaves is smoked. This produces a feeling of well-being that continues for one or more days. The Chontal medicine men, who assert that this plant is capable of "clarifying the senses," call it "Thlepelakano" or "Leaf of God." Subsequent interviews with MacDougall's informant and active participation in ceremonial ingestion revealed that the plant is used for divination during dreaming. (3)(4)(5)

Plant Description

C. Zacatechichi is a shrub measuring 1-1,5 m in height. The plant has many branches with oviform and opposite leaves (3-5 cm long and 2-4 cm wide). The leaves show serrated borders, acute endings and a short petiole. They are rugose and pubescent. The inflorescence is small and dense (comprising around 12 flowers each) with the pedicels shorter than the heads. The plant grows from Mexico to Costa Rica in dry savannas and canyons. (5)

Legal Remarks

This product is illegal or somehow problematic to send to the following countries. Click on the country link for further information.

• Poland

References

(1) Ethnopharmacology and taxonomy of Mexican psychodysleptic plants. Diaz JL. J Psychedelic Drugs. 1979
(2) Calea zacatechichi, Wikipedia article
(3) Narcotic Plants, revised ed., Wm. Emboden
(4) Botany & Chemistry of Hallucinogens, Schultes & Hofmann
(5) Psychopharmacologic Analysis of an Alleged Oneirogenic Plant Calea zacatechichi, L Mayagoitia, JL Diaz, CM Contreras, Journal of Ethnopharmacology 18 (1986)
(6) Calea zacatechichi Legal Status, Erowid

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.

Calea zacatechichi - Wikipedia
Chontal
Dreams
Lucid Dreaming
Oneiromancy

Related Products

Guayusa (Ilex guayusa)
Sacred Blue Lily of the Nile (Nymphaea caerulea)
African Dream Root (Silene capensis)

Calea zacatechichi / Dreamherb / Compositae (Sunflower 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

The name of the species comes from Nahuatl "Zacatechichi" which means "Bitter grass" and is the common name of the plant all over Mexico. It is also known with the Spanish names of "Zacate de Perro" (Dog's grass), "Hoja Madre" (Mother's leaf) "Hoja de Dies" (God's leaf), and Thle-pela-kano in Chontal.

Description

Calea zacatechichi, also known as Dream Herb, Cheech, and Bitter Grass, is a plant used by the indigenous Chontal of the Mexican state of Oaxaca for oneiromancy (a form of divination based on dreams). Whenever they desire to know the cause of an illness or the location of a distant or lost person, dry leaves of the plant are smoked, drunk in infusions, and put under the pillow before going to sleep. Reportedly, the answer to the question comes in a dream. (1)(2).

Contents

Several sesquiterpene lactones had been isolated from the plant. Calaxin and ciliarin were identified by Ortega et al. (1970), and the germacranolides, 1B-acetoxy zacatechinolide and l-oxo zacatechinolide, by Bohlmann and Zdero (1977). Quijano at al. (1977-1978) identified caleocromenes A and B and caleins A and B. while Ramos (1979) found caleicins I and II. Herz and Kumar (1980) isolated acacetin, o-methyl acacetin, zexbrevin and an analogue, as well as several analogues of budlein A and neurolenin B, including calein A. The chemical composition varies between samples. (5)

Historical

Dreams have an important place in mesoamerican cultures. They are believed to occur in a realm of suprasensory reality and therefore are capable of conveying messages. In 1968 a naturalist, Thomas MacDougall, working among the Chontal Indians, reported a "secret" plant that is made into a tea or infusion and consumed in solitude while a cigarette of the same leaves is smoked. This produces a feeling of well-being that continues for one or more days. The Chontal medicine men, who assert that this plant is capable of "clarifying the senses," call it "Thlepelakano" or "Leaf of God." Subsequent interviews with MacDougall's informant and active participation in ceremonial ingestion revealed that the plant is used for divination during dreaming. (3)(4)(5)

Plant Description

C. Zacatechichi is a shrub measuring 1-1,5 m in height. The plant has many branches with oviform and opposite leaves (3-5 cm long and 2-4 cm wide). The leaves show serrated borders, acute endings and a short petiole. They are rugose and pubescent. The inflorescence is small and dense (comprising around 12 flowers each) with the pedicels shorter than the heads. The plant grows from Mexico to Costa Rica in dry savannas and canyons. (5)

Legal Remarks

This product is illegal or somehow problematic to send to the following countries. Click on the country link for further information.

• Poland

References

(1) Ethnopharmacology and taxonomy of Mexican psychodysleptic plants. Diaz JL. J Psychedelic Drugs. 1979
(2) Calea zacatechichi, Wikipedia article
(3) Narcotic Plants, revised ed., Wm. Emboden
(4) Botany & Chemistry of Hallucinogens, Schultes & Hofmann
(5) Psychopharmacologic Analysis of an Alleged Oneirogenic Plant Calea zacatechichi, L Mayagoitia, JL Diaz, CM Contreras, Journal of Ethnopharmacology 18 (1986)
(6) Calea zacatechichi Legal Status, Erowid

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.

Calea zacatechichi - Wikipedia
Chontal
Dreams
Lucid Dreaming
Oneiromancy

Related Products

Guayusa (Ilex guayusa)
Sacred Blue Lily of the Nile (Nymphaea caerulea)
African Dream Root (Silene capensis)

Calea zacatechichi / Dreamherb / Compositae (Sunflower 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

The name of the species comes from Nahuatl "Zacatechichi" which means "Bitter grass" and is the common name of the plant all over Mexico. It is also known with the Spanish names of "Zacate de Perro" (Dog's grass), "Hoja Madre" (Mother's leaf) "Hoja de Dies" (God's leaf), and Thle-pela-kano in Chontal.

Description

Calea zacatechichi, also known as Dream Herb, Cheech, and Bitter Grass, is a plant used by the indigenous Chontal of the Mexican state of Oaxaca for oneiromancy (a form of divination based on dreams). Whenever they desire to know the cause of an illness or the location of a distant or lost person, dry leaves of the plant are smoked, drunk in infusions, and put under the pillow before going to sleep. Reportedly, the answer to the question comes in a dream. (1)(2).

Contents

Several sesquiterpene lactones had been isolated from the plant. Calaxin and ciliarin were identified by Ortega et al. (1970), and the germacranolides, 1B-acetoxy zacatechinolide and l-oxo zacatechinolide, by Bohlmann and Zdero (1977). Quijano at al. (1977-1978) identified caleocromenes A and B and caleins A and B. while Ramos (1979) found caleicins I and II. Herz and Kumar (1980) isolated acacetin, o-methyl acacetin, zexbrevin and an analogue, as well as several analogues of budlein A and neurolenin B, including calein A. The chemical composition varies between samples. (5)

Historical

Dreams have an important place in mesoamerican cultures. They are believed to occur in a realm of suprasensory reality and therefore are capable of conveying messages. In 1968 a naturalist, Thomas MacDougall, working among the Chontal Indians, reported a "secret" plant that is made into a tea or infusion and consumed in solitude while a cigarette of the same leaves is smoked. This produces a feeling of well-being that continues for one or more days. The Chontal medicine men, who assert that this plant is capable of "clarifying the senses," call it "Thlepelakano" or "Leaf of God." Subsequent interviews with MacDougall's informant and active participation in ceremonial ingestion revealed that the plant is used for divination during dreaming. (3)(4)(5)

Plant Description

C. Zacatechichi is a shrub measuring 1-1,5 m in height. The plant has many branches with oviform and opposite leaves (3-5 cm long and 2-4 cm wide). The leaves show serrated borders, acute endings and a short petiole. They are rugose and pubescent. The inflorescence is small and dense (comprising around 12 flowers each) with the pedicels shorter than the heads. The plant grows from Mexico to Costa Rica in dry savannas and canyons. (5)

Legal Remarks

This product is illegal or somehow problematic to send to the following countries. Click on the country link for further information.

• Poland

References

(1) Ethnopharmacology and taxonomy of Mexican psychodysleptic plants. Diaz JL. J Psychedelic Drugs. 1979
(2) Calea zacatechichi, Wikipedia article
(3) Narcotic Plants, revised ed., Wm. Emboden
(4) Botany & Chemistry of Hallucinogens, Schultes & Hofmann
(5) Psychopharmacologic Analysis of an Alleged Oneirogenic Plant Calea zacatechichi, L Mayagoitia, JL Diaz, CM Contreras, Journal of Ethnopharmacology 18 (1986)
(6) Calea zacatechichi Legal Status, Erowid

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.

Calea zacatechichi - Wikipedia
Chontal
Dreams
Lucid Dreaming
Oneiromancy

Related Products

Guayusa (Ilex guayusa)
Sacred Blue Lily of the Nile (Nymphaea caerulea)
African Dream Root (Silene capensis)

Calea zacatechichi / Dreamherb / Compositae (Sunflower 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

The name of the species comes from Nahuatl "Zacatechichi" which means "Bitter grass" and is the common name of the plant all over Mexico. It is also known with the Spanish names of "Zacate de Perro" (Dog's grass), "Hoja Madre" (Mother's leaf) "Hoja de Dies" (God's leaf), and Thle-pela-kano in Chontal.

Description

Calea zacatechichi, also known as Dream Herb, Cheech, and Bitter Grass, is a plant used by the indigenous Chontal of the Mexican state of Oaxaca for oneiromancy (a form of divination based on dreams). Whenever they desire to know the cause of an illness or the location of a distant or lost person, dry leaves of the plant are smoked, drunk in infusions, and put under the pillow before going to sleep. Reportedly, the answer to the question comes in a dream. (1)(2).

Contents

Several sesquiterpene lactones had been isolated from the plant. Calaxin and ciliarin were identified by Ortega et al. (1970), and the germacranolides, 1B-acetoxy zacatechinolide and l-oxo zacatechinolide, by Bohlmann and Zdero (1977). Quijano at al. (1977-1978) identified caleocromenes A and B and caleins A and B. while Ramos (1979) found caleicins I and II. Herz and Kumar (1980) isolated acacetin, o-methyl acacetin, zexbrevin and an analogue, as well as several analogues of budlein A and neurolenin B, including calein A. The chemical composition varies between samples. (5)

Historical

Dreams have an important place in mesoamerican cultures. They are believed to occur in a realm of suprasensory reality and therefore are capable of conveying messages. In 1968 a naturalist, Thomas MacDougall, working among the Chontal Indians, reported a "secret" plant that is made into a tea or infusion and consumed in solitude while a cigarette of the same leaves is smoked. This produces a feeling of well-being that continues for one or more days. The Chontal medicine men, who assert that this plant is capable of "clarifying the senses," call it "Thlepelakano" or "Leaf of God." Subsequent interviews with MacDougall's informant and active participation in ceremonial ingestion revealed that the plant is used for divination during dreaming. (3)(4)(5)

Plant Description

C. Zacatechichi is a shrub measuring 1-1,5 m in height. The plant has many branches with oviform and opposite leaves (3-5 cm long and 2-4 cm wide). The leaves show serrated borders, acute endings and a short petiole. They are rugose and pubescent. The inflorescence is small and dense (comprising around 12 flowers each) with the pedicels shorter than the heads. The plant grows from Mexico to Costa Rica in dry savannas and canyons. (5)

Legal Remarks

This product is illegal or somehow problematic to send to the following countries. Click on the country link for further information.

• Poland

References

(1) Ethnopharmacology and taxonomy of Mexican psychodysleptic plants. Diaz JL. J Psychedelic Drugs. 1979
(2) Calea zacatechichi, Wikipedia article
(3) Narcotic Plants, revised ed., Wm. Emboden
(4) Botany & Chemistry of Hallucinogens, Schultes & Hofmann
(5) Psychopharmacologic Analysis of an Alleged Oneirogenic Plant Calea zacatechichi, L Mayagoitia, JL Diaz, CM Contreras, Journal of Ethnopharmacology 18 (1986)
(6) Calea zacatechichi Legal Status, Erowid

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.

Calea zacatechichi - Wikipedia
Chontal
Dreams
Lucid Dreaming
Oneiromancy

Related Products

Guayusa (Ilex guayusa)
Sacred Blue Lily of the Nile (Nymphaea caerulea)
African Dream Root (Silene capensis)

Mimosa hostilis / Jurema / 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

Mimosa, Jurema, Jurema preta, Vinho da Jurema.

Description

In North-eastern Brazil, this plant is called "Jurema", a common flowering Leguminous tree. Most of them are American, although some occur in Africa and Asia. Jurema is native only to the dry regions of eastern Brazil. Jurema has been used as an entheogenic beverage since time immemorial. In the eighteenth and nineteenth century, "Vinho da Jurema" was reported several times. Later, its use was thought to be extinct. It evidently went underground, although truly indigenous tribes using Jurema probably also became extinct as its use has later only been reported among "mixed" populations. In 1964 Mimosa hostilis was identified as the source of Jurema. Especially the inner root-bark has a high tryptamine content.

Contents

N,N Dimethyltryptamine was originally isolated from the bark of M. hostilis in 1946. However the authors then named it nigerine after the entheogenic beverage made from the plant. In 1959 nigerine was actually discovered to be N,N Dimethyltryptamine (Pachter et al, 1959). Other compounds found in Mimosa tenuiflorae which is believed to be another name for M. hostilis include yuremamine, a new type of phytoindole. This compound may be responsible for the supposed oral activity of cold water infusions of this plant unlike Ayahuasca brews which involve Monoamine Oxidase Inhibitor plants in combination with DMT containing plants (Vepslaainen et al 2005). The bark of M. tenuiflorae also contains tannins and triterpenoidal saponins. These compounds are believed to be responsible for the antimicrobial and wound healing properties of the plant bark. "Recently, clinical studies performed at Mexican Institute of Social Security (IMSS) hospitals with a standardized tannin content extract obtained from Mimosae tenuiflora bark showed excellent therapeutic properties on being applied in the treatment of skin venous leg ulcerations," (Rivera-Arce et al, 2007).

Historical

The Jurema brew the Indians drink is not Mimosa Hostilis, but the root bark from Mimosa Verrucosa. Different tribes will call Mimosa Hostilis, the Jurema Negra and Mimosa Verrucosa, the Jurema Branca, while other tribes call Mimosa Verrucosa, the Jurema Negra. This means that when an Indian says that they drink Jurema Negra, it does not necessarily mean they are drinking Mimosa Hostilis, but Mimosa Verrucosa which is called both: Jurema Branca and Jurema Negra. In the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries, there were a number of reports from North-eastern Brazil of the use of an inebriating beverage called Vinho da Jurema (Goncalves de Lima 1946), a use said to be extinct today (Schultes and Hofmann 1980) but evidently continuing underground (Da Mota 1987). In 1964, the botanical source of Vinho da Jurema was identified as the roots of Mimosa Hostilis.

Plant Description

Mimosa tenuiflora is a perennial evergreen shrub native to the northeastern region of Brazil and found as far north as southern Mexico. It is one of scores of Mimosa species and cognates. The white, fragrant flowers occur in loosely cylindrical spikes. The fern-like branches have leaves that are finely pinnate, growing to 5 cm long. The brittle fruits average 3 cm long. The plant itself grows to 4 meters in height.

Legal Remarks

This product is illegal or somehow problematic to send to the following countries. Click on the country link for further information.

• Poland
• Reunion
• Lithuania
• France

References

- I.J. Pachter, D.E. Zacharias, O. Ribeiro, "Indole Alkaloids of Acer saccharinum (the Silver Maple), Dictyloma incanescens, Piptadenia columbrina, and Mimosa hostilis", J. Org. Chem. 24
- Vepsalainen, JJ; Auriola, S; Tukiainen, M; Ropponen, N; Callaway, JC, Isolation and characterization of yuremamine, a new phytoindole
- Rivera-Arce, E (Rivera-Arce, E.); Gattuso, M (Gattuso, M.); Alvarado, R (Alvarado, R.); Zarate, E (Zarate, E.); Aguero, J (Agueero, J.); Feria, I (Feria, I.); Lozoya, X (Lozoya, X.), Pharmacognostical studies of the plant drug Mimosae tenuiflorae cortex, JOURNAL OF ETHNOPHARMACOLOGY
- Mimosa, Erowid
- Peter Stafford, Psychedelics Encyclopedia
- Jonathan Ott, Pharmacotheon

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.

1971 Convention on Psychotropic Substances
Ayahuasca Dreams
Ayahuasca Homepage
Ayahuasca to Pharmahuasca to Anahuasca - Jonathan Ott
Banisteriopsis caapi - Vine of the Soul - taken from “Plants of the gods, their sacred, healing and hallucinogenic powers”
Pharmahuasca, Anahuasca and Vinho da Jurema - Jonathan Ott
Rick Strassman
Terence McKenna
Tryptamine
Tryptamine Alkaloids
Uniao do Vegetal
Uniao do Vegetal - Wikipedia

Related Products

Ayahuasca (Banisteriopsis caapi)
Palo Santo (Bursera graveolens)
Syrian Rue (Peganum harmala)
Ph indicators (Ph indicators)