Hallucinogens
(Psychedelics)
1
Hallucinogens
substances that alter sensory
processing in the brain,
causing perceptual
disturbances, changes in
thought processing, and
depersonalization
2
Modern day history of
hallucinogens

The Native American Church
–

The American Indian Religious Freedom
Act of 1978
Timothy Leary and the League of
Spiritual Discovery
–
The Psychedelic Experience
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The nature of hallucinogens

Many drugs can exert
hallucinogenic effects
– LSD
–
–
types
Phenylethylamines
Anticholinergic agents
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Nature of hallucinogens
Psychedelic
Psychotogenic
Psychotomimetic
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Sensory and psychological
effects of hallucinogens

Altered senses
–

Loss of control
–

flashbacks
Self-reflection
–

synesthesia
“make conscious the unconscious”
Loss of identity and cosmic merging
–
“mystical-spiritual aspect of the drug
experience”
6
Traditional hallucinogens:
LSD types agents
LSD (lysergic acid diethylamide),
mescaline, psilocybin,
dimethyltryptamine (DMT), and
myristicin
 These drugs cause predominantly
psychedelic effects

7
Of high school seniors
sampled:
11.3% had used in 1975
8.6% has used in 1992
12.2% had used in 1999
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Traditional hallucinogens:
LSD types agents

Physical properties of LSD
–
–
In pure form - colorless, odorless,
tasteless
Street names - acid, blotter acid,
microdot, white lightning
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Traditional Hallucinogens

Physiological effects
–
–
–
Massive increase in neural activity
Activates sympathetic nervous system (rise in
body temp., heart rate, and blood pressure)
Parasympathetic nervous system (increase in
salivation and nausea)
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Traditional hallucinogens:
LSD types agents
About half of the substance is cleared
from the body within 3 hours, and more
than 90% is excreted within 24 hours
 Effects of this hallucinogen can last 2-12
hours
 Tolerance to the effects of LSD develops
very quickly

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Other LSD types agents

Mescaline (Peyote)
–
–
–
Mescaline is the most active drug in peyote;
it induces intensified perception of colors and
euphoria
Effects include dilation of the pupils,
increase in body temperature, anxiety, visual
hallucinations, and alteration of body image,
vomiting, muscular relaxation; in very high
doses may cause death
Street samples are rarely authentic
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Other LSD types agents

Psilocybin - its principal source is the
Psilocybe mexicana mushroom
–
–
–
–
It is not very common of the street
Hallucinogenic effects produced are quite
similar to LSD
Cross tolerance among psilocybin, LSD,
mescaline
Stimulates the autonomic nervous system,
dilates the pupils, increases the body
temperature
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Other LSD types agents

Dimethyltryptamine (DMT)
–
–
–
A short-acting hallucinogen
Found in seeds of certain leguminous trees
and prepared synthetically
It is inhaled and similar action as psilocybin
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Other Hallucinogenic (LSD type)

Nutmeg
–
–
–
Myristica oil responsible for physical effects
High doses can be quite intoxicating
Can also cause unpleasant trips
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Phenylethylamine hallucinogens
The phenylethylamine drugs are
chemically related to amphetamines.
 They have varying degrees of
hallucinogenic and CNS stimulant effects
 Phenylethylamines that predominantly:

–
–
Release serotonin are dominated by their
hallucinogenic action
Release dopamine are dominated by their
stimulant effects
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Phenylethylamine hallucinogens
Dimthoxymethylamphetamine
(DOM or STP)
 “Designer” amphetamines
 3,4-Methylenedioxyamphetamine
(MDA)
 Methylenedioxymethamphetamine
(MDMA)

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Anticholinergic hallucinogens
The anticholinergic hallucinogens include
naturally occurring alkaloid substances
that are present in plants and herbs
 The potato family of plants contains
most of these mind-altering drugs
 3 potent anticholingergic compounds

–
–
–
Scopolamine
Hyoscyamine
Atropine
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Anticholinergic hallucinogens
Atropa Belladonna: The Deadly
Nightshade
 Mandragora Officinarum: The
Mandrake
 Hyoscyamus Niger: Henbane
 Datura Stramonium: Jimsonweed

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Other hallucinogens

Phencyclidine (PCP)
–
–
It was developed as an intravenous
anesthetic, but found to have serious
adverse side effects
It differs from the other traditional
hallucinogens



It is a general anesthetic in high doses
It causes incredible strength and extreme violent
behavior
Management of the severe psychological
reactions requires drug therapy
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Other hallucinogens

Phencyclidine (PCP) physiological effects
–
–

Hallucinogenic effects, stimulation,
depression, anesthesia, analgesia
Large doses can cause coma, convulsions,
and death
PCP psychological effects
–
Feelings of strength, power, invulnerability;
perceptual distortions, paranoia, violence,
psychoses,
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Other hallucinogens: inhalants
 The most commonly abused inhalants are
volatile substances that can cause
hallucinations, intoxication, and euphoria.
–
–
–
Volatile solvents
Anesthetics
Nitrites
Mild doses - mild stimulations, lack of motor
control, dizziness, hallucinations
 High doses - violent behavior, heart
arrhythmia, unconsciousness, death22

22
From the forest to the front
lawn?
This lecture reviews basic information on
most of the hallucinogen and dissociative
intoxicants growing throughout the U.S.
 Psychoactive composition, geographic
distribution, and brief overview on
preparation and/or intoxication will be
reviewed

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Ephedra – Caffeine-like
Stimulant
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The Ephedra Equation
Most “dietary supplements” marketed as
psychoactive intoxicants contain ephedrine
and/or caffeine from a variety of botanical
sources.
 In China, Ma Huang is used directly as a tea or
compounded with other herbs.
 Historically in the U.S., it was used as a
stimulant tea: Mormon Tea, Brigham Tea, and
other names.
 Contains: ephedrine, pseudo-ephedrine, norephedrine, methyl-ephedrine, tannins, saponin,
and flavone

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Ephedra grows in the deserts
of the Southwest
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Ephedra of the US
E. trifurca, E. viridis, E. torreyana, E. nevadensis and E.
californica

100 gm dried ephedra could contain anywhere
from 0 to 2.6 gm of ephedrine

Herbalists do offer pure extract
preparations
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Psilocybe Mushrooms: Potent
Hallucinogen
Psilocybin: 4-phosphoryloxy-N,N-DMT
 Psilocin: 4-hydroxy-N,N-DMT
 Psilocybe cubensis typically contains 1.6
mg psilocybin per gram of dried
mushroom
 40 mcg/kg intoxicates
 3 to 4 hour duration

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Psilocybe Mushrooms
Small brown
mushrooms that stain
blue to the touch
 Illicit cultivation but
also foraged from
temperate climates

29
Psilocybe Mushrooms:
Religious Use
Religious use continues in Oaxaca, Mexico
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Psilocybin content
31
Dimethyltryptamine – Potent
Hallucinogen (DMT)




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N,N-Dimethyltryptamine
10 to 20 mg smoked : 15 minute intoxication
Approximately 100mg oral ingestion in presence
of an MAOI: 3-4 hour intoxication
Many sources
Religious use of ayahuasca continues in Brazil;
indigenous and “modern” religions: Santo
Daime and Uniao do Vegetal. Both seek
permission to use in the U.S.
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DMT…it’s as common as
crabgrass…

“Canary” grass; Phalaris aquatica, P.
arundinacea, P. canariensis, P. tuberosa
 Desmanthus illinoensis; Prairie
Bundleflower
 Many other sources; mostly S. America.
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DMT content

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Alkaloids reported as mg/100g raw dried plant
+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
++
P. tuberosa: DMT 100 mg+; 5-Me-DMT 22 mg+;
5-OH-DMT 5 mg
P. arundinacea DMT 60+ mg
Desmanthus illinoesis (root bark) DMT 340 mg
Psychotria viridis: DMT 200 mg
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Phalaris spp.
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Desmanthus illinoesis
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Monoamine Oxidase Inhibitors
Sedative-hypnotic properties and
possibly hallucinogenic/dissociative
properties
Sources: Peganum harmala, Passiflora
spp.,
USED TO MAKE DMT ORALLY
ACTIVE
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Peganum harmala
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Peganum harmala
Commonly called Syrian rue
 Contains reversible MAOIs that may also
be psychoactive (2 to 4% beta-carboline
content).
 Ayahuasca’s MAOI source only has 0.5%
beta-carboline content.
 Passiflora: approx. 1%

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Passiflora incarnata

Passion flower; fruit used in drinks;
some herbal preparations as a
“sedative”
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Peyote – Potent Hallucinogen
Lophophoria williamsii
Contains mescaline
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Natural Range of Peyote
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Harvesting Peyote
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Peyote





Lophophoria williamsii
contains 1.5% mescaline (b3,4,5-trimethoxyphenethylamine)
3mg/kg potent intoxication
Up to 8 to 10 hour duration
Continued religious use in
North America
Other cacti used in South
America and also…
44
Trichocereus spp.
Most popular source
of non-sacramental
mescaline in the U.S.
isn’t peyote…
 These ornamental
cacti can be found
almost everywhere

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The Peyote Ceremony
Stewart OC. Peyote Religion. Norman, OK:
University of Oklahoma Press, 1987.
Aberle DF. The Peyote Religion Among the Navaho.
Chicago, IL: Aldine Publishing Co., 1966.
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The Peyote Ceremony
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Reasons for a
meeting
The Road Chief and…
Tobacco prayers
Ingestion of Peyote
Power of song
Water ceremony
The morning after
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Lysergic Acid Amide
Ipomoea spp. (esp. I. purpurea)
Argyria nervosa
Morning Glory
Hawaiian Baby Woodrose
5-10 grams of seeds
4-8 seeds ingested
Aztec: Oliliuqui
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Salvia divinorum
potent hallucinogen
Many other Salvia spp. may also contain
psychoactive diterpenes. “Salvinorin A”
 Related to Sage plants/Mint family
 Does not grow in the United States
naturally, but can readily be cultivated.
Mexican origin
 First reported in 1962 but popularity
increased via Internet…

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Salvia divinorum
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Coleus?
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Datura stramonium Potent
Dissociative
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Datura
Leaves typically cut and smoked
 Contains atropine, scopalomine, and…
 Ancient ceremonial use in the U.S.
 Occasional report of death by ingestion of
root
 Many other sources for atropine and
scopalomine…mandrake, henbane…

53
Amanita muscaria
Found throughout the
U.S.
Muscimol is the
primary psychoactive
alkaloid
Dissociative
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Bufo Frogs…
Contains bufontinin but intoxication
primarily from 5-Meo-DMT
 The toad is NOT licked but glands are
milked for poison

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Botanical intoxicants…future
mayhem?
None of these plants are addictive, other than
cultivation of the opium poppy in the U.S.,
which is not common. Illicit cultivation of
Cannabis spp., of course, continues.
 Eradication of the illicit drug market of
hallucinogens may drive the “resourceful” to
these botanicals more than today.
 It is not feasible to eradicate these botanicals
from U.S. territory
 The Internet will drive an ever wider
dissemination of information on these
botanicals to those seeking this information

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References
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