The Salvia divinorum Research and Information Center - Shroomery

Ps94amay99
creek in a small ravine. It was also scattered throughout a cafetal (coffee plantation). The plants were blooming, and there were
remains of flowering spikes, but no seeds. This indicated the stands were probably monoclonal and apparently originally
started by humans. However, in neither location was there any sign of cultivation of the mint. A search of specimens in the
herbarium at the University of Mexico did not indicate that any were collected from sites where they were being cultivated.
Díaz has made similar observations (Valdés et. al. 1987; Díaz 1975; Valdés 1983).
Plants of S. divinorum being grown in the USA do not readily set seed (Grubber 1973), probably because most are from a
single clone. However, Don Alejandro stated that the ska María Pastora in the highlands did make seeds. Limited crosspollination
experiments were attempted, in which seeds were produced, but an overheating growth chamber killed them
(Valdés et al. 1987). Recently Siebert (1994) indicated that he harvested viable seeds at the Botanical Dimensions Gardens in
Hawaii. These sprouted 3 weeks after planting, and are growing very slowly. The mint is easily propagated from cuttings
(Anon. 1994; Valdés, 1987; Foster 1984; Grubber 1973). When Wasson and Hofmann received it in 1962, they brought back
living plants which were acquisitioned by the UCLA Botanical Gardens (Emboden 1980; Verity 1980). In 1980 and 1981 the
present author collected it in Mexico and recently Blosser (1993) returned with specimens of a less bitter strain of the plant.
Clones of these plants are being grown throughout California and other parts of the United States. Up until now it has been
possible to produce enough S. divinorum at home, and in greenhouses, for extensive research (Koreeda, Brown & Valdés 1990;
Valdés et al. 1987; Valdés, 1986, Valdés et al. 1984; Valdés 1983). Having 80 to 100 twelve inch pots (5 cuttings/pot)
arranged quincuncially in an area of 4 x 4 m (12 ft by 12 ft), indoors (on benches under normal cool-white fluorescent lighting)
or outdoors, can yield well over 1 kg per month of dried leaves once the plants are established (about 2 to 3 months). When the
mint is growing rapidly, it can provide several cuttings per week. Cultivated outdoors, the plant resembles many others and is
somewhat difficult to identify (it took 20 years to find out it was a new Salvia species). Its characteristics are its white flowers
with persistent purplish calyces and spikes, which occur for about a week or two between late October and early March. It also
has square stems and opposite leaves, like those of many other mints. S. divinorum is available commercially, possession is not
controlled, and there is a market for the plant (Anon. 1994; Ott 1993; Foster 1984). Lay publications are available which
describe its use as a hallucinogen (Ott 1993; Anon. 1972) and give instructions for cultivation (Foster 1984; Grubber 1973).
TLC comparisons of extracts from leaves collected in Mexico compared to those harvested in Michigan and Louisiana showed
all were essentially identical as to salvinorin A content, so there appear to be no great geographical differences in plant
chemistry.
Salvinorin A is quite stable and drying leaves under normal conditions doesn't affect yields. With care about 1.50 g of pure
salvinorin A per kg of air-dried S. divinorum leaves (about 8 kg fresh leaves)can be isolated. Open field testing indicated that
the diterpene had a potency equivalent to that of mescaline. A human dose of mescaline ranges from 0.2 to 0.6 gm (Schultes &
Hofmann 1980), so it was concluded that 1 kg of dried leaves yielded only 3 to 6 human doses of salvinorin A and, therefore, it
had little potential for widespread abuse. Recently, however, Siebert stated that vaporizing and inhaling 200 to 500 mcg of the
compound induces profound hallucinations. Higher doses may cause problems (Siebert In press; Siebert 1994). This has been
corroborated by others (Ott 1994; Blosser 1993). It is apparent that salvinorin A is an extremely potent hallucinogen. The
compound is the first diterpene to be confirmed as one in humans and it is also the most potent naturally occuring hallucinogen
thus far isolated. This is rather remarkable, considering that all major naturally occuring hallucinogens have been alkaloidal in
nature.
A particular problem with salvinorin A is that it is extremely potent and readily isolated from dried plant leaves, if one follows
the procedure properly (Valdés et al. 1984). It was developed to maximize the yield of the diterpene while minimizing
chromatography. After extracting the dried leaves with ether in a Soxhlet apparatus and partitioning the extract between
hexane and aqueous methanol, one has a fraction that is almost 10 % salvinorin A by weight when dried. This procedure is so
effective at concentrating the diterpene that the crude compound often precipitates out of the aqueous methanol solution before
being subjected to chromatography. Ether is used to extract the plant material because it has a low boiling point, but
chloroform or methylene chloride will serve as well for this initial extraction. Chromatography is used for final purification of
the compound because it is faster and gives higher yields than repeated recrystallization of the precipitate. An underground
chemist, however, would not need to be so meticulous. There is no need for using a Soxhlet apparatus and experimenting could
lead to the use of commonly available solvents for the extraction. Yields of even a gram per kilogram of dried leaves would
give one some 2000 human doses.
EXAMINATION OF THE EFFECTS OF SALVINORIN A AND SALVIA DIVINORUM
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