The Salvia divinorum Research and Information Center - Shroomery

Salvia divinorum Epling et Jativa
American group of Valdés, immorally using a modification of “Hall’s open field in mice,” isolated
the same compound, as presumed visionary principle of S.divinorum leaves, along with its
inactive desacetyl derivative, giving these compounds the name divinorin A and divinorin B
(Valdés et al. 1984). Again, structure elucidation was carried out by X-ray crystallography,
confirming the structure established by the Ortega group, and in a note added in proof to their
1984 article, the Valdés group conceded priority, noting the correct names for the compounds
were salvinorin A and salvinorin B. Valdés subsequently reported his isolation from S.divinorum
of the ant-repellant loliolide, originally from Lolium perenne L. and of unknown human
pharmacology (Valdés 1986). Finally, the absolute stereochemistry of salvinorins A and B was
established by collaborators of Valdés (Koreeda et al. 1990). Unlike the well-known culinary
sage, Salvia officinalis L., some strains of which contain the volatile psychotropic terpenoid
thujone (Tucker et al. 1980), steam distillation of fresh leaves of S.divinorum failed to detect
thujone (Ott 1993). The volatile nature of this compound, famous psychoactive agent in
Artemisia absinthium L. and absinthe liqueurs, makes culinary sage potentially psychoactive by
simply smelling the fresh herb (Duke 1987).
TRADITIONAL MEDICINE USES: Besides its primary use in shamanic divination by the
Mazatecs of México, S.divinorum infusions are also applied topically by the Mazatecs. Weitlaner
described bathing the patient in the same infusion of the leaves that was previously ingested
(Weitlaner 1952), and the Valdés group described putting the extracted leaf residue on the
patient’s head as a cataplasm (Valdés et al. 1983). The Valdés group also documented curative
use of an infusion of 4-5 pairs of fresh or dry leaves to cure or regulate digestive problems like
diarrhea, as a stimulant or tonic for the elderly, against headache and rheumatism, and to cure
a magical illness called panzón de barrego [sic] "big lamb’s belly" (Valdés et al. 1983).
Significantly, Friar de Vetancurt mentioned that leaves of pipiltzintzintli were used both in the
preparation of a divinatory potion and were applied topically as a poultice, a strong argument in
favor of the identification of pipiltzintzintli as S.divinorum (Vetancurt 1698).
PHARMACOLOGICAL DATA: In modified “Hall’s open field” assays, salvinorin A and the active
extract fractions of S. divinorum were said to have sedative effects on mice and to provoke effects
like mescaline, secobarbital, an ether extract of Cannabis sativa L. and another labiate
terpenoid, the hypotensive colforsin or forskolin (Valdés et al. 1984, 1987b). Valdés later noted
that further testing established that secobarbital, colforsin, and the Cannabis extract all
sedated the mice, while mescaline and salvinorin A “interrupted (decreased) animal activity
without … true sedation (Valdés 1994). Besides involving an immoral use of helpless laboratory
animals where ethics would rather have dictated self-experiments by the principal researcher
himself, it is evident that this bioessay was too inspecific, and it is inexplicable why the Valdés
group, despite rather extensive psychonautic bioassays with the leaves themselves, failed to
employ a human psychonautic bioassay to guide their phytochemical work, or at least to
conduct psychoanutic bioessays of salvinorin A to verify that it represented the visionary
principle of the leaves. Definitive proof that salvinorin A represented the entheogenic active
principle had to wait another decade, when a group of "basement shamans" in California were
able to isolate a salvinorin A-enriched crude precipitate (which I shortly thereafter established
was about 50% salvinorin A), demonstrating by vaporizing and inhaling the compound that it
was indeed the visionary principle of the leaves of Mary Sheperdess, seemingly active at about
the 1 mg level! Subsequent tests showed that the threshold for activity of the vaporized, inhaled
compound was 200 mcg, making this an order of magnitude more potent than psilocine,
hitherto the most potent natural product entheogen (Fischer 1963). Doses as high as 2.6 mg
were administered by this route, with bizarre and overwhelming out-of-body experiences
common above the 1 mg level (Siebert 1994). These "basement shamans" had already
established that the whole leaf was far more active via the "quid method", that is, chewed and
held in the mouth like coca with no swallowing, than chewed and swallowed as the Mazatecs do -
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