Rare perennial herb in the mint family containing salvinorin A, a unique kappa-opioid agonist with extremely potent and short-acting dissociative-psychedelic effects.
ECOLOGY & HABITAT
Grows in shaded, humid ravines in the Sierra Mazateca of Oaxaca, Mexico.
Distribution
Endemic to a very small region in Oaxaca, Mexico
INDIGENOUS NAMES
The names this organism has been given by the cultures that have lived alongside it. Each carries an entire relationship — what is sacred is never simply translated.
- Ska María PastoraMazatec · Mazatec"Leaves of Mary the Shepherdess"
- PipiltzintzintliNahuatl"Most noble little prince/princess"
TRADITIONAL USE
- Used by Mazatec curanderos for divination and healing
CULTURAL CONTEXT
The plant is considered to have a feminine spirit. Traditional use involves chewing fresh leaves or drinking the juice.
GALLERY
3 images
REFERENCES
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- Valdés 1983
- Siebert 1994