Table of Contents Introduction Table of Contents Introduction Salvia Divinorum: The Plant and its History The Discovery of Salvinorin A Dosage and Methods of Administration Warnings Effects and Experiences Salvinorin A Journeys Conclusions Bibliography Appendix A: Salvia Divinorum Cultivation (by Will Beifuss, courtesy of the Resonance Project) Appendix B: Photos Copyright (c)1996 by Panther Press ISBN 0-9642636-2-9 Library of Congress Catalog registration in progress First Printing - August 1996 Printed in the United States of America D.M. Turner is a trademark of Panther Press All Rights Reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced in any manner without the written permission of the publisher. Introduction Salvinorin A is the primary psychoactive component of Salvia divinorum. a member of the sage family found in the Mexican state of Oaxaca. Salvinorin A is the most potent naturally occurring psychedelic known, and in many ways the most enigmatic. Those using salvinorin A find it frequently induces experiences of an intensity level which is an order of magnitude beyond those experienced with any other psychedelic, even DMT. The dimensions visited under the influence of salvinorin A are described as extremely bizarre and varied, with several aspects not common to other psychedelic experiences. Many who have used salvinorin A find the experience extremely unnerving, frightening and overly intense. Most have no desire to repeat the experience. although there are a few who have taken a liking to this entheogen and are working to develop a relationship with it. Early experiments by pioneering psychonauts suggest that access to benignly expansive realms, as well as new and very real dangers. are possible with this material. Salvinorin A also presents us with an entirely novel chemical structure for a psychedelic drug. It's the first psychedelic diterpene to be discovered, while nearly all other known psychedelics are alkaloids. The following pages discuss the history and botany of the rare and little-known plant. Salvia divinorum, and the recent isolation of its immensely powerful active principal, salvinorin A. Since the first human experiment with this substance three years ago. salvinorin A has generated significant interest within the psychedelic community, and promises to challenge our basic understanding of consciousness and the functioning of the mind. Presented here are results of the early human experiments with salvinorin A, many in the form of first-hand reports which give lucid descriptions of the bizarre and multifaceted worlds of Salvia divinorum. Salvia Divinorum: The Plant and its History Salvia divinorum is used by the Mazatec Indians living in remote regions of Oaxaca, where it first came to the awareness of western researchers in the first half of this century. Little is known regarding the plant's use before this period, although there is some indication that it may have been used by the Aztecs in earlier times. The first description of this plant in western literature was made by Swedish anthropologist Jean Basset Johnson in 19391. Johnson. who was investigating psilocybe mushroom use amongst the Mazatecs, also noted their use of Salvia divinorum in healing ceremonies. Salvia divinorum is a very rare plant, being found in only a few ravine locations in the Sierra Mazateca mountains. The plant is easily propagated by cuttings, and during the past few decades it has made its way into numerous botanical gardens and private collections around the world. Virtually all of the Salvia divinorum in circulation has been vegetatively propagated from two parent clones of this species. The first specimen was collected by R. Gordon Wasson in 1962. A second, so called "palatable" strain was collected by Bret Blosser in 1991. The "palatable" variety is actually still quite bitter, although less so than the Wasson clone. There are a few other strains being maintained, some of which were grown from seed, but these are not in general circulation. Cuttings of Salvia divinorum placed in a jar of water will begin rooting within two to three weeks. When the roots have reached about 1", the cuttings may he transferred to pots. Salvia divinorum likes humidity and moisture, moderate but indirect sunlight and warm temperatures. In most parts of the United States it will grow best in a greenhouse and appreciates frequent misting. Too much sunlight will turn the leaves a pale green. If the leaves curl up and dry at the edges, it is a sign that the temperature is too warm for the amount of humidity they are receiving. The plants should be kept from freezing at all times, although they may grow back after a light frost that does not freeze the roots. Salvia divinorum grows into a vine-like bush with branches frequently reaching 7 to 10 feet in height before bending over under their own weight, often rooting where they fall. The plant has jagged- edged leaves that reach 4" to 6" in length. The amount of leaf is typically sparse in proportion to the stems, and often the plants have a slightly straggle appearance. The stems are square-shaped and hollow with winged edges. Under proper growing conditions the leaves have a beautifully deep, rich, almost velvet-like sheen, and appear quite sensuous. In the fall Salvia divinorum produces delicate flowers with white corollas and purple calyxes. Salvia divinorum sets seed rather infrequently, and only on rare occasions have these seeds proven to be viable. It is thought by many botanists that Salvia divinorum is a cultigen. It is not known to exist in the wild, and the few patches that are known in the Sierra Mazateca appear to be the result of deliberate planting. A Mazatec shaman informed Wasson that the Indians believe the plant is foreign to their region and do not know from where it came. And if Salvia divinorum is a hybrid, there are no commonly held theories on what its prospective parents may be. Amongst the Mazatecs, Salvia divinorum (Diviner's sage) is known under such names as ska Maria Pastora and Hierba Maria, which translate as "the herb of Mary" or "leaves of Mary the Shepherdess". In a recent paper, Jonathan 0tt has noted that the Mazatecs lack an indigenous name for Salvia divinorum, both the Christian theme of Mary, as well as sheep, having been introduced to the region during the Spanish conquest. The Mazatecs also list a method of consuming this plant that does not efficiently utilize its psychoactive content, and seem to be generally unaware of its tremendous potency. Based on this information, and the likelihood of its being a cultigen, Ott has suggested that Salvia divinorum may be a post-conquest introduction to the Sierra Mazateca. However, it has also been suggested, initially by R. Gordon Wasson, that Salvia divinorum may be the Aztec plant Pipiltzintzintli, an entheogen that was briefly described by a 17th century Spanish friar. Ott has found that the little information available regarding Pipiltzintzintli supports this hypothesis, while ruling out several other plants that have been suggested as candidates for this Aztec sacrament. R. Gordon Wasson, the famed ethnobotanist who introduced psilocybe mushrooms to western society, was also the first to personally describe an experience with Salvia divinorum. In July of 1961 he participated in a healing ceremony performed by a Mazatecan curandera. Wasson ingested the squeezed juice of 34 pairs of leaves, and described the results as "coming on sooner (than the mushrooms), being less sweeping, and lasting a shorter time. It did not go beyond the initial effects of the mushrooms - dancing colors in elaborate, three- dimensional designs." In 1962 Wasson was joined in Oaxaca by Swiss pharmacologist Albert Hofmann, inventor of LSD, who also first isolated psilocybin from mushrooms gathered in this same region. Hofmann brought an alcohol extract of Salvia divinorum back to Switzerland where he attempted to isolate the active component. He was unsuccessful, finding the extract to no longer be active, and suggested that the plant's active principal was unstable. The Discovery of Salvinorin A There was little research performed on Salvia divinorum during the following two decades. Salvinorin A was first isolated in 1982 by Alfredo Ortega, while performing a systematic chemical search for novel terpenoid compounds within the genus salvia. Ortega's search was not related to, and did not investigate, this plant's psychoactive properties. A group led by Leander Valdes, who was attempting to discover the psychoactive component of Salvia divinorum, separately isolated the same compound in 39g. The Valdes group, however, only tested salvinorin A by administering injections to mice. Although these experiments suggested that salvinorin A was the main psychoactive component of the plant. the Valdes group remained unaware of its extraordinarily potent effects in humans. In June of 1993 Daniel Siebert discovered the strikingly powerful effects of salvinorin A, following the smoking of an extract which he had produced. Prior to producing the extract Siebert had been experimenting with ingestion of Salvia divinorum and smoking the dried leaves. Although these experiments allowed him to enter a psychedelic world, he felt that a much vaster dimension was waiting beyond the state produced by these methods of consumption. He began a series of experiments producing concentrated extracts and trying various methods of administration, During his experiments, Siebert felt the plant's spirit was issuing a kind of intuitional guidance, encouraging him to continue with the extraction process and discover a means of achieving a full Salvia experience. Pure salvinorin A is desirable because it permits one to experience intense psychedelic effects which are often elusive when using the whole plant material. In particular, when smoking dried Salvia divinorum leaf, many people fail to achieve more than a mild effect, although a few find this method quite satisfactory. Upon his discovery of two terpenoid compounds, Valdes named them divinorin A and divinorin B. However, since Ortega had previously discovered and named the first of these compounds. the name salvinorin A is currently used for the plants primary terpenoid component. Salvinorin B, which represents about 4% of the plant's terpenoids, did not turn out to be psychoactive in Valdes' animal studies, however, it has yet to be tested in humans. Valdes has also isolated other terpenoids from Salvia divinorum. In his book, Pharmako/Poeia, Dale Pendell indicates that one may need to work with the plant for some time before feeling its effects. "The Ally - She can be shy. Sometimes she has to get to know you for a while before she will come out and say hello. But once she appears, are there any who are more direct?" When smoking dried Salvia divinorum leaf it is important that the entire quantity be consumed in one or two large inhalations if one hopes to obtain significant effects. Smoking it in the manner one normally smokes a joint usually produces no more than a mild buzz. Siebert found that leaves harvested during the warmer months of the year were at least twice as potent as those harvested during the winter. John Gruber of the Philadelphia College of Pharmacy and Science recently performed HPLC tests which yielded between 1.5 and 2.2 mg. salvinorin A per gram of dried Salvia divinorum leaf with lower amounts appearing in the stems and traces in the roots. Earlier experiments by Siebert have yielded up to 4.4 mg. salvinorin A per gram of dried leaf. The dried leaf equals approximately 13% of the fresh weight. Siebert also discovered that when ingesting Salvia divinorum, its active components are absorbed primarily through contact with the oral mucosa. His experiments showed that significant entheogenic experiences were produced by chewing 8 to 10 large fresh leaves (3 grams each, fresh weight) and holding them in the mouth for 10 minutes, while quickly swallowing the same amount of material produced no noticeable effects. In sessions where Salvia divinorum was administered by Mazatecan shamans, most westerners who reported definite psychoactive effects were given 50 to 100 leaves. Reports on the plant's psychoactivity were inconsistent, and much of what was absorbed by those who felt its effects may have been through the oral mucosa during the process of chewing and consuming the leaves. Shortly after discovering salvinorin A's effects, Siebert sent a sample to David Nichols who initiated a NovaScreenTM receptor site screening. The screening results were in contrast to those of all previously tested psychedelics. Salvinorin A did not affect any of the receptor sites tested, which included all of the likely known receptor sites for other psychedelics. Dosage and Method of Administration Salvinorin A can be efficiently consumed by inhaling the vaporized crystalline powder, or by smoking, providing the crystalline powder has been placed on a substrate such as dried Salvia divinorum leaf. Used in this manner, the effects of salvinorin A can be distinctly felt from as little as 200 to 500 mcg. Most who have tried salvinorin A have reported 'full" effects at a range between 800 and 1200 mcg. The distinction of "full" effects is arbitrary, as the intensity and diversity of the experience increases with the dosage. It should also be noted that as with any substance, there are a few people who will be unusually sensitive to salvinorin A, and will require a smaller amount to produce the same level of effects. Ott has indicated that salvinorin A can also be taken sublingually, and is active in even smaller doses, with as little as 100 to 250 mcg. producing noticeable effects. Ott used a solution of salvinorin A in acetone in his sublingual tests, and also reported that DMSO can be used as a solvent for this purpose. By comparison, the most potent previously known natural psychedelics, 5-MeO-DMT and psilocin. are typically used in doses of 5 to 10 mg. Salvinorin A is approximately 10 times the potency of these compounds, and nearly as potent as the semi-synthetic psychedelic, LSD. The effects of salvinorin A intensify sharply as the dose is increased, as has been noted by several people who have used over 1 mg. A few have tried doses around 2 mg., and had experiences of ferocious intensity which they had no desire to repeat. The largest single dose reported is Siebert's initial smoking of approximately 2 mg. of salvinorin A. Most of the early experiments with salvinorin A were performed by inhaling the vaporized crystal using the following technique. The salvinorin A was placed on the center of a piece of thick aluminum foil, which was heated from below with a butane micro-torch or "jet flame" lighten As the salvinorin A turned to a white vapor, the vapors were inhaled through a 15mm diameter glass tube. This technique requires careful performance. If one inhales before the crystal has been melted, the solid material wilt be taken into the mouth and will not produce the desired effects. However, if one waits more than a moment after the vapor begins to appear, it will disperse and be lost to the atmosphere. There were several reported misfires from people who were not successful in this procedure. Some of these people suspected the substance was not very potent, increased the dose, and were quite shocked by the intensity of what they were subsequently propelled into. I came across a simpler procedure for this process, which is to use a conventional hash oil pipe. A hash oil pipe is made by creating a bubble or bowl at one end of a glass tube, with an opening at the top. Although hash oil is no longer commonly available4 these pipes can occasionally be found in stores. A hash oil pipe allows better visibility of the melting and vaporization, and better confinement of the vaporized material against escaping without being inhaled. Even with a hash oil pipe the technique requires precision. The use of a micro-torch or "jet flame" lighter is essential, not only due to salvinorin A's high boiling point, but also because a conventional lighter will coat the outside of the pipe in carbon, obscuring visibility of the melting/vaporization process. I found that the flame must be continually moved over the bottom of the bowl until the material has melted. These torches are hot enough to cause the bowl to quickly expand and buckle if the flame is kept at one point on the bowl. This causes the solid salvinorin A crystals to disperse over a large area inside the bowl, which does not allow for efficient vaporization. It is important that only self-extinguishing torches or lighters are used in this process, as salvinorin A takes effect very rapidly. One does not want to be traveling through hyperspace while a lit torch is burning at their side. Recently salvinorin A has been distributed in another form which is much easier to use. The material I've used contains 1 mg. of salvinorin A, dissolved onto 25 mg. of dried and powdered Salvia divinorum leaf. This concentrate formulation is much easier to handle than the pure crystalline form. The concentrate formulation may be smoked in a regular pipe using a regular lighter. However, a dedicated pipe should be used for smoking salvinorin A, as subsequent smoking of other herbs in the same pipe may induce an unwanted journey. Individual doses can now be reasonably measured on a scale with 10 mg. (1/100 of a gram) resolution, such as the Ohaus Centogram quad- beam balance. I've prepared 1 mg. doses of salvinorin A by first weighing 50 mg. of the salvinorin A on Salvia divinorum leaf concentrate, and then visually dividing this amount into two equal piles. Anyone working with this material should be acutely aware that even small variations in the dose size can produce dramatic increases in the intensity of the experience. Pure crystalline salvinorin A requires a sophisticated analytical balance for the measurement of individual doses. I have used the salvinorin A on Salvia divinorum leaf formulation several times now, and have noticed no difference between this and vaporizing the same amount of material in pure crystalline form. Siebert also performed tests using other methods of administering pure salvinorin A. This included placing salvinorin A in the mouth, and dissolving salvinorin A in a solvent and spraying into the nose. The effectiveness of these methods varied widely with repeated applications of the same method. In some cases a large percentage of the material taken seemed to make its way into the bloodstream, at other times only minimal effects were produced. This presented a significant risk. If the dose was increased to the point where one would normally achieve "full" effects, (equivalent to smoking 1 mg.) there was a risk of absorbing a larger percentage of the material which could produce an experience of shocking intensity. This possibility led Siebert to suspend his research in this area. There are currently a number of people in the psychedelic community experimenting with different methods of ingesting Salvia divinorum, including the oral administration of a crude extract. It is likely that a reliable method will soon be developed which allows one to experience fuller effects than can be easily obtained through chewing the whole leaves, but without the intensity and sudden onset of smoked salvinorin A. Warnings As mentioned earlier, most who have tried salvinorin A find its effects extremely unsettling, and have no desire to repeat the experience. This response comes from people who are highly experienced in the use of entheogens, including many who are writers or leaders in the psychedelic community. from the 1960's to present. It is unlikely that salvinorin A will ever become a popular substance, and many will find using the non-extracted plant mat… truncated (22,243 more characters in archive)