Salvia divinorum is a plant with hallucinogenic effects. It grows naturally in the warm, moist soils of the Sierra Mazateca mountains in Oaxaca, Mexico, where it has been used traditionally as a medicine and spiritual sacrament. Oaxacan salvia divinorum extract is a concentrated mixture of active alkaloids like salvinorin A and is generally more potent than plant material alone. Oaxacan salvia divinorum extract is available in both sublingual and smokable forms.
Characteristics
The salvia plant belongs to the sage family and grows in the high altitudes of Oaxaca, Mexico. It has wide green leaves and purplish white flowers that rarely bloom. Oaxacan salvia divinorum contains salvinorin A, which is among the most potent natural hallucinogens known. Oaxacan salvia divinorum extract contains concentrated levels of salvinorin A and can produce far more potent effects than the whole plant in its natural state.
Uses
Oaxacan salvia divinorum extract and other salvia products are used mainly for their hallucinogenic effects, which may be viewed as recreational or spiritual. It has been used for centuries by the Mazatec Indians of northern Oaxaca as a spiritual sacrament, along with other natural hallucinogens like morning glory seeds and psilocybin mushrooms. Both the extract and the whole plant can be smoked or chewed for their psychedelic effects.
Salvinorin A may have potential medicinal uses as well. According to the Houston Chronicle, salvinorin A may be used to develop drugs to treat a variety of health conditions, including depression, chronic pain, Alzheimer's disease and HIV, provided it remains legal for research purposes.
Effects
Oaxacan salvia divinorum extract contains high levels of salvinorin A---the active alkaloid in the salvia plant. When smoked, salvia's effects come on quickly and typically include intense tactile, auditory and visual hallucinations that begin to taper off sharply after five to ten minutes. Chewing salvia leaves or using sublingual extracts may result in more subtle and long-lasting effects.
The effects of salvia extracts are generally more intense than those of the plant material and may be more likely to produce overwhelming experiences. Other potential effects include altered perception of place and time, foreign sensations in the body, sweating and rapid heartbeat.
Overdose
While it is not possible to overdose on salvia, the plant's strong hallucinogenic effects may lead to self-injury in the absence of an experienced, sober observer. The high potency of many salvia extracts may be more likely to cause negative effects like anxiety or panic, impaired coordination, temporary amnesia and loss of consciousness.
In some cases, the psychological effects of salvia may be the most harmful. According to the American Journal of Psychiatry, use of salvia and other hallucinogens has been linked to the onset of schizophrenia in patients with an underlying predisposition to the disease. While the exact cause isn't known, the stimulation of dopamine and changes in the frontal lobe are thought to play a role.
Warning
The only way to fully avoid the harmful effects of salvia extract is to abstain from using the substance. Never attempt to drive under the influence of salvia, and avoid using the drug in unfamiliar or public locations to reduce the risk of self harm and negative reactions.
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