The Use of Salvia divinorum from a Mazatec Perspective

This book chapter (2018) investigates the use of salvia divinorum by the Mazatec people. Applications discussed include headaches (pain), inflammation, addiction, and depression. Next to medicinal and psychotherapeutic applications, the inner exploration (recreational) purposes are also discussed.

Abstract

Salvia divinorum is a medicinal and psychoactive plant endemic to the Sierra Madre Oriental of Oaxaca, Mexico. The Mazatec people have been using the leaves for centuries in ceremonies for its psychoactive properties and as a treatment for arthritis and inflammation, gastrointestinal problems, headaches, and addictions, among other uses. The active principle of Salvia divinorum, the terpene salvinorin A, is a uniquely potent and highly selective kappa-opioid receptor agonist and, as such, has enormous potential for the development of valuable medications. Among them, the most promising include safe and nonaddictive analgesics, neuroprotectors, short-acting anesthetics that do not depress respiration, antidepressants, anti-inflammatories, medications for the treatment of addiction to stimulants and alcohol, and drugs to treat disorders characterized by alterations in perception. The Mazatec consider Salvia divinorum to be a very powerful plant spirit that should be treated with utmost respect, and the preparation for the ceremony requires a strict regimen. They chew the fresh leaves at night while chanting and praying. In the Western use, the dry leaves are potentiated in extracts to be smoked. A lack of information about the appropriate doses and other considerations while smoking the extracts could result in overwhelming experiences due to the high potency and fast onset of the substance. For the Mazatec, smoking the plant is not the preferred mode. How could we create a bridge between the two perspectives? In this chapter, I will try to clarify the best ways to use Salvia divinorum for medicinal, psychotherapeutic, and inner exploration purposes.

Authors: Ana E. Maqueda

Summary of The Use of Salvia divinorum from a Mazatec Perspective

Natural History of Salvia divinorum

Salvia divinorum is a perennial and hydrophyte plant belonging to the mint family that can propagate vegetatively, rooting from the nodes and internodes, and regrow from senescent stems. The Mazatec people have been using S. divinorum for hundreds of years, and have given it names related to the Virgin Mary. The Spanish names suggest that the plant is a postcolonial introduction, or that the original name was modified by Christian influence.

During the 1930s, anthropological expeditions to the Mazatec Sierra led to the discovery of hallucinogenic mushrooms and the use of seeds of the plant ololiuhqui, which contain ergine, an alkaloid similar in structure to lysergic acid diethylamide (LSD). The Mazatec and Cuicatec used a divination leaf, which was most likely Salvia divinorum, to cure their alcohol addictions and to guess where an animal or person had been lost or who had committed a robbery.

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Study details

Compounds studied
Salvia Divinorum

Topics studied
Equity and Ethics

Study characteristics
Book Chapter