Peyote

Generic name: Lophophora Williamsii (Lem. Ex Salm-Dyck) J.M. Coult.
Brand names: Anhalonium, Mescaline, Peyote, Peyotl, Peytote, Ubatama

Usage of Peyote

The secondary metabolites found in peyote produce psychosis-like symptoms and can alter perception, feelings, thoughts, and mood, without being addictive.(Dinis-Oliveira 2019) Peyote is reported to initiate states of introspection and insight that have been described as being of a spiritual nature. Hallucinogens (eg, LSD, mescaline, psilocin) bind with high affinity and activate the serotonin 5-hydroxytryptamine (5-HT2A) receptor.(López-Giménez 2018)

Autoimmunity

It has been proposed that some psychedelics (including mescaline) have the potential to attenuate or even resolve autoimmunity by targeting psychosomatic origins, maladaptive chronic stress responses, inflammatory pathways, immune modulation, and enteric microbiome populations. Of classic psychedelics reviewed (eg, LSD, psilocybin, mescaline, ibogaine, N,N-dimethyltryptamine, 5-methoxy-N,N-dimethyltryptamine), mescaline was noted to exhibit the highest binding affinity to the 5-HT2A and 5-HT2C receptors.(Thompson 2020)

CNS effects

Clinical data

The current status of mescaline as a controlled substance limits the availability of the drug for research. As a result, very few clinical studies concerning the activity and potential therapeutic effects of mescaline have been conducted since the early 1970s.(Dinis-Oliveira 2019)

A study among healthy volunteers showed that a relatively large dose of mescaline (500 mg as mescaline sulfate) increased frontal cerebral blood flow.(Nichols 2016) A retrospective study among Native American Church members who used peyote occasionally for religious purposes showed no evidence of psychological or cognitive deficits according to standard neuropsychological tests of memory and attentional/executive functions.(Halpern 2005) Other analyses have also shown that use of mescaline and other psychedelics does not contribute to long-term mental health issues; however, this is still being debated.(Krebs 2013, Nesvåg 2015) Survey results from 452 adults who had used mescaline at least once in their life revealed that their most memorable mescaline experience was either in the top 5 or was the single most personally or spiritually meaningful experience in their lives for approximately 33% of respondents. In respondents diagnosed with a psyChiatric disorder, the majority (86% with depression, 80% with anxiety, 76% with PTSD, 76% with alcohol misuse, and 68% with drug misuse) reported unexpected improvement in their condition after mescaline use. Greater intensity of insight during their mescaline experience was associated with improvement in those with depression, alcohol misuse, and drug misuse, whereas a greater intensity in mystical-type of experience was associated with improvements in those with PTSD.(Agin-Liebes 2021)

Hallucinogens (including mescaline) have been proposed for the treatment of some pathologies, including alcoholism and depression.(Dinis-Oliveira 2019) However, unlike for other hallucinogens (eg, LSD), recent clinical trials evaluating mescaline for such uses are lacking.

Peyote side effects

Epidemiological studies suggest few adverse effects associated with the use of peyote for religious purposes. Peyote use may increase the risk of psychoses in individuals with mental health issues.(Halpern 2005) Peyote buttons are bitter and may cause vomiting and other GI effects when consumed.(Carstairs 2010) In animal studies, mescaline doses exceeding 20 to 60 mg/kg produced hypotension, bradycardia, and respiratory depression. Cardiovascular and respiratory effects in humans may be variable and dose dependent.(Barceloux 2012) Occurrence of flashbacks after using peyote are rare.(Dinis-Oliveira 2019)

Before taking Peyote

Avoid use. Clinical information regarding safety and efficacy during pregnancy or lactation is lacking.

How to use Peyote

Use of peyote is illegal in the United States. Clinical studies of peyote do not provide a basis for dosage recommendations. No standardization of preparations exists.

Mescaline is mainly administered orally, but can also be smoked and insufflated. Tablets containing mescaline are typically ingested, or more commonly the cactus "buttons" are chewed or used to prepare infusions (eg, peyote cactus tea); when used via this route (eg, for hallucinogenic properties, in religious or therapeutic rituals), doses usually range from 200 to 400 mg of mescaline sulfate or 178 to 356 mg of mescaline hydrochloride, with the average amount contained in 3 to 6 cactus buds or roughly 10 to 20 g of dried peyote. However, concentrations of the compounds rely heavily on the species, geoclimatic and development conditions, cactus age, and the harvested part, among other factors, making it difficult to accurately estimate doses without previous extraction of mescaline.(Dinis-Oliveira 2019, Nichols 2004, Nichols 2016)

The time to onset of events is 1 to 3 hours and the duration is 10 to 12 hours. The half-life of ingested mescaline in humans is about 6 hours.(Dinis-Oliveira 2019)

Warnings

Mescaline from peyote is distributed to the liver and brain.(Henry 2003) A review of the California Poison Control System database records from 1997 to 2008 suggest mild to moderate toxicity from peyote consumption or insufflation; adverse reactions include hallucinations, tachycardia, agitation, and mydriasis.(Carstairs 2010) No chromosomal abnormalities were found among Native Americans who used subhallucinogenic doses of peyote for ceremonial purposes compared with controls.(Dorrance 1975) Serious effects from peyote ingestion have been rarely described and include Mallory-Weiss lacerations from severe vomiting and botulism from ingestion of improperly stored peyote buttons.(Dinis-Oliveira 2019) Addiction and dependence are mostly absent, and most intoxications appear to be mild and unlikely to produce life-threatening symptoms.(Dinis-Oliveira 2019)

Symptoms of mescaline poisoning are consistent with a sympathomimetic toxidrome (eg, hyperreflexia, tachycardia, agitation, muscle stiffness, ataxia, seizures, mydriasis, sialorrhea, hyperthermia, paresthesia).(Dinis-Oliveira 2019)

What other drugs will affect Peyote

None well documented.

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