Salvia divinorum is a hallucinogen?
There have been many reports of the “new” hallucinogenic herb, the form of sage known botanically as Salvia divinorum.
This flower of Mexico has been used for centuries as a tool of shamans in the Mexican state of Oaxaca to relieve the unpleasant emotions (and, sometimes, to encourage them). Although you will find it very difficult for plants grown from seed, is easily grown from cuttings to be sold and shared in much of the western world. A few U.S. states, Australia and some European countries have made the sale and / or use of the plant illegal, but most provinces permit.
The current brouhaha sage is not the first time Wise has been sensationalized in the press. This is not the first time this sort of thing happened. I was involved in the accident last misunderstanding of Sages. More than ten years ago I was on the staff of the center of botanical research. The call for a family came to the magazine, and all were more sophisticated chemicals. The receptionist referred the appeal to me.
A reporter asked me a series of questions about the safety of the plants used for cooking for Thanksgiving. She asked if any herbs could be potentially toxic.
Thinking that would put the whole issue in perspective, I replied that if consumed 2.8 kilograms (about 6 pounds) of the nature of the sage that most Americans in their dressing to go through with Turkey, research indicates you want to get a toxic dose. My intention was to say yes, if you take the ridiculous to the research findings, eating 450 servings of dressing with your turkey is toxic.
Of course, if you were to eat 450 servings of dressing, you have other problems long before they were poisoned by the sages.
It turns out that I was naive to reporters. Next October, 16 million copies of a magazine from newsstands hit me quote (fortunately, they have my name and organizational affiliation by mistake) in a story under the title “Turkey toxins! Lo least six pounds in his wise dressing can be fatal! ”
And I think something similar is underway with Salvia divinorum.
Solid scientific research, published in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences (USA), suggests not only that the sage is not a hallucinogen, not to act in a manner similar to that of LSD, but they tend to stop hallucinations caused by:
* Alzheimer’s disease,
* Huntington’s disease,
* Pick’s disease,
* In the long term and cocaine
* In the long term for methamphetamine.
How can this be?
First, it is important to note that scientists know what they know about Salvia divinorum by testing laboratory rats. In addition, he began his studies by the injection of extracts of the plant directly into the rats’ brains. (And as I learned that you have to do this kind of thing is absolutely, positively do not want in any way support the intracranial administration of any man in the grass.) Only during the last few years that scientists have begun to test the effects of lawn, as it is taken orally - by rats.
However, in this context, what scientists have discovered in the sage is remarkable. Acting in a manner unlike almost all other psychotropic drugs investigation to date. Stimulates opiate receptors in the brain.
These are the same sites in the brain cells that respond to morphine. The activation of opioid receptors blocks pain. They are also the sites in the brain that create well-known “runner”. There is something about achieving a goal predetermined by the effort, either by running a course, a game winner through the physical effort, pain or no lasting harm (eg, acupuncture) that causes stress hormones to enter the brain that becomes endorphins. And, of course, the endorphins are also released by orgasm.
Salvia apparently triggers the release of endorphins, without having to endure the pain or effort or having an orgasm. Or at least that was what it implies very preliminary scientific studies. So why sometimes using salvia lead to:
* Uncontrollable laughter,
* Memories of childhood memories,
* Sense of the motion, twisting, writhing, slide, slide,
* Visions of membranes as a soap bubble,
* Feeling two places at once, and
* In a tragic case, suicide?
I do not know. Never use sage observed in the population. I, however, noted Sage eaten by goats.
A goat from my niece and nephew called Artagnian ate sage and pets has become imminent soft and measured. A goat named Billy, ate and to salvia cargo through the fence. The rest of the herd has eaten quickly Salvia divinorum native to the old family farm to local extinction. However, the ability of pets, pettiness, voracious appetite and are more or less typical of D’Artagnian, Billy, and the herd, respectively.
My guess is that in the population as well as goats, psychidelic these experiences are simply hampered by overcoming inhibitions by the release of endorphins. In a sense, they were there all the time.
And that’s why not everyone responds to the sage in the same way. Not everyone has to be a hallucination in two soap bubbles once inside their brains just waiting to be released. At best, with nature, as a therapist or a friend is not using the grass, perhaps in a small number of people, painful memories and “Crazy” wishes can be brought to the surface and processed.
In my opinion, however, is that there are plenty of other ways to do it. The problem with any other drug is not usually what you get. It is, I do not know if the grass is really sage. Or what has been tried. Or how is strong. Or if you need a small dose or a high dose or if you’re willing to deal with the emotions, thoughts, desires and the release in May.
Before concluding this article, I confess my bias. Almost the only among people who research and write about herbs, at least in my experience, never smoke and I never encourage, and never on the show, the illicit use of plants. If salvia is illegal where you live, do not take it. “I get my” senior “without substance and I confess that I used to have an dependency Ridges of flyers with fries. But never, because they were” peckish “.
Make sage may be illegal, but this is not something to use without guidance. Please use only plants that know and understand the parameters and means to guide the actual user of health.