Bean, mescal

Due to similarities in their names, the mescal bean is often confused with mescaline (Schultes and Hofman 1980, 1992). These derive from entirely different plants whereas mescaline derives from peyote cactus, the mescal bean grows on the shrub Sophora secundiflora. The mescal bean itself has psychoactive effects, and was used since prehistoric times by Indians in the Rio Grande basin. Samples have been found dating back... 

Plant-derived neurotoxic psychodysleptics affect peripheral neural functions and motor coordination, sometimes accompanied by delirium, stupor, trance states, and vomiting. Prominent among these toxins are the pyrollizidines from peyote. Also included are erythrionones from the coral tree and quinolizidines from the mescal bean (see Figure 19.2). 

MESCAL BEANS -- Sophara secundiflora. Family Leguminosae (Bean family). 

Campbell, T.N. 1958, Origin of the mescal bean [sic] cult American Anthropologist 60 156-160. 

Howard, J.H. 1957. The mescal bean cult of the central and southern plains An ancestor of the peyote cult American Anthropolo t 59 75-87. 

Mescal bean Sophora secundiflora 1 Cytisine similar to nicotine (see p 277)... 

The seeds of Sophora secundiflora, the mescal bean or colorin, have long been considered hallucinogenic by Indians of Mexico and the southwestern United States (Schultes and Hofmann, 1973). The main alkaloid in these seeds is cytisine (27). Genista canariensis also has been considered to be mildly hallucinogenic (Kinghom and Balandrin, 1984). 

Mescal bean (Frijolito), Sophora secundiflora Mistletoes, Phoradendron serotinum Monkshood (Wolfsbane), Aconitum columbianum Mushroom (toadstools). Amanita muscaria, Amantia verna, Chlorophyllum molybdites. 

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