Psychotria viridis

Psychotria viridis and P. carthagenensis Psychotria species contain DMT, A/-methyltryptamine, and N-methyltetrahydro-jS-carboline. However, a more recent study of P. carthagenensis showed the plant to be devoid of psychoactive alkaloids (Leal and Elisabetsky 1996). 

Peru. Decoction of the leaf with ayahuasca beverage (Banisteriopsis caapi and Psychotria viridis) is taken orally for hallucinating effect during shamanic training. A diet of cooked plantain and smoked fish follows each use . Hot water extract of the dried flower and leaf is used externally for snake and spider bites . The Witotos and Boras used the fresh leaves as poultice over boils and infected wounds. The Tikuna men mix the crushed leaves with oil from palms as a hair dressing to prevent baldness. The Jivaros use the tobacco juice for indisposition, cold, chills, and snake bites and to treat pulmonary ailments ... 

Psychotria viridis, which is also added to the Ban-isteriopsis drinks... 

The most common plant constituents of ayahuasca Banisteriopsis caapi and Psychotria viridis) are not specifically scheduled in the United States. Neither is the ayahuasca brew specifically named as a scheduled substance. However, P. viridis contains DMT. Under the DEA s guidelines, a plant or brew is illegal if it contains DMT or any other controlled substance. 

Several bushes, vines and mushrooms also contain DMT and its chemical relatives. Leaves from Psychotria viridis, a bush belonging to the coffee family, and Banisteriopsis rusbyana, an ivy-like vine, are often added to the drink called yag6 made from the Amazonian "visionary vine. The presence of this ayahuasca vine in the drink enables tryptamines in the leaves to produce mental effects even after they are swallowed. (Commercial and many psychoactive mushrooms contain DMT and other DMT-like compounds. These appear in tiny amounts, however, and wouldn t be activated when eaten unless catalyzed by something like ayahuasca.)... 

It is significant to note that neither one of these plant substances by itself is normally psychoactive in oral doses. (Harmine/harmaline is said to effect hallucinosis at highly toxic levels, but in less heroic quantities it is at best a tranquilizer, at worst an emetic.) DMT, in any quantity, is not orally active unless used in combination with a monoamine oxidase (AAAO) inhibitor. This principle is precisely what makes ayahuasca effective the harmala alkaloids in the Banisteriopsis caapi vine are potent short-term MAO inhibitors which synergize with the DMT-containing Psychotria viridis leaves to produce what has been described as one of the most profound of all psychedelic experiences. 

This is precisely the concept of an "ayahuasca analogue." That is to say, if it were possible to find other, less tropical (hence easier to grow in Northern latitudes) plants containing the same alkaloids found in Banisteriopsis caapi and Psychotria viridis then the psychedelic experience provided by ayahuasca would be available to almost anyone or the planet willing to grow the plants and compound the potion. This... 

In contrast to group work, the "inner visionary and informational focus" of the solitary ayahuasca session often involves a strong sense of contact with a teacher, alien entity, or some force leading one in directions of personal growth. Here is a dramatic account from a correspondent who used a "half-ayahuasca-analogue" combination, Peganum harmala seeds in conjunction with the classical Amazonian DMT source, Psychotria viridis leaves ... 

There are many foreign plants, most of them tropical, which contain, or are said to contain, DMT or harmala alkaloids. These are offered for sale from various specialty outlets. Psychotria viridis (a bush) and Banisteriopsis caapi (a large liana) are the two classical ingredients in jungle ayahuasca, but other species are also available. I will not list them here because I have no experience with them and it is my understanding that they require the kind of specialized care which is not a practical option for most North American growers. In any case, the alkaloids they contain are more easily obtainable from domestic plants which have already been described herein. 

Psychotria viridis Rufe et Pavon (Luna 1984A Pinkley 1969 Prance 1970) Rudgea retifoUa Standley (Schultes 1985c Schultes Raflauf 1990)... 

Thc most common ayahuasca admixture plant in use in Amazonian Peni, also used in Amazonian Ecuador and Brasil, is Psychotria viridis, in the Rubiaceae or coffee family (Schultes Hofmann 1980), Known as chacruna in Peru, and sami ruca (Kbhn 1992) or amirucapanga in Ecuador (Miller 1993), like Diplopterys cabrerana, the leaves, of this shrub are added to ayahuasca to strengthen its visionary potency (Kensinger 1973 Prance 1970 Prance Prance 1970 Prance etal 1977 Schultes 1969B "Weiss 1973). As in the case with D. cabrerana, dmt was found to be the main active ingredient in P. viridis leaves (Der Marderosian et al. 1970). From... 

Rudgearet lia (4, Miscellaneous Admixtures )-.There is evidence this rubiaceous plant was used in Peru as an ayahuasca additive (Schultes Raffauf 1990), as it has the vernacular name, chacruna, of the famous ayahuasca additive Psychotria viridis. 

Ceu do Mapii (rural Daime center)—267-8 Ceu do Mar (ceelusme center)—267-8 chacrona Psychotria viridis)-z6y... 

Harmaline, tetrahydroharmine, harmine, harmane, harmol, norharmane Psychotria viridis 1 CZE 200 mM formic acid and 7 mM ammonia in water with 10 % acetonitrile LIE (ex 266 nm) and CE-MS [30]... 

---