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Peyote
Mescaline, Big Chief, Buttons, Cactus, Mescalito
The peyote is a small spineless cactus that is native to Mexico and southwestern Texas. It contains mescaline, which causes hallucinations and altered perceptions when ingested. It has been used medicinally by indigenous North Americans for over 5000 years. Learn more about peyote and how it affects the brain and body.
Cactus Peyote Flower
Image by Ian Lindsay
Peyote
Image by Resenter1 from Roma, Italia/Wikimedia
Hallucinogenic alkaloid isolated from the flowering heads (peyote) of Lophophora (formerly Anhalonium) williamsii, a Mexican cactus used in Indian religious rites and as an experimental psychotomimetic. Among its cellular effects are agonist actions at some types of serotonin receptors. It has no accepted therapeutic uses although it is legal for religious use by members of the Native American Church.
Source: National Center for Biotechnology Information (NCBI)
Peyote
Image by Amante Darmanin from Malta/Wikimedia
Small spineless cactus with active ingredient mescaline, a hallucinogen. Has disc-shaped “buttons” that are cut off and used.
Buttons, Cactus, Mesc, Peyoto
• Fresh or dried buttons are chewed
• Buttons soaked in water to produce intoxicating liquid
• Ground into powder for capsules and swallowed
• Smoked with marijuana and tobacco
Source: Get Smart About Drugs / U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA)
Peyote
Image by Peter A. Mansfeld/Wikimedia
A hallucinogen found in disk-shaped “buttons” in the crown of several cacti, including peyote.
| Street Names | Commercial Names | Common Forms | Common Ways Taken | DEA Schedule |
|---|---|---|---|---|
Big Chief, Buttons, Cactus, Mescalito | No commercial uses | Fresh or dried buttons, capsule | Swallowed (chewed or soaked in water and drunk) | I** |
| Possible Health Effects | |
|---|---|
| Short-term | Enhanced perception and feeling; hallucinations; euphoria; anxiety; increased body temperature, heart rate, blood pressure; sweating; problems with movement. |
| Long-term | Unknown. |
| Other Health-related Issues | Unknown. |
| In Combination with Alcohol | Unknown. |
| Withdrawal Symptoms | Unknown. |
| Treatment Options | |
| Medications | There are no FDA-approved medications to treat addiction to mescaline or other hallucinogens. |
| Behavioral Therapies | More research is needed to find out if behavioral therapies can be used to treat addiction to hallucinogens. |
Source: National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA)
Psychoactive drugs
Image by TheVisualMD
Classic hallucinogens are thought to produce their perception-altering effects by acting on neural circuits in the brain that use the neurotransmitter serotonin (Passie, 2008; Nichols, 2004; Schindler, 2012; Lee, 2012). Specifically, some of their most prominent effects occur in the prefrontal cortex—an area involved in mood, cognition, and perception—as well as other regions important in regulating arousal and physiological responses to stress and panic.
Ingesting hallucinogenic drugs can cause users to see images, hear sounds, and feel sensations that seem real but do not exist. Their effects typically begin within 20 to 90 minutes of ingestion and can last as long as 12 hours. Experiences are often unpredictable and may vary with the amount ingested and the user’s personality, mood, expectations, and surroundings. The effects of hallucinogens like LSD can be described as drug-induced psychosis—distortion or disorganization of a person’s capacity to recognize reality, think rationally, or communicate with others. Users refer to LSD and other hallucinogenic experiences as “trips” and to acute adverse or unpleasant experiences as “bad trips.” On some trips, users experience sensations that are enjoyable and mentally stimulating and that produce a sense of heightened understanding. Bad trips, however, include terrifying thoughts and nightmarish feelings of anxiety and despair that include fears of losing control, insanity, or death.
Like LSD and psilocybin, DMT produces its effects through action at serotonin (5-HT) receptors in the brain (Strassman, 1996). Some research has suggested that DMT occurs naturally in the human brain in small quantities, leading to the hypothesis that release of endogenous DMT may be involved in reports of alien abductions, spontaneous mystical experiences, and near-death experiences, but this remains controversial (Barker, 2012).
Specific short-term effects of LSD, psilocybin, peyote, DMT, and ayahuasca include:
LSD
Psilocybin
Peyote
DMT
Ayahuasca
Sensory Effects
Physical Effects
LSD users quickly develop a high degree of tolerance to the drug’s effects, such that repeated use requires increasingly larger doses to produce similar effects. Use of hallucinogenic drugs also produces tolerance to other drugs in this class, including psilocybin and peyote. Use of classic hallucinogens does not, however, produce tolerance to drugs that do not act directly on the same brain cell receptors. In other words, there is no cross-tolerance to drugs that act on other neurotransmitter systems, such as marijuana, amphetamines, or PCP, among others. Furthermore, tolerance for hallucinogenic drugs is short-lived—it is lost if the user stops taking the drugs for several days—and physical withdrawal symptoms are not typically experienced when chronic use is stopped.
The long-term residual psychological and cognitive effects of peyote remain poorly understood. Although one study found no evidence of psychological or cognitive deficits among Native Americans who use peyote regularly in a religious setting, those findings may not generalize to those who repeatedly abuse the drug for recreational purposes (Halpern, 2005). Peyote users may also experience hallucinogen persisting perception disorder (HPPD)—also often referred to as flashbacks. The active ingredient mescaline has also been associated, in at least one report, to fetal abnormalities (Gilmore, 2001).
Long-term effects of DMT use and abuse and addiction liability are currently unknown. Unlike most other hallucinogens, DMT does not appear to induce tolerance (Winstock, 2013).
As with some other hallucinogens, there is little information to suggest that ayahuasca use creates lasting physiological or neurological deficits, especially among those using the brew for religious activities.
Overall, two long-term effects—persistent psychosis and HPPD—have been associated with use of classic hallucinogens (see text box below). Although occurrence of either is rare, it is also unpredictable and may happen more often than previously thought, and sometimes both conditions occur together. While the exact causes are not known, both conditions are more often seen in individuals with a history of psychological problems but can happen to anyone, even after a single exposure. There is no established treatment for HPPD, in which flashbacks may occur spontaneously and repeatedly although less intensely than their initial occurrence. Some antidepressant and antipsychotic drugs can be prescribed to help improve mood and treat psychoses, however. Psychotherapy may also help patients cope with fear or confusion associated with visual disturbances or other consequences of long-term LSD use. More research on the causes, incidence, and long-term effects of both disorders is being conducted.
Persistent psychosis
Hallucinogen Persisting Perception Disorder (HPPD)
Source: National Institute on Drug Abuse
Peyote
Image by Frank Vincentz
LSD (d-lysergic acid diethylamide)—also known as acid, blotter, doses, hits, microdots, sugar cubes, trips, tabs, or window panes—is one of the most potent mood- and perception-altering hallucinogenic drugs. It is a clear or white, odorless, water-soluble material synthesized from lysergic acid, a compound derived from a rye fungus. LSD is initially produced in crystalline form, which can then be used to produce tablets known as “microdots” or thin squares of gelatin called “window panes.” It can also be diluted with water or alcohol and sold in liquid form. The most common form, however, is LSD-soaked paper punched into small individual squares, known as “blotters.”
Psilocybin(4-phosphoryloxy-N,N-dimethyltryptamine)—also known as magic mushrooms, shrooms, boomers, or little smoke—is extracted from certain types of mushrooms found in tropical and subtropical regions of South America, Mexico, and the United States. In the past, psilocybin was ingested during religious ceremonies by indigenous cultures from Mexico and Central America. Psilocybin can either be dried or fresh and eaten raw, mixed with food, or brewed into a tea, and produces similar effects to LSD.
Peyote (Mescaline)—also known as buttons, cactus, and mesc—is a small, spineless cactus with mescaline as its main ingredient. It has been used by natives in northern Mexico and the southwestern United States as a part of religious ceremonies. The top, or “crown,” of the peyote cactus has disc-shaped buttons that are cut out, dried, and usually chewed or soaked in water to produce an intoxicating liquid. Because the extract is so bitter, some users prepare a tea by boiling the plant for several hours. Mescaline can also be produced through chemical synthesis.
DMT (Dimethyltryptamine)—also known as Dimitri—is a powerful hallucinogenic chemical found naturally occurring in some Amazonian plant species (see “Ayahuasca”) and also synthesized in the laboratory. Synthetic DMT usually takes the form of a white crystalline powder and is typically vaporized or smoked in a pipe.
Ayahuasca—also known as hoasca, aya, and yagé—is a hallucinogenic brew made from one of several Amazonian plants containing DMT (the primary psychoactive ingredient) along with a vine containing a natural alkaloid that prevents the normal breakdown of DMT in the digestive tract. Ayahuasca tea has traditionally been used for healing and religious purposes in indigenous South American cultures, mainly in the Amazon region.
PCP (Phencyclidine)—also known as ozone, rocket fuel, love boat, hog, embalming fluid, or superweed—was originally developed in the 1950s as a general anesthetic for surgery. While it can be found in a variety of forms, including tablets or capsules, it is usually sold as a liquid or powder. PCP can be snorted, smoked, injected, or swallowed. It is sometimes smoked after being sprinkled on marijuana, tobacco, or parsley.
Ketamine—also known as K, Special K, or cat Valium—is a dissociative currently used as an anesthetic for humans as well as animals. Much of the ketamine sold on the street has been diverted from veterinary offices. Although it is manufactured as an injectable liquid, ketamine is generally evaporated to form a powder that is snorted or compressed into pills for illicit use. Because ketamine is odorless and tasteless and has amnesia-inducing properties, it is sometimes added to drinks to facilitate sexual assault.
DXM (Dextromethorphan)—also known as robo—is a cough suppressant and expectorant ingredient in some over-the-counter (OTC) cold and cough medications that are often abused by adolescents and young adults. The most common sources of abused DXM are “extra-strength” cough syrup, which typically contains around 15 milligrams of DXM per teaspoon, and pills and gel capsules, which typically contain 15 milligrams of DXM per pill. OTC medications that contain DXM often also contain antihistamines and decongestants.
Salvia divinorum—also known as diviner’s sage, Maria Pastora, Sally-D, or magic mint—is a psychoactive plant common to southern Mexico and Central and South America. Salvia is typically ingested by chewing fresh leaves or by drinking their extracted juices. The dried leaves of salvia can also be smoked or vaporized and inhaled.
*In this report, the term “hallucinogen” will refer to the classic hallucinogenic drugs LSD and Psilocybin.
Source: National Institute on Drug Abuse
Psilocybe semilanceata
Image by /Wikimedia
Hallucinogens are a diverse group of drugs that alter a person’s awareness of their surroundings as well as their own thoughts and feelings. They are commonly split into two categories: classic hallucinogens (such as LSD) and dissociative drugs (such as PCP). Both types of hallucinogens can cause hallucinations, or sensations and images that seem real though they are not. Additionally, dissociative drugs can cause users to feel out of control or disconnected from their body and environment.
Some hallucinogens are extracted from plants or mushrooms, and some are synthetic (human-made). Historically, people have used hallucinogens for religious or healing rituals. More recently, people report using these drugs for social or recreational purposes, including to have fun, deal with stress, have spiritual experiences, or just to feel different.
Common classic hallucinogens include the following:
Common examples of dissociative drugs include the following:
People use hallucinogens in a wide variety of ways, as shown in the following chart:
Research suggests that classic hallucinogens work at least partially by temporarily disrupting communication between brain chemical systems throughout the brain and spinal cord. Some hallucinogens interfere with the action of the brain chemical serotonin, which regulates:
Dissociative hallucinogenic drugs interfere with the action of the brain chemical glutamate, which regulates:
Classic hallucinogens can cause users to see images, hear sounds, and feel sensations that seem real but do not exist. The effects generally begin within 20 to 90 minutes and can last as long as 12 hours in some cases (LSD) or as short as 15 minutes in others (synthetic DMT). Hallucinogen users refer to the experiences brought on by these drugs as "trips." If the experience is unpleasant, users sometimes call it a "bad trip."
Along with hallucinations, other short-term general effects include:
Specific short-term effects of some hallucinogens include:
Two long-term effects have been associated with use of classic hallucinogens, although these effects are rare.
Both conditions are seen more often in people who have a history of mental illness, but they can happen to anyone, even after using hallucinogens one time. For HPDD, some antidepressant and antipsychotic medications can be used to improve mood and treat psychosis. Behavioral therapies can be used to help people cope with fear or confusion associated with visual disturbances.
Dissociative drug effects can appear within a few minutes and can last several hours in some cases; some users report experiencing drug effects for days.
While the effects of most hallucinogens on the developing fetus are unknown, researchers do know that mescaline in peyote may affect the fetus of a pregnant woman using the drug.
Effects depend on how much is used. In low and moderate doses, dissociative drugs can cause:
In high doses, dissociative drugs can cause the following effects:
More research is needed on the long-term effects of dissociative drugs. Researchers do know repeated use of PCP can result in addiction. Other long-term effects may continue for a year or more after use stops, including:
It depends on the drug. An overdose occurs when a person uses enough of a drug to produce serious adverse effects, life-threatening symptoms, or death. Most classic hallucinogens may produce extremely unpleasant experiences at high doses, although the effects are not necessarily life-threatening. However, serious medical emergencies and several fatalities have been reported from 251-NBOMe.
Overdose is more likely with some dissociative drugs. High doses of PCP can cause seizures, coma, and death. Additionally, taking PCP with depressants such as alcohol or benzodiazepines can also lead to coma. Benzodiazepines, such as alprazolam (Xanax), are prescribed to relieve anxiety or promote sleep.
However, users of both classic hallucinogens and dissociative drugs also risk serious harm because of the profound alteration of perception and mood these drugs can cause.
In some cases, yes. Evidence suggests that certain hallucinogens can be addictive, and that people can develop a tolerance to them.
For example, LSD is not considered an addictive drug because it doesn't cause uncontrollable drug-seeking behavior. However, LSD does produce tolerance, so some users who take the drug repeatedly must take higher doses to achieve the same effect. This is an extremely dangerous practice, given the unpredictability of the drug. In addition, LSD produces tolerance to other hallucinogens, including psilocybin.
The misuse and addiction potential of DMT is currently unknown. Unlike other hallucinogens, DMT does not appear to lead to tolerance. There is also little evidence that taking it in the form of ayahuasca tea can lead to addiction.
On the other hand, PCP is a hallucinogen that can be addictive. People who stop repeated use of PCP experience drug cravings, headaches, and sweating as common withdrawal symptoms.
More research is needed on the tolerance or addiction potential of a variety of hallucinogens.
Long-term use of prescription opioids, even as prescribed by a doctor, can cause some people to develop a tolerance, which means that they need higher and/or more frequent doses of the drug to get the desired effects.
Drug dependence occurs with repeated use, causing the neurons to adapt so they only function normally in the presence of the drug. The absence of the drug causes several physiological reactions, ranging from mild in the case of caffeine, to potentially life-threatening, such as with heroin. Some chronic pain patients are dependent on opioids and require medical support to stop taking the drug.
Drug addiction is a chronic disease characterized by compulsive, or uncontrollable, drug seeking and use despite harmful consequences and long-lasting changes in the brain. The changes can result in harmful behaviors by those who misuse drugs, whether prescription or illicit drugs.
There are no FDA-approved medications to treat addiction to hallucinogens. While behavioral treatments can be helpful for patients with a variety of addictions, scientists need more research to find out if behavioral therapies are effective for addiction to hallucinogens.
Potentially. Some hallucinogens have been studied for possible therapeutic benefits in treating mental disorders such as depression.
Ketamine was approved many years ago as an anesthetic for painful medical procedures. In March 2019, the medicine esketamine (called “Spravato” by the manufacturer) was approved by the Food and Drug Administration as a treatment for severe depression in patients that do not respond to other treatments. Esketamine is closely related to the drug ketamine which is used illicitly and so there are concerns about the potential for abuse of this newly approved medication. In response, esketamine will be limited to administration in medical facilities.
Unlike a prescription that can be taken home and might be diverted into recreational use, esketamine will be administered in a medical office as a nasal spray. Patients must wait at least 2 hours under medical supervision to ensure proper management of potential side effects. It is a rapid acting medication, so improvements may be seen immediately or within the first few weeks of treatment (unlike most other antidepressants which can take weeks to begin to show an effect). Traditional antidepressants target the neurotransmitters serotonin, norepinephrine or dopamine. Esketamine affects the receptor for a different brain chemical called glutamate and so it represents a new approach to treating depression.
Evidence has also mounted in recent years that psilocybin may be effective in treating depression, and this is currently being studied in clinical trials. Psilocybin is not approved by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA), but in 2018, the FDA granted “Breakthrough Therapy” designation to one pharmaceutical company to facilitate clinical trials for its psilocybin-assisted therapy for treatment-resistant depression; the trials will determine the most optimal dose of the drug. It has also been studied as a possible treatment for depression and anxiety suffered by people with terminal illnesses.
Source: National Institute on Drug Abuse
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