Newsgroups: alt.drugs didn't see my previous post, so if this is redundant please forgive me. The following entry was included in a book called "recreationsal drugs." "When psilocybin mushrooms are in short supply, and users are willing to settle for a milder but similar mind excursion, they sometimes turn to the coleus plant, particularly the species coleus blumei and coleus pumila. the mazatec indians of southern mexico have been tripping on this psychedelic mint for years. It takes about fifty to severnty large, colorful leaves of the coleus plant to get someone going. They can be chewed thoroughly and swallowed. If one prefers, the leaves can also be smoked and steeped in lukewarm water for for about an hour, after which the liquid is strained and drunk. No one is exactly sure what gives coleus its psychoactive kick, but we do know that only fresh leaves will work. Dried leaves have virtually no effect. While the drug has no really unpleasant or dangerous side effects, some people do feel a degree of nausea about a half hour after getting it down But the nausea goes away quickly and is soon replaced by a trippy, psilocybin-like state, colorful visual hallucinations and patterns, and telepathic and clairvoyant insights. The entire trip lasts for about two hours. Coleus plants can be purchased legally at most garden centers. Thos with green thumbs, who aren't too stoned to exercise them, might purchase some seeds to grow their own." ============================================================================= Newsgroups: alt.psychoactives : I just read that this common houseplant has hallucinogenic properties? : Does anyone know about this and if so could you share it with us? Thanx. : From GROWING THE HALLUCINOGENS - HOW TO CULTIVATE AND HARVEST LEGAL : PSYCHOACTIVE PLANTS by Hudson Grubber (20th Century Alchemist, dist. by : And/Or Press; Copyright 1973 20th Century Alchemist): : "PIPILTZINTZINTLI : _Salvina_divinorum_ Epling & Jativa; : Mint family (Labiatae) : "A woody perennial herb 4 to 6 feet tall with square, hollow stems. The : leaves are dark green, 6 to 8 inches long, with toothed edges. The flowers : are blue of white on spikes. Only found cultivated by sorcerors in an : isolated area in southern Mexico. : "CULTIVATION AND PROPAGATION: It is propagated in much the same manner as : coleus. It needs a loose, rich soil. It is best grown as a tub plant : and brought indoors when the weather begins to cool. It may be grown : outdoors in frost-free areas. This salvia is generally grown from cuttings, : but I know of one instance in which it was grown from seed. The seed should : be germinated in the same way as coleus. Cuttings should be taken in : spring, after the plant has had a lot of sun. Cut 1/2-inch below a node and : root in no more than an inch of water. A pinch of rootone may be added to : the water and shaken well to dissolve it. This will help prevent stem : rot and will stimulate rooting. When the roots are 1/4-inch long, the : cutting should be potted. Longer roots may be damaged. Plant in a 2-inch : pot with good potting soil. Grows rapidly after the roots are established. : I have found that this plant is susceptible to stem rot, if over-watered. : It is often attacked by aphids, white flies, spider mites and mealy-bugs. : "HARVESTING: Harvesting the leaves for use as a hallucinogen should not : be attempted until one has at least four one-year-old plants. An equal : number of leaves should be harvested from each plant so that the shock to : one plant will not be great. Dosage may vary; begin with 10-20 fresh : leaves. Fresh leaves are used, as the active principle is believed to : be unstable. Considering the rarity of the plant, the leaves should be : chewed, because when the juices are expressed much of the active : principle is wasted." : It does not sound from this as if this is a "common household plant." : This is the complete entry on the plant from this source. Nothing about : effects or chemistry, unfortunately. Here is the entry under "Pipilzintzintli" in "Legal Highs: A concise encyclopedia of legal herbs and chemicals with psychoactive properties" by 20th Century Alchemist, High Times/Level Press, 1973. MATERIAL: Leaves of plant found in southern Mexico. Also used for same effect are leaves of Coleus blumei and Coleus pumila, common house plants. USAGE: About 70 large fresh leaves are thoroughly chewed and swallowed or crushed and soaked in 1 pt. water for 1 hr., strained and drunk. If osterizer is available leaves may be liquefied in water. ACTIVE CONSTITUENTS: Uncertain, believed to be an unstable crystalline polyhydric alcohol. EFFECTS: Similar to psilocybin with colorful vsiual patterns, but milder and lasting only 2 hours. CONTRAINDICATIONS: Some people experience nausea during first half hour; otherwise no unpleasant or harmful side effects known.