psychoactive cactus

Many cacti are known to be psychoactive, containing phenethylamine alkaloids such as mescaline.{{cite journal|last=Bruhn|first=Jan G.|author2=Hesham R. EI-Seedi |author3=Nikolai Stephanson |title=Ecstasy Analogues Found in Cacti|journal=Journal of Psychoactive Drugs|year=2008|volume=40|issue=2|pages=219–222|doi=10.1080/02791072.2008.10400635|pmid=18720674|citeseerx=10.1.1.689.4014|s2cid=11251286}} However, the two main ritualistic (folkloric) genera are Echinopsis, of which the most psychoactive species occur in the San Pedro cactus group (including Echinopsis pachanoi, syn. Trichocereus pachanoi, Echinopsis Peruviana, syn. Trichocereus peruvianus and Echinopsis lageniformis, syn. Trichocereus bridgesii{{cite book |url= https://www.themescalinegarden.com/san-pedro-appreciation-guide|title= The San Pedro Appreciation Guide|last= Engel |first= Liam |date= 2022|publisher= The Mescaline Garden}}{{Cite journal | author1= Engel, L. Barratt, M. Ferris, J. Puljevic, C. Winstock, A.| year = 2023 | title = Mescaline, Peyote and San Pedro: Is sustainability important for cacti consumers? | journal = Journal of Psychedelic Studies | volume = 7 | issue = 2 | pages = 135–142 | doi = 10.1556/2054.2023.00252 | url = https://akjournals.com/view/journals/2054/aop/article-10.1556-2054.2023.00252/article-10.1556-2054.2023.00252.xml| doi-access = free }}), and Lophophora, with peyote (Lophophora williamsii) being the most psychoactive species. Several other species pertaining to other genera are also psychoactive, though not always used with a ritualistic intent.{{cite journal|last=Bruhn|first=Jan G.|title=Ethnobotanical Search for Hallucinogenic Cacti1|journal=Planta Med|year=1973|volume=24|issue=8|pages=315–319|doi=10.1055/s-0028-1099504|pmid=4789553|s2cid=44528398 }}{{cite journal|last=Bruhn|first=Jan G.|author2=Catarina Bruhn |title=Alkaloids and ethnobotany of Mexican peyote cacti and related species|journal=Economic Botany|year=1973|volume=27|issue=2|pages=241–251|doi=10.1007/BF02872994|bibcode=1973EcBot..27..241B |s2cid=36480873}}{{cite journal|last=Pummangura|first=S.|author2=J. L. McLaughlin |author3=R. C. Schifferdecker |title=Cactus Alkaloids. XLVII. β-Phenethylamines From the "Missouri Pincushion", Coryphantha (Neobessya) missouriensis|journal=J. Nat. Prod.|date=September 1981|volume=44|issue=5|pages=614–616|doi=10.1021/np50017a022}}

Species

=Globular cacti=

Lophophora williamsii (peyote)

File:Lophophora williamsii pm.jpg

Other "peyotes"

Ariocarpus fissuratus
Coryphantha compacta (syn. C. palmeri)
Pelecyphora aselliformis
Pelecyphora strobiliformis
Lophophora diffusa
Ariocarpus retusus
Ariocarpus agavoides; kotschoubeyanus; and other species
Astrophytum asterias; capricorne; myriostigma; and other species
Aztekium ritteri; and other species
Coryphantha elephantidens; macromeris (var. runyonii); palmeri; and other species
Echinocactus grandis; grusonii; platyacanthus; visnaga; and other species
Epithelantha micromeris; and other species
Leuchtenbergia principis'; and other species
Lophophora species
Mammillaria craigii; grahamii (var. oliviae); heyderi; (Dolichothele) longimamma; (Solisia) pectinifera; (Mamillopsis) senilis; sonorensis; and other species
Obregonia denegrii
Strombocactus disciformis
Turbinicarpus laui; lophophoroides; jauernigii; (Pelecyphora) pseudopectinatus; schmiedickeanus; and other species

==Other==

Other North American psychoactive and/or medicinal cacti.

Carnegiea gigantea
Echinocereus salm-dyckianus (var. scheeri); triglochidiatus; and other species
Pachycereus pecten-aboriginum; pringlei

=Arborescent and columnar cacti=

==''Echinopsis''==

Echinopsis lageniformis (syn. Trichocereus bridgesii) (Bolivian torch cactus)
Echinopsis macrogona (syn. Trichocereus macrogonus), > 0.01-0.05% Mescaline{{cite web|url=http://www.thenook.org/archives/tek/alklist.htm|title=Partial List of Alkaloids in Trichocereus Cacti|publisher=Thennok.org|access-date=22 December 2017|archive-date=11 February 2009|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090211110045/http://thenook.org/archives/tek/alklist.htm|url-status=dead}}
Echinopsis pasacana ssp. atacamensis
Echinopsis pachanoi (syn. Trichocereus pachanoi) (San Pedro cactus)
Echinopsis peruviana (syn. Trichocereus peruvianus) (Peruvian torch cactus)
Echinopsis scopulicola (syn. Trichocereus scopulicolus), 0.82% mescaline by dry weight in the outer green layer.{{cite journal |last1=Ogunbodede |first1=Olabode |last2=McCombs |first2=Douglas |last3=Trout |first3=Keeper |last4=Daley |first4=Paul |last5=Terry |first5=Martin |title=New mescaline concentrations from 14 taxa/cultivars of Echinopsis spp. (Cactaceae) ("San Pedro") and their relevance to shamanic practice |journal=Journal of Ethnopharmacology |date=September 2010 |volume=131 |issue=2 |pages=356–362 |doi=10.1016/j.jep.2010.07.021 |pmid=20637277 |url=https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0378874110004836 |ref=2|url-access=subscription }}
Echinopsis spachiana (syn. Trichocereus spachianus), Mescaline;{{cite web|url=http://users.lycaeum.org/~iamklaus/botany.htm#|title=Descriptions of psychoactive Cacti.|publisher=Users.lycaeum.org|access-date=14 January 2015|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090715061322/http://users.lycaeum.org/~iamklaus/botany.htm|archive-date=15 July 2009|url-status=dead}} Mescaline
Echinopsis tacaquirensis subsp. taquimbalensis (syn. Trichocereus taquimbalensis),{{cite web|url=http://www.desert-tropicals.com/Plants/Cactaceae/Echinopsis_taquimb.html|title=Echinopsis tacaquirensis ssp. taquimbalensis|publisher=Desert-tropicals.com|access-date=14 January 2015|archive-date=23 September 2015|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150923213907/http://www.desert-tropicals.com/Plants/Cactaceae/Echinopsis_taquimb.html|url-status=dead}}{{Cite web |title=Mescaline in Trichocereus |url=https://www.themescalinegarden.com/mescaline-in-trichocereus |access-date=2024-08-30 |website=The Mescaline Garden |language=en-AU |archive-date=2024-08-08 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240808110012/https://www.themescalinegarden.com/mescaline-in-trichocereus |url-status=dead }} > 0.005-0.025% mescaline
Echinopsis terscheckii (syn. Trichocereus terscheckii, Trichocereus werdemannianus){{cite web|url=http://www.desert-tropicals.com/Plants/Cactaceae/Echinopsis_terscheckii.html|title=Cardon Grande (Echinopsis terscheckii)|publisher=Desert-tropicals.com|access-date=14 January 2015|archive-date=5 April 2015|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150405113718/http://www.desert-tropicals.com/Plants/Cactaceae/Echinopsis_terscheckii.html|url-status=dead}} > 0.005-0.025% Mescaline; mescaline 0.01%-2.375%[http://entheogen.netfirms.com/articles/articles/Narcotic_Cacti.html Forbidden Fruit Archives] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20051128031148/http://entheogen.netfirms.com/articles/articles/Narcotic_Cacti.html |date=2005-11-28 }}
Echinopsis valida (syn. E. validus), 0.025% mescaline{{cite web|url=http://www.erowid.org/plants/cacti/cacti_guide/cacti_guide_lophopho.shtml|title=Erowid Cacti Vaults : Visionary Cactus Guide - Mescaline from Sawdust|publisher=Erowid.org|access-date=14 January 2015}}
Echinopsis werdermannianus

File:Flowering San Pedro cactus.jpg

==Other==

Other South American psychoactive and/or medicinal cacti

Austrocylindropuntia cylindrica (syn. Opuntia cylindrica),{{cite web|url=http://www.desert-tropicals.com/Plants/Cactaceae/Opuntia_cylindrica.html|title=Austrocylindropuntia cylindrica|publisher=Desert-tropicals.com|access-date=22 December 2017|archive-date=11 October 2008|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20081011123100/http://www.desert-tropicals.com/Plants/Cactaceae/Opuntia_cylindrica.html|url-status=dead}} Mescaline
Armatocereus laetus
Browningia spp.
Cylindropuntia echinocarpa (syn. Opuntia echinocarpa), Mescaline 0.01%, DMPEA 0.01%, 4-hydroxy-3-5-dimethoxyphenethylamine 0.01%
Cylindropuntia spinosior (syn. Opuntia spinosior),{{cite web|url=http://www.desert-tropicals.com/Plants/Cactaceae/Opuntia_spinosior.html|title=Cane Cholla (Cylindropuntia spinosior )|publisher=Desert-tropicals.com|access-date=14 January 2015|archive-date=29 December 2014|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20141229050700/http://www.desert-tropicals.com/Plants/Cactaceae/Opuntia_spinosior.html|url-status=dead}} Mescaline 0.00004%, 3-methoxytyramine 0.001%, tyramine 0.002%, 3-4-dimethoxyphenethylamine.
Epostoa lanata
Matucana madisoniorum
Neoraimondia macrostibas
Opuntia acanthocarpa Mescaline{{cite web |url=http://users.lycaeum.org/~iamklaus/opuntia.htm |title=Opuntia: Visionary Cactus Guide |website=users.lycaeum.org |access-date=17 January 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20010308093542/http://users.lycaeum.org/~iamklaus/opuntia.htm |archive-date=8 March 2001 |url-status=dead}}
Opuntia basilaris Mescaline 0.01%, plus 4-hydroxy-3-5-dimethoxyphenethylamine
Selenicereus grandiflorus
Stetsonia coryne

Traditional and Indigenous uses

Several world regions have historically used psychoactive cacti for their properties, particularly Indigenous peoples from North America and South America, such as in Mexico and the Andes region. Archaeological studies have found evidence of use going back two thousand years.{{Cite journal |last1=Socha |first1=Dagmara M. |last2=Sykutera |first2=Marzena |last3=Orefici |first3=Giuseppe |date=2022-12-01 |title=Use of psychoactive and stimulant plants on the south coast of Peru from the Early Intermediate to Late Intermediate Period |journal=Journal of Archaeological Science |volume=148 |pages=105688 |doi=10.1016/j.jas.2022.105688 |issn=0305-4403|doi-access=free |bibcode=2022JArSc.148j5688S }}{{Cite journal |last1=El-Seedi |first1=Hesham R. |last2=De Smet |first2=Peter A. G. M. |last3=Beck |first3=Olof |last4=Possnert |first4=Göran |last5=Bruhn |first5=Jan G. |author-link2=Peter A. G. M. De Smet |date=2005-10-03 |title=Prehistoric peyote use: Alkaloid analysis and radiocarbon dating of archaeological specimens of Lophophora from Texas |url=https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0378874105002990 |journal=Journal of Ethnopharmacology |volume=101 |issue=1 |pages=238–242 |doi=10.1016/j.jep.2005.04.022 |pmid=15990261 |issn=0378-8741|url-access=subscription }} In 2022, the Peruvian Ministry of Culture declared the traditional use of San Pedro cactus in northern Peru as cultural heritage.{{Cite news |last=El Peruano |date=2022-11-17 |title=Declaran Patrimonio Cultural de la Nación a los conocimientos, saberes y usos del cactus San Pedro |url=https://elperuano.pe/noticia/197142-declaran-patrimonio-cultural-de-la-nacion-a-los-conocimientos-saberes-y-usos-del-cactus-san-pedro}} Lophophora williamsii (peyote) is used by the Native American Church (aka Peyotism).