Introduction:

Herb, salvia divinorum belongs to mint family, found abundantly in Mexico. The plant can grow up to three feet in height and has large green leaves, square stems and white flowers with purple calyces. This plant can also be cultivated successfully outside of this region. Salvia divinorum has already been used by the Mazatec Indians for its divination and healing properties. The most potent ingredient of salvia divinorum is known as salvinorin A. Neither salvia nor its active ingredient has been approved for medical use in the U.S.

Pharmacology of salvia

Salvinorin A, or divinorin A, is the ingredient, considered to be liable for the hallucinogenic effects of salvia. Chemically, it is a neoclerodane diterpene found concentrated in the leaves than stems. Although many chemicals have been isolated from the plant but none of them have shown any psychoactive property.

Read the rest of this entry »