San Pedro Cactus (Echinopsis pachanoi (Britton & Rose) H. Friedrich & G.D. Rowley Cactceae)
January 23, 2025 Talha Imtiaz, Ehsan Ali, Muhammad Farooq Azhar
The San Pedro cactus (Echinopsis pachanoi) is a tall, columnar cactus native to the Andes of Peru and Ecuador, valued for its psychedelic effects due to the alkaloid mescaline, which constitutes 0.053% to 4.7% of its dry weight. The plant contains several other alkaloids and has been studied for potential medicinal properties, including analgesic, anti-inflammatory, and antibacterial effects, as well as possible applications for addiction and psychiatric disorders. This chapter describes the cactus's botanical characteristics, traditional shamanic use, and its significance as both a cultural symbol and a source of therapeutic compounds.