Diviner's Sage (Salvia divinorum Epling & Játiva Lamiaceae)
January 23, 2025 Mai M. Younis, Ahmed M. Elissawy, Samir M. Osman et al.
Salvia divinorum, a hallucinogenic plant from the mint family endemic to Oaxaca, Mexico, has been traditionally used by the Mazatec people for medicinal purposes including treating arthritis, inflammation, gastrointestinal problems, and headaches, as well as in ceremonies for its psychoactive properties. Its main psychoactive component, salvinorin A, is a neoclerodane diterpene that acts as a potent and selective agonist on κ opioid receptors, causing hallucinations and loss of physical control. The chapter summarizes the plant's botany, habitat, ecology, ethnobotany, pharmacology, and medicinal effects.