A Report of Nausea and Vomiting with Discontinuation of Chronic Use of Salvia divinorum
Case Reports in Medicine August 22, 2015 C. R. Travis, G. A. Ray, K. F. Marlowe 12 citations
A 51-year-old woman who smoked Salvia divinorum daily for 3–4 months developed nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, and abdominal discomfort about 48 hours after stopping. Laboratory tests were normal. The symptoms resolved with supportive care within a day. The authors suggest that the herb's active compound, salvinorin A, a kappa-opioid receptor agonist, may alter intestinal transit time and that this case represents the first reported gastrointestinal withdrawal syndrome from chronic Salvia use. As the herb is used widely, such withdrawal symptoms may become more common.