The subjective experience of acute, experimentally-induced Salvia divinorum inebriation.
Peter H. Addy, Albert Garcia‐romeu, Matthew Metzger, Jenny Wade
Journal of Psychopharmacology April 1, 2015 DOI: 10.1177/0269881115570081 (opens in new tab)
Study at a glance
AI-extracted from the abstract| Characteristics | Randomized controlled trial Placebo-controlled Double-blind Qualitative Peer reviewed |
|---|---|
| Sample size | 30 |
| Population | Healthy individuals |
| Intervention | Salvia divinorum |
| Duration | 8-week follow-up |
| Topics | Salvia divinorum |
| Keywords | Hallucinogens Kappa Neuropharmacology Opioid Psychedelics Qualitative research Receptors Consciousness alteration |
| Citations | 38 |
| Key findings | Salvia divinorum produces rapid, intense, and unique subjective effects including perceptual alterations, loss of self-awareness, and delusional phenomena, as identified through thematic analysis. |
Abstract
This study examined the overall psychological effects of inebriation facilitated by the naturally-occurring plant hallucinogen Salvia divinorum using a double-blind, randomized, placebo-controlled trial. Thirty healthy individuals self-administered Salvia divinorum via combustion and inhalation in a quiet, comfortable research setting. Experimental sessions, post-session interviews, and 8-week follow-up meetings were audio recorded and transcribed to provide the primary qualitative material analyzed here. Additionally, post-session responses to the Hallucinogen Rating Scale provided a quantitative groundwork for mixed-methods discussion. Qualitative data underwent thematic content analysis, being coded independently by three researchers before being collaboratively integrated to provide the final results. Three main themes and 10 subthemes of acute intoxication emerged, encompassing the qualities of the experience, perceptual alterations, and cognitive-affective shifts. The experience was described as having rapid onset and being intense and unique. Participants reported marked changes in auditory, visual, and interoceptive sensory input; losing normal awareness of themselves and their surroundings; and an assortment of delusional phenomena. Additionally, the abuse potential of Salvia divinorum was examined post hoc. These findings are discussed in light of previous research, and provide an initial framework for greater understanding of the subjective effects of Salvia divinorum, an emerging drug of abuse.
Comparable studies
Other randomized controlled trials on salvia divinorum, most cited first.
Citations in the library
Cited by 23
- Patient Experiences of Psilocybin-Assisted Psychotherapy: An Interpretative Phenomenological Analysis Journal of Humanistic Psychology April 28, 2017
- Looking for the Self: Phenomenology, Neurophysiology and Philosophical Significance of Drug-induced Ego Dissolution Frontiers in Human Neuroscience May 23, 2017
- Clinical applications of hallucinogens: A review. Experimental and Clinical Psychopharmacology August 1, 2016
- The Experience Elicited by Hallucinogens Presents the Highest Similarity to Dreaming within a Large Database of Psychoactive Substance Reports Frontiers in Neuroscience January 22, 2018
- Neurochemical models of near-death experiences: A large-scale study based on the semantic similarity of written reports. Consciousness and Cognition March 1, 2019
and 18 more in the library
Cites 47
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- Human hallucinogen research: guidelines for safety. Journal of Psychopharmacology July 1, 2008
- Salvinorin A: a potent naturally occurring nonnitrogenous kappa opioid selective agonist. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences September 3, 2002
- Dose-Response Study of N,N-Dimethyltryptamine in Humans Archives of General Psychiatry February 1, 1994
- Neural correlates of a mystical experience in Carmelite nuns Neuroscience Letters July 27, 2006
and 42 more in the library