Identification of 5-hydroxy-tryptamine (bufotenine) in takini (Brosimumacutifolium Huber subsp. acutifolium C.C. Berg, Moraceae), a shamanic potion used in the Guiana Plateau.
Christian Moretti, Yvan Gaillard, Pierre Grenand, Fabien Bévalot, Jean-Michel Prévosto
Journal of Ethnopharmacology June 30, 2006 DOI: 10.1016/j.jep.2005.12.022 (opens in new tab)
Study at a glance
AI-extracted from the abstract| Characteristics | Chemical and botanical study Peer reviewed |
|---|---|
| Topics | Shamanism |
| Keywords | Ethnobotany Traditional medicine Shamanic potion Indigenous plants Folk medicine Ethnobotanical research Phytochemistry Chemical analysis Active ingredient Bufotenine Plant chemistry Natural products Pharmacology Hallucinogens Psychoactive substances Psychedelics Psychotropic properties Mind-altering compounds Botanical identification Plant science *brosimum acutifolium* Plant species Botanical analysis |
| Citations | 32 |
| Key points | The active ingredient of takini is bufotenine, found only in the subspecies Brosimum acutifolium Huber subsp. acutifolium C.C. Berg. |
Abstract
This paper is the first thorough analysis of takini, a hallucinogen used by the shamans of several peoples in Suriname, French Guiana, and the region east of the Para in Brazil. The drug is contained in the latex of the Brosimum acutifolium tree, and until now, its psychotropic properties appeared inconsistent with the more general medicinal uses of the tree in the surrounding region. Our chemical and botanical studies reveal that the active ingredient of takini is bufotenine; and that this compound is only contained in the subspecies Brosimum acutifolium Huber subsp. acutifolium C.C. Berg that is found in the same area of the eastern Guianas.