Mescaline Concentrations in Three Principal Tissues ofLophophora williamsii(Cactaceae): Implications for Sustainable Harvesting Practices
Molly T. Klein, Md Abul Kalam, Keeper Trout, Norma L. Fowler, Martin Terry
Haseltonia February 1, 2015 DOI: 10.2985/026.020.0107 (opens in new tab)
Study at a glance
AI-extracted from the abstract| Characteristics | Observational study Peer reviewed |
|---|---|
| Sample size | 13 |
| Population | Mature peyote plants from a single population in South Texas |
| Topics | Mescaline |
| Keywords | Crown dentistry Botany Population Horticulture |
| Citations | 12 |
| Key findings | Non-chlorophyllous stem and root contain far lower mescaline concentrations than crown, making them poor sources of the alkaloid and suggesting that harvesting these tissues kills plants and prevents regeneration. |
Abstract
We evaluated the pharmacological consequences of tissues other than crown being included with harvested peyote. Mean mescaline concentrations were determined for crown, non-chlorophyllous stem, and root, using mature individuals from the same population in South Texas. Samples of each tissue—crown, non-chlorophyllous stem, and root—were taken from each of 13 individual plants. Samples were dried, triturated, defatted, and extracted with methylene chloride, using an acid-base aqueous wash to recover the alkaloids. The concentration of mescaline in each sample was determined by HPLC. The average mescaline concentration in non-chlorophyllous stem was an order of magnitude lower than that in crown, whereas the mescaline concentration in root was two orders of magnitude lower than that in crown. These results show that non-chlorophyllous stem is a poor source of mescaline, and root is an extremely poor source. These results have important implications for conservation, suggesting that non-traditional harvesting of peyote for religious or medicinal use involving the cutting of non-chlorophyllous tissue are contributing to the death of plants and the subsequent failure to regenerate new crowns. Therefore, this practice should be reevaluated by peyote harvesters and users.
Comparable studies
Other observational and cohort studies on mescaline, most cited first.
| Study | Year | Design | Participants |
|---|---|---|---|
| Psychedelics not linked to mental health problems or suicidal behavior: A population study Randomly selected United States adults | 2015 | Observational cohort | n = 135,095 |
| Long-lasting subjective effects of LSD in normal subjects Healthy participants | 2017 | Observational cohort | n = 16 |
| Psychological and cognitive effects of long-term peyote use among Native Americans. Navajo Native Americans aged 18-45 | 2005 | Observational cohort | n = 176 |
| Mescaline-induced psychopathological, neuropsychological, and neurometabolic effects in normal subjects: experimental psychosis as a tool for psychiatric research. Normal men who were volunteers | 1992 | Observational cohort | n = 12 |
| 2,5-Dimethoxy-4-methyl-amphetamine (STP): A New Hallucinogenic Drug Normal control volunteers | 1967 | Observational study |
Citations in the library
Cited by 10
- Pharmacokinetic and Pharmacodynamic Aspects of Peyote and Mescaline: Clinical and Forensic Repercussions Current Molecular Pharmacology October 15, 2018
- Dark Classics in Chemical Neuroscience: Mescaline ACS Chemical Neuroscience May 30, 2018
- An Efficient Ambient Ionization Mass Spectrometric Approach to Detection and Quantification of the Mescaline Content of Commonly Abused Cacti from the Echinopsis Genus Journal of Forensic Sciences July 16, 2019
- Natural or artificial: An example of topographic spatial distribution analysis of mescaline in cactus plants by matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionization mass spectrometry imaging Frontiers in Plant Science February 10, 2023
- Introduction to the chemistry and pharmacology of psychedelic drugs Australian Journal of Chemistry July 4, 2023
and 5 more in the library