An Overview on the Hallucinogenic Peyote and Its Alkaloid Mescaline: The Importance of Context, Ceremony and Culture
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Published:2023-12-05
Issue:24
Volume:28
Page:7942
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ISSN:1420-3049
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Container-title:Molecules
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language:en
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Short-container-title:Molecules
Author:
Doesburg-van Kleffens Marjolein1,
Zimmermann-Klemd Amy M.1ORCID,
Gründemann Carsten1
Affiliation:
1. Translational Complementary Medicine, Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of Basel, Campus Rosental–Mattenstrasse 22, CH-4058 Basel, Switzerland
Abstract
Peyote (Lophophora williamsii) is a cactus that contains various biologically active alkaloids—such as pellotine, anhalonidine, hordenine and mescaline. Here, mescaline induces the psychoactive effects of peyote through the activation of the serotonin 5-HT2A receptor and the subsequent release of calcium (Ca2+) from the endoplasmic reticulum (ER). Moreover, an evaluation of the therapeutic benefits of mescaline is also currently the subject of research. It is important to consider that the outcome of taking a psychedelic drug strongly depends on the mindset of the recipient and the context (set and setting principle), including ceremonies and culture. This overview serves to summarise the current state of the knowledge of the metabolism, mechanism of action and clinical application studies of peyote and mescaline. Furthermore, the benefits of the potential of peyote and mescaline are presented in a new light, setting an example for combining a form of treatment embedded in nature and ritually enriched with our current highly innovative Western medicine.
Funder
PRIAM-based consortium of multiple funders
Subject
Chemistry (miscellaneous),Analytical Chemistry,Organic Chemistry,Physical and Theoretical Chemistry,Molecular Medicine,Drug Discovery,Pharmaceutical Science
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