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Mandragora Facts

Deliriant; Substituted tropane; Muscarinic acetylcholine receptor antagonist

Description

Mandrake (Mandragora officinarum L., Solanaceae) is a Mediterranean perennial classified as a deliriant. It blocks acetylcholine signaling throughout the brain and body — disrupting perception, memory, and physiological regulation.

Subjective effects include disoriented delirium, fragmented hallucinations, complete amnesia, dry mouth, racing heart, and elevated body temperature.[1][2] Unlike serotonergic psychedelics, the hallucinations are mundane and indistinguishable from reality — conversations with absent people, interactions with objects that don't exist.

No physical dependence syndrome has been documented for anticholinergic agents, but the margin between a perceptible effect and severe toxicity is extremely narrow.[2] The dominant real-world harm is accidental poisoning — berries mistaken for edible plants.[3]

Dose and duration

No dose or duration recorded for any route.

Body and dependence

Acute toxicity
High
Chronic toxicity
Not assessed
Physical dependence
None
Psychological dependence
Negligible
Withdrawal
None recorded
Compulsive redosing
Negligible

Tolerance

Builds
Slow
Fully resets after
Not recorded
Carries over to
atropine; scopolamine; Datura stramonium; Atropa belladonna; Hyoscyamus niger

Effectslikely at a common dose

Perception
none likely · 11 possible, including Spatial disorientation, Visual acuity suppression, Vestibular distortion
Body
Abnormal heartbeat; Dry mouth; Pupil dilation; +15 possible, including Dizziness, Motor control impairment, Dehydration sensation
Thinking
Cognitive impairment; Confusion; Focus suppression; Information processing suppression; Thought disorganization; +12 possible, including Analysis suppression, Decision impairment, Memory suppression
Feeling
none likely · 5 possible, including Anxiety, Dysphoria, Emotional lability
Self
none likely · 8 possible, including Communication suppression, Social disconnection, Depersonalization
Time
none likely · 2 possible, including Temporal disorientation

Who shouldn't take it

Absolute
Coronary artery disease; Heart failure; Pre-existing cardiac arrhythmia; Pregnancy; Pediatric populations; Concurrent anticholinergic medications; Concurrent cholinesterase inhibitor therapy; Narrow-angle glaucoma
Relative
Hepatic impairment; Advanced age (≥65); Urinary obstruction / prostatic hypertrophy

Combinations60 recorded

Dangerous (18)
Amphetamines; Antihistamines; Antipsychotics; Atypical antipsychotics; Buprenorphine, Kratom; GHB, GBL; MDMA, MDA; Naltrexone; Opioids; Ephedrine, Pseudoephedrine; GHB, Baclofen; Ibogaine; Ketamine, DXM, PCP; Local anesthetics; NDRIs (Wellbutrin); Salvia, Ibogaine; SSRIs; Stimulants
Caution (35)
See full page: psychedex.org/substances/mandragora
Not graded (7)
Not listed never means safe.

Seek help immediately if

Deliriants are genuinely dangerous — treat any strong reaction as a medical emergency.

  • True delirium — confused, disoriented, doesn't know what's real or recognize people/danger
  • Vivid, frightening hallucinations; agitation or aggression
  • Hot, flushed, dry skin and high body temperature
  • Dilated pupils; blurred vision
  • Fast heartbeat; inability to urinate
  • Seizures; unconsciousness

What to do

  1. Call emergency services — deliriant poisoning (especially datura / belladonna) can be life-threatening
  2. Keep them physically safe — they may not know what they're doing and can badly injure themselves; remove hazards and stay with them
  3. Do not leave them alone; do not try to reason them out of it — they are delirious
  4. If overheating, cool the body
  5. Recovery position if drowsy, vomiting, or unconscious; be ready for rescue breaths / CPR

Deliriant effects are long (many hours to more than a day) and the person is not safe or in control throughout. The main dangers are self-injury during delirium, overheating, and — for potent anticholinergics like datura — cardiac and central-nervous-system toxicity. Medical monitoring is often needed.

988 Suicide & Crisis LifelineFireside Project: 62-FIRESIDE

Version r2 · Not medical advice

References

  1. [1]
    ^Lakstygal AM, Kolesnikova TO, Khatsko SL, Zabegalov KN, Volgin AD, Demin KA, Shevyrin VA, Wappler-Guzzetta EA, Kalueff AV (2019) DARK Classics in Chemical Neuroscience: Atropine, Scopolamine, and Other Anticholinergic Deliriant Hallucinogens — ACS Chemical Neuroscience doi:10.1021/acschemneuro.8b00615
  2. [2]
    ^abFatur K, Kreft S (2021) Nixing the nightshades: Traditional knowledge of intoxicating members of the Solanaceae among hallucinogenic plant and mushroom users in Slovenia — PLoS ONE doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0247688
  3. [3]
    ^Tsiligianni IG, Vasilopoulos TK, Papadokostakis PK, Arseni GK, Eleni A, Lionis CD (2009) A two cases clinical report of mandragora poisoning in primary care in Crete, Greece — Cases Journal doi:10.1186/1757-1626-2-9331
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