Morning glory

Traditional and historical use

The closely related Turbina corymbosa — ololiuqui in Nahuatl — was used by Aztec, Mazatec, Zapotec, and other Mesoamerican peoples for divination and healing.^[2] I. tricolor was also used in some of these traditions under the Nahuatl name "tlitlitzin".^[2] Spanish colonial authorities documented and suppressed these practices from the 17th century onward.

Western discovery and research

Richard Evans Schultes began field documentation of ololiuqui in the 1930s–1940s.^[10] Albert Hofmann identified ergine in morning glory seeds at Sandoz Laboratories in 1960 — his results were initially dismissed as LSD contamination before independent researchers confirmed them.^[3][11] Ergine was scheduled as a controlled substance in the United States in 1970.

Modern era

Recreational use of morning glory seeds as a legal LSD substitute emerged in the 1960s, then subsided. A resurgence occurred in Poland and elsewhere in the 2010s, with web-report analyses confirming symptoms consistent with earlier medical case reports.^[4] In 2025, the specific I. tricolor fungal symbiont was formally named Periglandula clandestina sp. nov..^[12]

Taxonomy and family

Ipomoea tricolor Cav. belongs to the family Convolvulaceae — the bindweed or morning glory family. The genus Ipomoea comprises 600–700 species distributed across tropical and subtropical regions.^[13] In the context of psychoactive use, "morning glory" refers principally to I. tricolor and its named cultivars, including 'Heavenly Blue', 'Flying Saucers', and 'Pearly Gates'.

Native range and habitat

I. tricolor is native to tropical regions of the Americas and is now cultivated worldwide as an ornamental garden plant. It thrives in warm, well-drained soil with full sun and is commercially available as garden seed in most temperate and tropical countries.

Identification

I. tricolor is a fast-growing annual vine with heart-shaped leaves and funnel-shaped flowers — typically 6–8 cm across — that open in the morning. The 'Heavenly Blue' cultivar produces vivid sky-blue flowers with a white throat. Seeds are small, dark brown to black, and hard-coated; they are the sole documented psychoactive part of the plant. Their alkaloid content is produced not by the plant itself but by Periglandula clandestina, a heritable fungal symbiont.^[12]

Dominant alkaloid

LSA (ergine, d-lysergic acid amide) is the principal psychoactive alkaloid in I. tricolor seeds. It is structurally related to LSD and is presumed to activate serotonin pathways in the brain — inferred from structural analogy rather than direct binding studies.^[1] No published receptor binding data for ergine exist in peer-reviewed literature.

Minor alkaloids

Morning glory seeds also contain isoergine (d-isolysergic acid amide), a less psychoactive isomer of ergine, and ergonovine (ergometrine), a potent blood vessel constrictor and uterine contractor.^[11] These alkaloids are not made by the plant itself but by Periglandula clandestina, a heritable fungal symbiont residing within the plant's tissues.^[12] The relative proportions vary by cultivar and growing conditions; no controlled study has determined how the alkaloid mix shapes the subjective experience.

Variability

Alkaloid content varies substantially across cultivars, growing conditions, and commercial sources. In one analytical study, 2 of 5 commercial lots contained zero detectable ergot alkaloids.^[5] Seed count is not a reliable dose proxy — potency differences likely reflect variation in the density and viability of the fungal symbiont across different seed lineages.

Where it acts

Ergine is presumed to produce its effects primarily by partially activating serotonin receptors in the brain — the same core mechanism as LSD and psilocybin.^[1][6] Additional activity at other receptor systems — including dopamine and adrenergic pathways — contributes to the pronounced sedation and body load that distinguish morning glory from LSD.^[14]

What it changes

Tolerance builds rapidly — within 3–4 days of repeated use — through the same serotonin downregulation seen with LSD and psilocybin, with cross-tolerance expected across all three.^[1] Individuals whose bodies metabolize the alkaloid slowly may experience longer, more intense effects at any given dose.^[15]

In a prospective study of related LSA-containing seeds (Argyreia nervosa) at body-weight-normalized doses, 3 of 4 subjects experienced severe adverse effects — cardiovascular disruption in 2 and a psychosis-like state in 1; all recovered within 9 hours.^[7] One fatal case involved a person who fell from a building during LSA intoxication with co-ingested THC and ethanol, with a blood LSA concentration of 4.9 µg/L.^[8]

Commercially sold ornamental seeds are routinely coated with pesticides and fungicides, presenting hepatotoxic and neurotoxic risk independent of ergoline content.^[9] Treated seeds often show brightly colored surface residue, but the absence of visible coating does not guarantee safety. safety citation needed

Vasoconstrictors: Ergonovine in morning glory seeds already constricts blood vessels. Adding other vasoconstrictors raises the risk of reduced blood flow to limbs or organs.^[17]

CNS depressants (alcohol, benzodiazepines, opioids): These deepen morning glory's sedative effects. The only documented LSA-related fatality involved co-ingestion of ethanol and THC.^[8]

CYP2D6 inhibitors (fluoxetine, paroxetine, bupropion): These medications slow the liver's breakdown of ergine, potentially raising alkaloid levels and prolonging effects.^[15]

Contraindications

Morning glory plants and seeds are not scheduled under any United Nations drug convention.^[18] The isolated alkaloid ergine is Schedule III under US federal law (since 1970), while seeds remain legal to possess and sell. Louisiana restricts seeds when intended for human consumption; Arizona classifies all Ipomoea species as noxious weeds. Canada places no restrictions on plants or seeds. In the United Kingdom, seeds are legal to possess but extracted LSA is controlled under the Misuse of Drugs Act.^[9] Italy classifies morning glory seeds as controlled narcotic drugs; most other EU member states impose no restrictions on plants or seeds.^[18] Australia permits domestic possession and cultivation but prohibits import and export, with most states restricting consumption of LSA-containing seeds.^[18]