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Salvia divinorum Facts

Hallucinogen; Salvinorin; Kappa-opioid receptor agonist

Description

Salvia divinorum (Lamiaceae) — ska María pastora — is a perennial herb native to cloud forests in Oaxaca, Mexico. Its primary psychoactive compound, salvinorin A, is unique among hallucinogens — it contains no nitrogen atom.[1] Salvinorin A activates kappa-opioid receptors, suppressing dopamine and disrupting the circuits that sustain a coherent sense of reality.[1][2][3]

Subjective effects include complete loss of environmental awareness, vivid internal hallucinations, deep disorientation in space and time, and distorted body sense.[4] Smoked preparations produce a sudden, overwhelming immersion lasting under 20 minutes; traditional leaf quids yield a gentler shift over 30–90 minutes.[5][6]

No fatalities have been directly attributed to salvinorin A, and no dependence syndrome has been described.[7][3] The primary risks are psychological — the kappa-opioid mechanism makes dysphoric, frightening experiences common, and case reports link use to lasting psychosis in psychiatrically vulnerable individuals.[8]

Dose and duration

No dose or duration recorded for any route.

Body and dependence

Acute toxicity
Low
Chronic toxicity
Negligible
Physical dependence
None
Psychological dependence
Negligible
Withdrawal
None recorded
Compulsive redosing
Negligible

Tolerance

Builds
Rapid
Fully resets after
Not recorded

Effectslikely at a common dose

Perception
Depth perception distortion; Holotropic state; Perspective distortion; Proprioceptive distortion; Sensory deprivation; Spatial disorientation; Vestibular distortion; Visual morphing; +13 possible, including Visual acuity suppression, Visual haze / noise
Body
Body schema distortion; Dizziness; Motor control impairment; Sedation; +11 possible, including Nystagmus (eye wobbles), Trembling
Thinking
Cognitive impairment; Confusion; Decision impairment; Focus suppression; Information processing suppression; Memory fragmentation; Memory suppression; Novelty enhancement; Thought disorganization; +6 possible, including Analysis suppression, Cognitive dysphoria, Language suppression
Feeling
none likely · 4 possible, including Anxiety, Dysphoria, Emotional lability
Self
Communication suppression; Depersonalization; Derealization; Social disconnection; +2 possible
Time
Temporal disorientation; Time alteration; +2 possible
Transpersonal
none likely · 1 possible

Who shouldn't take it

Absolute
Psychotic disorders
Relative
Hepatic impairment; Pregnancy and breastfeeding; Adolescence; Concurrent CYP2D6 or CYP2E1 inhibitors; Unsupervised setting or fall-risk environment

Combinations60 recorded

Dangerous (35)
5-HTP, Tryptophan; Alpha-2 adrenergic receptor antagonist; Amphetamines; Anticholinergics; Antipsychotics; Atypical antipsychotics; Buspirone; Cannabis; Cannabis, THC; CBD; Dopamine agonists; DXM; Ephedrine, Pseudoephedrine; GHB, Baclofen; GHB, GBL; Ketamine, DXM, PCP; Lithium; Local anesthetics; MAOIs; MDMA, Amphetamines; MDMA, MDA; NDRIs (Wellbutrin); NRIs; NSAIDs; and 11 more, see full page
Caution (17)
See full page: psychedex.org/substances/salvia-divinorum
Not graded (8)
Not listed never means safe.

Seek help immediately if

No emergency profile is recorded for this substance. Not recorded never means no risk.

988 Suicide & Crisis LifelineFireside Project: 62-FIRESIDE

Version r2 · Not medical advice

References

  1. [1]
    ^abRoth BL, Baner K, Westkaemper R, Siebert D, Rice KC, Steinberg S, Ernsberger P, Rothman RB (2002) Salvinorin A: a potent naturally occurring nonnitrogenous kappa opioid selective agonist. — Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America PMID:12192085
  2. [2]
    ^Carlezon WA, Beguin C, DiNieri JA, Baumann MH, Richards MR, Todtenkopf MS, Rothman RB, Ma Z, Lee DY, Cohen BM (2006) Depressive-like effects of the kappa-opioid receptor agonist salvinorin A on behavior and neurochemistry in rats — Journal of Pharmacology and Experimental Therapeutics PMID:16223871
  3. [3]
    ^abGanado M, Rubio C, Pérez-Villavicencio J, Serrano N, Romo-Parra H, Lee Á, Rubio-Osornio M (2026) Opioid Receptors in Psychedelia: Indirect Serotonergic Modulation of Direct KOR Activation by Salvinorin A. — Biomedicines doi:10.3390/biomedicines14020476
  4. [4]
    ^MacLean KA, Johnson MW, Reissig CJ, Prisinzano TE, Griffiths RR (2013) Dose-related effects of salvinorin A in humans: dissociative, hallucinogenic, and memory effects. — Psychopharmacology doi:10.1007/s00213-012-2912-9
  5. [5]
    ^Johnson MW, MacLean KA, Reissig CJ, Prisinzano TE, Griffiths RR (2011) Human psychopharmacology and dose-effects of salvinorin A, a kappa opioid agonist hallucinogen present in the plant Salvia divinorum — Drug and Alcohol Dependence doi:10.1016/j.drugalcdep.2010.11.005
  6. [6]
    ^Diaz JL (2013) Salvia divinorum: a psychopharmacological riddle and a mind-body prospect. — Current drug abuse reviews PMID:23627785
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