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This page listssubstances used inritual context.
Psychoactive substances may be illegal to obtain, while non-psychoactive substances are legal, generally.
This sections listsentheogens; drugs that are consumed for their intoxicating effect in combination with spiritual practice.
This is a list of species and genera that are used asentheogens or are used in an entheogenic concoction (such asayahuasca). For ritualistic use they may be classified ashallucinogens. The active principles and historical significance of each are also listed to illustrate the requirements necessary to be categorized as an entheogen. The psychoactive substances are usually classified assoft drugs in terms of drug harmfulness.
| Vernacular name | Species | Phytochemical(s) | Substance effect class | Regions/Cultures of use |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Bullet ant venom | Paraponera clavata | Secretion:Poneratoxin | Deliriant | TheSatere-Mawe people use bullet ants to get extremely painful stings in their initiation rites twenty times.[1] |
| Colorado River toadbufotoxins | Incilius alvarius | Secretion:5-MeO-DMT,bufotenin (et al.) | Psychedelic | Bufo alvarious secretion has gained popularity in spiritual retreats.[2] Controversial interpretation of Mesoamerican art. |
| Vernacular name | Species | Phytochemical(s) | Substance effect class | Regions/Cultures of use |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Dictyonema huaorani | Dictyonema huaorani | 5-MeO-DMT,DMT,psilocybin | Psychedelic | Confirmed used by shamans.[3] |
| Fly agaric | Amanita muscaria | Muscimol,ibotenic acid | Depressant, anddissociative | Siberian shamans.[4] Scandinavia. Lithuania. |
| Panther cap | Amanita pantherina | Muscimol,ibotenic acid | Depressant, anddissociative | [citation needed] |
| Psilocybin mushroom | Psilocybe spp. (etc.) | Psilocybin andpsilocin; baeocystin,norbaeocystin andaeruginascin (in trace amounts or in select species) | Psychedelic | Mazatec[5] |
| Vernacular name | Species | Phytochemical(s) | Substance effect class | Regions/Cultures of use |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Angel's trumpet | Brugmansiaspp. | Seed, flower, leaf:Tropane alkaloids | Deliriant | South America,[6] sometimes used as part ofayahuasca. |
| Ayahuasca | Banisteriopsis caapi | Bark:Harmine 0.31-0.84%,[7]tetrahydroharmine,telepathine,dihydroshihunine,[8] 5-MeO-DMT[9] | Psychedelic | South America; people of the Amazon Rainforest.UDV of Brazil and United States. |
| Bolivian torch cactus | Echinopsis lageniformis | Stem:Mescaline | Psychedelic | South America |
| Brosimum acutifolium | Latex:Bufotenin | Psychedelic | Bufotenin has been identified as a component in the latex of the takini (Brosimum acutifolium) tree, which is used as a psychedelic by South American shamans.[10] | |
| Cannabis (andcannabis concentrates) | Cannabis spp. | Flower:Cannabinoids (THC, andCBD) | Psychedelic | Hindu religion in India, Rastafari movements, Cannabis-based religions like First Church of Cannabis or International Church of Cannabis and other various groups (seeentheogenic use of cannabis) |
| Chacruna | Psychotria viridis | Leaf: DMT | Psychedelic | UDV of Peru, Ecuador, Colombia, and the Brazilian church.Santo Daime have used it as part of ayahuasca. |
| Chaliponga | Diplopterys cabrerana | Leaf: 5-MeO-DMT, bufotenin, DMT | Psychedelic | Brazil, Colombia, Ecuador, and Peru as part ofayahuasca. |
| Changa | ADMT/MAOI-infused smoking blend | DMT/MAOI | Psychedelic | Changa has gained popularity in spiritual retreats.[citation needed] |
| Christmasvine | Turbina corymbosa | Seed: LSA, isoLSA, lysergol, and turbicoryn; up to 0.03% lysergic acid alkaloids[11] | Psychedelic | Mazatec[12] |
| Harmal (espand, Syrian rue) | Peganum harmala | Seed:Harmaline and otherharmala alkaloids | Psychedelic | Iran and the Middle East. |
| Hawaiian baby woodrose | Argyreia nervosa | Seed: 0.325%ergoline derivatives of dry weight.[13] | Psychedelic | Huna shamans used them according to various oral histories.[14] |
| Henbane | Hyoscyamus niger | Seed, flower, leaf: Tropane alkaloids | Deliriant | Ancient Greece and witches of the Middle Ages. |
| Iboga | Tabernanthe iboga | Root bark:Ibogaine[15] | Psychedelic | Bwiti religion of West Central Africa. Used by Western nations to treat opioid addiction. |
| Jimsonweed | Datura stramonium | Seed, flower, leaf:[16]
| Deliriant | Algonquin,Navajo,Cherokee,Luiseño and theindigenous peoples ofMarie-Galante used this plant in sacred ceremonies for its hallucinogenic properties.[17][18][19] It has also been used bySadhus of India, and theTáltos of theMagyar (Hungary). |
| Jurema | Mimosa tenuiflora syn.Mimosa hostilis | Root bark: 1-1.7% DMT andyuremamine | Psychedelic | Used by the Jurema Cult (O Culto da Jurema) in the Northeastern Brazil.[20][21] |
| Labrador tea | Rhododendron spp. | Leaf:Ledol, somegrayanotoxins | Deliriant | Caucasianpeasants usedRhododendron plants for these effects inshamanistic rituals.[22] |
| Mad honey | Rhododendron ponticum | Nectar:Grayanotoxins | Deliriant | In Nepal, this type of honey is used by the Gurung people both for its supposed medicinal and hallucinogenic properties.[23][24] |
| Mexican morning glory | Ipomoea tricolor | Seed:Ergoline derivatives[25][failed verification] LSA and iso-LSA | Psychedelic | Zapotecs[26] |
| Beach moonflower | Ipomoea violacea | Seed:Ergoline derivatives[27][failed verification] LSA and iso-LSA | Psychedelic | Mazatec[12] |
| Nyakwána | Virola elongata | Bark, roots, leaves and flowers: DMT, and 5-MeO-DMT | Psychedelic | The Yanomami people use the powdered resin as anentheogen known as nyakwána which is inhaled or "snuffed" into the nasal cavity, it contains a high concentration of5-MeO-DMT andDMT.[28] |
| Peruvian torch cactus | Echinopsis peruviana | Stem:Mescaline | Psychedelic | Pre-Incan Chavín rituals in Peru. |
| Peyote | Lophophora williamsii | Stem: Mescaline | Psychedelic | Native American Church is known as peyotism.[29][30] Also used in theOshara tradition. |
| Red ucuuba | Virola sebifera | Bark: DMT, and 5-MeO-DMT | Psychedelic | The smoke of the inner bark of the tree is used byshamans of the indigenous people ofVenezuela in cases of fever conditions, or cooked for driving out evil ghosts.[31] |
| Salvia | Salvia divinorum | Leaf:Salvinorin A and othersalvinorins | Psychedelic | Mazatec[32] |
| San Pedro cactus | Trichocereus macrogonus var.pachanoi (syn.Echinopsis pachanoi) | Stem:Mescaline | Psychedelic | South America |
| Vilca | Anadenanthera colubrina | Beans: 5-MeO-DMT. Up to 12.4% bufotenin.[33] DMT | Psychedelic | There have been reports of active use of vilca byWichi shamans, under the namehatáj.[34] |
| Yopo | Anadenanthera peregrina | Beans: 5-MeO-DMT. Up to 7.4%bufotenin.[33] DMT | Psychedelic | Archaeological evidence of insufflation use within the period 500-1000 AD, in northern Chile, has been reported.[35] |
Many man-made chemicals with little human history have been recognized to catalyze intense spiritual experiences, and many synthetic entheogens are simply slight modifications of their naturally occurring counterparts. Some synthetic substances like4-AcO-DMT are thought to beprodrugs that metabolize into psychoactive substances that have been used as entheogens. While syntheticDMT andmescaline are reported to have identical entheogenic qualities asextracted or plant-based sources, the experience may wildly vary due to the lack of numerous psychoactive alkaloids that constitute the material. This is similar to how isolatedTHC produces very different effects than an extract that retains the many cannabinoids of the plant such ascannabidiol andcannabinol. A pharmaceutical version of the entheogenic brew ayahuasca is calledPharmahuasca.
| Substance | IUPAC name | Substance effect class | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2C-B | 4-Bromo-2,5-dimethoxyphenylethanamine | Psychedelic | There are claims that 2C-B is used asentheogen by theSangoma,Nyanga, andAmagqirha people over their traditional plants. It is referred to as Ubulawu Nomathotholo, which roughly translates to "Medicine of the Singing Ancestors".[36][37][38] |
| 5-MeO-DMT | 2-(5-Methoxy-1H-indol-3-yl)-N,N-dimethylethan-2-amine | Psychedelic | See species |
| Bufotenin | 3-[2-(Dimethylamino)ethyl]-1H-indol-5-ol | Psychedelic | See species |
| DMT | 2-(1H-Indol-3-yl)-N,N-dimethylethanamine | Psychedelic | See species |
| DPT | N-[2-(1H-indol-3-yl)]ethyl-N-propylpropan-1-amine | Psychedelic | DPT is used as areligioussacrament by theTemple of the True Inner Light who believes that DPT and other entheogens are physical manifestations ofGod.[39] |
| Harmaline | 7-methoxy-1-methyl-4,9-dihydro-3H-pyrido[3,4-b]indole | Psychedelic | SeePeganum harmala |
| Ibogaine | 12-Methoxyibogamine | Psychedelic | SeeTabernanthe iboga |
| Ketamine | Dissociative | Ketamine psychedelic therapy (KPT) have been used for preparation for death (thanatological, death-rebirth psychotherapy)[40] | |
| LSA | (8β)-9,10-didehydro-6-methyl-ergoline-8-carboxamide | Psychedelic | See species |
| Iso-LSA | (8α)-9,10-didehydro-6-methyl-ergoline-8-carboxamide | Psychedelic | See species |
| LSD | (6aR,9R)-N,N-diethyl-7-methyl-4,6,6a,7,8,9-hexahydroindolo[4,3-fg]quinoline-9-carboxamide | Psychedelic | Used byLeague for Spiritual Discovery (LSD), and theNeo-American Church. |
| MDMA | (RS)-1-(1,3-benzodioxol-5-yl)-N-methylpropan-2-amine | Entactogen | Small doses ofMDMA are used as an entheogen to enhance prayer or meditation by some religious practitioners.[41] |
| Muscimol | 5-(Aminomethyl)-isoxazol-3-ol | Deliriant | SeeAmanita spp. |
| Psilocybin | [3-(2-Dimethylaminoethyl)-1H-indol-4-yl] dihydrogen phosphate | Psychedelic | (See alsoPsilocybe spp) Prodrug for Psilocin. TheMazateccuranderaMaría Sabina was celebrating a mushroom velada with pills of syntheticpsilocybin named Indocybin synthesized byAlbert Hofmann.[42] |
| Salvinorin A | methyl (2S,4aR,6aR,7R,9S,10aS,10bR)-9-(acetyloxy)-2-(furan-3-yl)-6a,10b-dimethyl-4,10-dioxo-dodecahydro-1H-naphtho[2,1-c]pyran-7-carboxylate | Psychedelic | SeeSalvia divinorum |
| Substance | IUPAC name | Substance effect class | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1A-LSD | (6aR,9R)-4-acetyl-N,N-diethyl-7-methyl-4,6,6a,7,8,9-hexahydroindolo[4,3-fg]quinoline-9-carboxamide | Psychedelic | Prodrug (suspected) forLSD |
| 1P-LSD | (6aR,9R)-N,N-Diethyl-7-methyl-4-propanoyl-6,6a,8,9-tetrahydroindolo[4,3-fg]quinoline-9-carboxamide | Psychedelic | Prodrug (suspected) forLSD. In tests on mice1cP-LSD was found to be an active psychedelic with similar potency to 1P-LSD.[43] |
| 4-AcO-DMT | 3-[2-(Dimethylamino)ethyl]-1H-indol-4-yl acetate | Psychedelic | Prodrug forpsilocin (found inpsilocybin mushroom, see also psilocybin) |
This page lists non-psychedelicpsychoactive substances which are consumed in ritual contexts for their consciousness-altering effects. Non-psychoactive consumption like symbolic ingestion of psychoactive substances is not mentioned here.
This is a list of psychoactive substances which are consumed in ritual contexts for their consciousness-altering effects. Some of these drugs are classified ashard drugs in terms of drug harmfulness.
The plant parts are listed to prevent accidents. For example,kava roots should always be used because the leaves of the plant are known to cause hepatoxicity and death.[44]
| Vernacular name | Species | Phytochemical(s) | Substance effect class | Regions/Cultures of use |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| African dream herb | Entada rheedii | Seed | Oneirogen | The species is employed in African traditional medicine to induce vivid dreams, enabling communication with the spirit world. The inner meat of the seed would be either consumed directly, or the meat would be chopped, dried, mixed with other herbs like tobacco and smoked just before sleep to induce the desired dreams.[45] |
| African dream root | Silene undulata | Root: Possiblytriterpenoid saponins | Oneirogen | Xhosa people of South Africa.[46] |
| Aztec tobacco | Nicotiana rustica | Leaf: up to 9% nicotine.[47] MAOI beta-carbolines. | Stimulant | Mapacho (South America)[48] and thuoc lao (thuốc lào) (Vietnam).Nicotiana rustica is used by Amazonian tobacco shamans known as tobaqueros.[49]Nicotiana tabacum juice is sometimes a vernacular added ingredient.[50] |
| Bitter-grass | Calea ternifolia | Leaf: Caleicines and caleochromenes | Oneirogen | TheChontal people ofOaxaca reportedly use the plant, known locally asthle-pela-kano, duringdivination.[51] |
| Blue water lily | Nymphaea caerulea | Flower:Aporphine, andnuciferine | Depressant | Mayans and the Ancient Egyptians.[52] |
| Chili pepper | Capsicum spp. | Fruit:Capsaicin | Deliriant | "While the Inca may have recognized chili's potent spiritual medicine, they weren't the only culture to do so. Chilies were mixed with tobacco and other plants by shamans and medicine people in pre-Columbian Central America to aid in journeys to the upper and lower worlds on behalf of mankind."[53] |
| Coca,coca tea | Erythroxylaceae spp. | Leaf: 0.3-1.5%cocaine[54] | Stimulant | Coca has been a vital part of the religious cosmology of the Andean peoples of Peru, Bolivia, Ecuador, Colombia, northern Argentina, and Chile from the pre-Inca period through the present.[citation needed] In addition, coca use in shamanic rituals is well documented wherever local native populations have cultivated the plant. For example, theTairona people of Colombia'sSierra Nevada de Santa Marta use to chew the plant before engaging in extended meditation and prayer.[55] |
| Cocoa | Theobroma cacao | Bean: Theobromine, small amount of MAOIs | Stimulant | Ritualistic practices originated among the Olmec, Maya and Mexica (Aztec).[56] |
| Coffee | Coffea spp. | Seed:[57]caffeine 0.06-3.2% | Stimulant | The earliest credible evidence of either coffee drinking or knowledge of the coffee tree appears in the middle of the 15th century, in Yemen'sSufi monasteries.[58] The Sufi monks drank coffee as an aid to concentration and even spiritual intoxication when they chanted the name of God.[59] |
| Ilex guayusa | Ilex guayusa | Leaves: 1.73–3.48 %caffeine.[60]Theanine | Stimulant | A ritual use by theQuechua people involves drinking guayusa infusion to have foretelling dreams for successful hunting expeditions.[61]Ilex guayusa is used inayahuasca admixtures for its healing powers.[62] |
| Kava | Piper methysticum | Root:[63] 3-20%kavalactones | Depressant | Kava cultures are the religious and cultural traditions of western Oceania which consumekava. |
| Khat | Catha edulis | Leaf:[64]cathine up to 14%[65][66] | Stimulant | For centuries, religious leaders have consumed the leaves to stay awake during long nights of prayer.[67] |
| Kratom | Mitragyna speciosa | Leaves: Opioids (1–6%mitragynine, 0.01–0.04%7-hydroxymitragynine[68]) | Depressant | In Thailand, kratom was "used as a snack to receive guests and was part of the ritual worship of ancestors and gods." (Saingam et al.)[69] |
| Opium,Opium poppy | Papaver somniferum | Latex exudate:[70]morphine 0.3–25% andcodeine 0.5–4% | Depressant | From the earliest finds, opium appears to have had ritual significance, and anthropologists have speculated ancient priests may have used the drug as a proof of healing power.[71] In Egypt, the use of opium was generally restricted to priests, magicians, and warriors, its invention is credited to Thoth, and it was said to have been given by Isis to Ra as treatment for a headache.[72] A figure of the Minoan "goddess of the narcotics", wearing a crown of three opium poppies, BCE, was recovered from the Sanctuary of Gazi, Crete, together with a simple smoking apparatus.[73][74] The Greek gods Hypnos (Sleep), Nyx (Night), and Thanatos (Death) were depicted wreathed in poppies or holding them. Poppies also frequently adorned statues of Apollo, Asklepios, Pluto, Demeter, Aphrodite, Kybele and Isis, symbolizing nocturnal oblivion.[72] The opium poppy was a magical ritual plant among the Germanic tribes.[75][better source needed] |
| Pituri | Duboisia hopwoodii,Duboisia myoporoides,Nicotiana spp. | Nicotine,tropane alkaloids | Stimulant | Pituri, also known as mingkulpa,[76] is a mixture of leaves and wood ash traditionally chewed as astimulant (or, afterextended use, adepressant) byAboriginal Australians widely across the continent. |
| Tea | Camellia sinensis | Leaf:[77]
| Stimulant | Seetea culture. For example,East Asian tea ceremony is a ritualized practice of making and serving tea (茶 cha) in East Asia practiced in the Sinosphere. Tea has been drunk by Buddhist monks since the Sui Dynasty (589–618 BC) to maintain a state of "mindful alertness" during long periods of meditation. Tea ceremonies have been ritualized for centuries.[citation needed] |
| Vernacular name | Species | Phytochemical(s) | Substance effect class | Regions/Cultures of use |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Alcoholic beverages | Yeast byproduct: Alcohol fermented species | Alcohol | Depressant | Christian views on alcohol encompass a range of perspectives regarding the consumption of alcoholic beverages, with significant emphasis on moderation rather than total abstinence. The moderationist position is held byRoman Catholics[78] andEastern Orthodox,[79] and within Protestantism, it is accepted byAnglicans,[80] Lutherans[81][82] and manyReformed churches.[83][84][85][86] Moderationism is also accepted byJehovah's Witnesses.[87] In theVodou faith of Haiti, alcoholic drinks such as rum are consumed to be able to allow spirits called "lwa" to enter one's body and help them find the motivation for or strength to survive everyday struggles or life.[88] InVajrayana Buddhism, particularly inTibetan Buddhist practices, alcohol may be used during specific rituals, such as theGanachakra feast. This ritual involves the consumption of alcohol in a controlled manner, symbolizing the transformation of negative emotions and attachments into wisdom and compassion.[89][90][91] In Taoist rituals and practices, alcohol also plays a role as an offering and a means of connecting with the divine. An alcoholic beverage is often used in religious ceremonies and as an offering to the ancestors. The use of alcohol in Taoist rituals can symbolize purification, blessings, and the establishment of a sacred space. In these instances, the consumption of alcohol is done in a controlled and mindful manner, reflecting the Taoist emphasis on balance and harmony. SomeHindu denominations, like theAghori, incorporate alcohol into their rituals and practices.[92][93] TheMaya ritually administeredalcohol enemas as anentheogen, sometimes adding other psychoactive substances, seeking to reach a state of ecstasy. Syringes of gourd and clay were used to inject the fluid.[94] Alcohol replaced peyote asNative Americans' psychoactive agent of choice in rituals when peyote was outlawed.[95] |
| Balché | Alcohol | Depressant | The Maya also consumed an alcoholic beverage calledbalché, which is an infusion of the bark ofLonchocarpus longistylus (see pageLonchocarpus violaceus) mixed with honey from bees fed on a type of morning glory with a highergine content.[96] | |
| Beer | Yeast byproduct: Barley (Liquid Gold spp.) (fermented) | Alcohol | Depressant | The earliest archaeological evidence of fermentation consists of 13,000-year-old residues of a beer with the consistency ofgruel, used by the semi-nomadicNatufians for ritual feasting, at theRaqefet Cave in theCarmel Mountains nearHaifa inIsrael.[97][98] |
| Chicha | Yeast byproduct: Corn (Zea mays), fermented | Alcohol | Depressant | Thecorn beer Chicha de jora was once a sacred drink of the Incas, often reserved for the most cherished of ceremonies.[99] |
| Kosher wine | Yeast byproduct: Alcohol fermented species | Alcohol | Depressant | During the Jewish holiday ofPurim, Jews are obligated to drink until their judgmental abilities become impaired.[100][101] However, Purim has more of a national than a religious character. |
| Mead | Alcohol | Depressant | In theNorse religion the drinking of ales andmeads was important in several seasonal religious festivals such asYule andMidsummer as well as more common festivities likewakes, christenings and ritual sacrifices calledBlóts.[102] | |
| Pulque | Alcohol | Depressant | Before theSpanish colonization of the Americas, pulque was used for religious ceremonies inMesoamerica, but after the Spanish conquest, pulque consumption lost its ritual meanings.[103][104] | |
| Rakia | Collective term for fruit spirits (orfruit brandy) popular in the Balkans. | Alcohol | Depressant | Althoughwine is the essential part of theEucharist rite in theEastern Orthodox andRoman Catholic churches in the region, rakia has found uses in certain religious and related rituals across the Balkans.[citation needed] It is also used as a sacramental element inBektashi andAleviJem ceremonies, where it is not considered alcoholic and is referred to as "dem".[105] |
| Sake | Alcohol | Depressant | Sake is often consumed as part ofShinto purification rituals.[106] Sakes served to gods as offerings prior to drinking are calledOmiki(お神酒).[107] People drink Omiki with gods to communicate with them and to solicit rich harvests the following year. | |
| Tesgüino | Alcohol | Depressant | Tesguino is a corn beer made by the Tarahumara people of the Sierra Madre Occidental in Mexico. It is brewed for local celebrations related to Holy Week. For the Tarahumara, the beer is an elixir for healing, a barter item and is considered a sacred beverage.[108] The Tarahumara people gather every year during Easter week (semana santa) and drink large amounts of Tesgüino together while following rituals. According to the anthropologistBill Merrill of the Smithsonian Institution, the sacred drink chases large souls from the persons who drink it, "and so when people get drunk that's why they act like children [...] because the souls that are controlling their actions are the little souls, like little children".[109] | |
| Wine | Yeast byproduct: Grape (Vitis spp.) (fermented) | Alcohol | Depressant | Wine was used in rituals and worshipped by the Egyptians[110] and the Greeks, specifically in worship ofDionysus. TheThelema ceremony calls for five officers: a Priest, a Priestess, a Deacon, and two adult acolytes, called "the Children". The end of the ritual culminates in the consummation of theeucharist, consisting of a goblet ofwine and aCake of Light, after which the congregant proclaims "There is no part of me that is not of the gods!"[111] |
| Substance | IUPAC name | Substance effect class | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Alcohol | Ethanol | Depressant | SeeVitis spp. |
| Caffeine | 1,3,7-Trimethylpurine-2,6-dione | Stimulant | SeeCoffea |
| Cathine | (1S,2S)-2-amino-1-phenylpropan-1-ol | Stimulant | SeeCatha edulis |
| Cocaine | Methyl (1R,2R,3S,5S)-3-(benzoyloxy)-8-methyl-8-azabicyclo[3.2.1]octane-2-carboxylate | Stimulant | Coca addicts ingest between 60 and 80 milligrams of cocaine each time they chew the leaves according toUnited Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC).[112] However, other sources claim that thecoca leaf, when consumed in its natural form or as coca tea, does not induce a physiological or psychological dependence, nor does abstinence after long-term use produce symptoms typical for substance addiction withdrawal syndromes.[113][114][115][116] See alsoErythroxylum coca, andErythroxylum novogranatense spp. |
| Codeine | (5α,6α)-7,8-didehydro-4,5-epoxy-3-methoxy-17-methylmorphinan-6-ol | Depressant | Prodrug formorphine |
| Kavalactones | Depressant | SeePiper methysticum | |
| Morphine | (4R,4aR,7S,7aR,12bS)-3-Methyl-2,3,4,4a,7,7a-hexahydro-1H-4,12-methanobenzofuro[3,2-e]isoquinoline-7,9-diol | Depressant | SeePapaver somniferum |
| Vernacular name | Species | Phytochemical(s) | Substance effect class | Regions/Cultures of use |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Alcohol +vilca | Anadenanthera colubrina | Beans: 5-MeO-DMT. Up to 12.4% bufotenin.[33] DMT | Psychedelic + depressant | Between 2013 and 2017,archaeological excavations at the Quilcapampa site insouthern Peru, found that theWari used seeds from the vilca tree and combined the hallucinogenic drug withchicha, orbeer made from themolle tree.[117] |
| Psilocybin mushroom +cocoa[dubious –discuss] | Theobroma cacao | Bean: Theobromine, small amount of MAOIs | Stimulant | Aztecs combinedcacao withpsilocybin mushrooms to yield apolysubstance combination[citation needed] |
| Vernacular name | Species | Phytochemical(s) | Substance effect class | Regions/Cultures of use |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Kambo (or sapo) | Phyllomedusa bicolor | Secretion: Opioid peptides (deltorphin, deltorphin I, deltorphin II and dermorphin).[118][119][120] | Depressant | Increasing popularity in cleansing rituals and depression treatment.[121][122][123] |
| Vernacular name | Species | Phytochemical(s) | Substance effect class | Regions/Cultures of use |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Aztec tobacco | Nicotiana rustica | Incense | Nicotiana rustica is used—as incense–in association withAyahuasca ritual in some parts of the Amazon.[50] |
| Vernacular name | Species | Use | Regions/Cultures of use |
|---|---|---|---|
| Chrism, also calledmyrrh, andholy anointing oil | Element inanointing of the sick,baptism, andpriesthood blessing | Sacramentalolive oil. Use in the Roman Catholic Church:Anointing of the Sick in the Catholic Church, andOil of Catechumens. Use by the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints:Priesthood blessing | |
| Copal | Bursera fagaroides | Religious use of incense | Used by Aztec, and Maya, in ritual ceremonies.[124] |
| Holy water | Element inbaptism,exorcism, andEpiphany | Exorcism in the Catholic Church,holy water in Eastern Christianity,holy water in the Ethiopian Orthodox Tewahedo Church Holy water is important to theEthiopian Orthodox Tewahedo Church and regarded as healing from demonic possession and for treating sick people, particularly in cases of mental illness. It can be consumed or poured over someone supposed to be afflicted by harmful things.[125][126] MostMahayana Buddhists typically recite sutras or various mantras (typically that of the bodhisattvaAvalokitesvara for example) numerous times over the water, which is then either consumed or is used to bless homes afterwards. In Vajrayana Buddhism, aBumpa, a ritual object, is one of theAshtamangala, used for storing sacred water sometimes, symbolizing wisdom and long life.[127][128] | |
| Liquids | Libation | Thedrink offering (Hebrew ְנֶסֶך, nesekh) was a form of libation forming one of the sacrifices and offerings of theLaw of Moses. | |
| Sacramental bread,sacramental wine | Elements of theEucharist | ||
| White Sage | Salvia apiana | Ritual purification | Different parts of the plant are used in ritual purification by severalNative American cultures.[129] |
Shown in the table below,Aztec tobacco,morning glories, andSyrian rue (also listed in the§ Psychoactive use table), andcacao beans are (mildly) psychoactive when consumed.
| Vernacular name | Species | Use | Regions/Cultures of use |
|---|---|---|---|
| Morning glory | T. corymbosa, andIpomoea violacea | Numerology | "indigenous ritual use indicates dose levels forT. corymbosa, andI. violacea which are far lower than that perceived as necessary to effect hallucinosis in members of modern Western cultures. In Mexico, the only place in the world where the ingestion of morning glory seeds has an established tradition of shamanic usage, a hallucinogenic dose is said to be only thirteen seeds, a ritual amount based on religious numerology rather than chemical analysis."[130][page needed] |
| Syrian rue | Peganum harmala | Incense | "In the Himalayas, shamans use syrian rue seeds as a magical incense, inhaling it to enter a trance state in which they can engage in sexual intercourse with divining goddesses, who are said to give them information and great healing powers"[131][132] |
| Vernacular name | Species | Use | Regions/Cultures of use |
|---|---|---|---|
| Cacao bean | Theobroma cacao | Sacrifice | [citation needed] |
| Coca leaves | Sacrifice | Sometimes coca leaves from the plant were used as offerings in rituals. Due to the nature of politics and religion in the Inca Empire, wealthy inhabitants handed out coca leaves during ritual ceremonies.[133] |
| Vernacular name | Species | Use | Regions/Cultures of use |
|---|---|---|---|
| Alcohol (liquor), andtobacco | Ofrenda | Anofrenda (Spanish: "offering") is the offering placed in ahome altar during the annual and traditionally MexicanDía de los Muertos celebration. Anofrenda, which may be quite large and elaborate, is usually created by the family members of a person who has died and is intended to welcome the deceased to the altar setting. For deceased adults, the ofrenda might include a bottle or poured shot glasses oftequila ormezcal.[134][better source needed] | |
| Alcohol (liquor), andtobacco | Veneration | Maximón is venerated in the form of aneffigy orcult image. Worship varies greatly by location. InSantiago Atitlán, Maximón's effigy resides in a different household every year. His image is normally only taken out of this house duringHoly Week, whereafter it will change households, but is on display year-round due to the popularity ofpilgrimages. The effigy has special attendants that stay by the altar year-round, drinking and smoking alongside it. They deliver offerings from the public to the image. Popular offerings include money, tobacco, andmoonshine.[135] | |
| Kosher wine | Element inKiddush |
The [Catholic] Church teaches ... that wine, like food, sex, laughter, and dancing, is a good thing when enjoyed in its proper time and context. To abuse any good thing is a sin, but the thing abused does not itself become sinful.
So alcohol, sex, the body, money, television, and music are all good things. It is only the abuse of these things that is bad—drunkenness, pornography, compulsive gambling, etc. Even drugs marijuana, cocaine, heroin—all have good uses for medical and other reasons. It's only the abuse of them for pleasure that is wrong.
Christians who are committed to total abstinence have sometimes interpreted biblical references to wine as meaning unfermented grape juice, but this is surely inconsistent with the recognition of both good and evil in the biblical attitude to wine. It is self-evident that human choice plays a crucial role in the use or abuse of alcohol.
While many Lutheran congregations also provide grape juice or unfermented wine as an alternative, Lutherans have more emphasized the historical and ecumenical continuities which wine provides, as well as the richness and multivalences of its symbolic associations.
{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: DOI inactive as of July 2025 (link) Link to Springer (publisher)page forExperientia Supplementum (EXS) seriesChocolate was drunk cold and mixed with aromatic flower petals of which the overwhelming favorite was cacahua-xochitl. Indeed it seems as though these particular petals were indispensable. Our poets' 'chocolate flowers' had nothing to do botanically withTheobroma cacao, but everything to do with the chocolate beverage as drunk by the aristocrats ... my belief that the flowers of the Nahuatl poets come from their exclusive privilege for indulging in the flower petals of thecacahuaxochitl. Here we are dealing with a tree that grows in Veracruz and Oaxaca, known today to botanists asQuararibea funebris. Whether the petals of these flowers were entheogens such as the mushroom and morning-glory seeds, I do not know, but that the lords of Nahua so regarded them seems virtually certain.
— Wasson (1980). "AVelada in Huautla". p. 98