Diviner's Sage (Salvia divinorum Epling & Játiva Lamiaceae)

Salvia divinorum Epling & Játiva, commonly named diviner's sage, magic mint, or mystic sage, is a potent hallucinogenic plant belonging to the mint family (Lamiaceae). It is endemic to Oaxaca, Mexico, and grown in California and other regions in the United States. It is a small to medium-sized shrub characterized by its distinctive thick quadrangular stem, elliptical large leaves, and violet flowers crowned with white domes. S. divinorum has been traditionally cultivated by the Mazatec people of Oaxaca for medicinal uses in the treatment of arthritis, inflammation, gastrointestinal problems, and headaches. In addition, the leaves have been employed for centuries in ceremonies for their hallucinogenic and psychoactive properties. Today S. divinorum has become a popular recreational drug. Phytochemical studies have revealed the richness of S. divinorum with terpenoids where salvinorin A, a neoclerodane diterpene, is the main psychoactive component. Salvinorin A is the most potent natural hallucinogen and acts as a strong and selective agonist on ? opioid receptors. It causes uncontrollable laughter, loss of control over physical movements as well as colorful and dream- or film-like hallucinations. This chapter will comprehensively summarize the botany, habitat, ecology, ethnobotany, pharmacology, and medicinal effects of S. divinorum.