title: Pattern of use and subjective effects of Salvia divinorum among recreational users.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Salvia divinorum is a member of the Lamiaceae family and contains the psychotropic diterpene and kappa-opioid receptor agonist salvinorin-A. Originally a shamanic inebriant used by the Mexican Mazatec Indians, the plant and its preparations are becoming increasingly popular among non-traditional users.
  
  
  METHODS
  Demographic data and information on pattern of use and subjective effects were obtained by means of self-report questionnaires from a sample of 32 recreational users of salvia and other psychedelics.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Involvement with salvia appeared to be a recent phenomenon. Smoking the extract was the preferred form of administration. Subjective effects were described as intense but short-lived, appearing in less than 1 min and lasting 15 min or less. They included psychedelic-like changes in visual perception, mood and somatic sensations, and importantly, a highly modified perception of external reality and the self, leading to a decreased ability to interact with oneself or with one's surroundings.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Although some aspects of the subjective effects reported were similar to high doses of classical psychedelics with serotonin-2A receptor agonist activity, the intense derealization and impairment reported appear to be a characteristic of salvia. The observed simultaneous high scores on the LSD and PCAG subscales of the Addiction Research Center Inventory (ARCI) have been previously reported for other kappa-opioid agonists, and support kappa receptor activation as the probable pharmacologic mechanism underlying the modified state of awareness induced by salvia.
authors.affiliation: Cátedra de la Fundación Cultural Fórum Filatélico de Psicobiología y Discapacidad, Departamento de Psicología Biológica y de la Salud, Facultad de Psicología, Universidad Autónoma de Madrid, Madrid, Spain.
authors.forename: Débora
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: González
authors.forename: Jordi
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Riba
authors.forename: José Carlos
authors.initials: JC
authors.lastname: Bouso
authors.forename: Gregorio
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Gómez-Jarabo
authors.forename: Manel J
authors.initials: MJ
authors.lastname: Barbanoj
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000339:Affect / Q000187:drug effects*; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D004224:Diterpenes; D045785:Diterpenes, Clerodane; D005059:Euphoria / Q000187:drug effects*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D013287:Illicit Drugs; D008297:Male; D010465:Perception / Q000187:drug effects*; D010936:Plant Extracts; D011936:Reality Testing; D017473:Receptors, Opioid, kappa / Q000819:agonists*; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D027544:Salvia; D012677:Sensation / Q000187:drug effects*; D013030:Spain; D019966:Substance-Related Disorders / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000523:psychology
chemical_list: D004224:Diterpenes; D045785:Diterpenes, Clerodane; D013287:Illicit Drugs; D010936:Plant Extracts; D017473:Receptors, Opioid, kappa; C090499:salvinorin A