Psychoactive Cacti Chemistry
This lecture examines the cultural, legal, pharmacological, and conservation dimensions of mescaline-containing cacti, emphasising San Pedro (Trichocereus spp.), Peyote (Lophophora williamsii) and their chemical analysis using liquid chromatography–mass spectrometry (LC-MS).
Legal frameworks vary internationally, with some jurisdictions permitting or decriminalising consumption, some prohibiting mescaline cacti consumption while allowing cultivation and others prohibiting cultivation entirely. This legal landscape frames discussion on the need for regulatory reform, harm reduction, and education to reduce risks associated with prohibition and stigma.
Dr Engel will outline the diversity of San Pedro species, related taxa, common lookalikes and relevant psychoactive and psychedelic compounds, with a focus on mescaline. With a short overview of Indigenous use in the Andes, Mexico and Texas, Dr Engel will also discuss contemporary underground and emerging therapeutic contexts involving mescaline cacti such as psychedelic-assisted psychotherapy and microdosing.
Methods for identifying and quantifying mescaline in plant material will be briefly discussed. Comparative cultivation considerations are highlighted, emphasising San Pedro’s faster growth and higher yields mescaline yields relative to Peyote, making San Pedro a more sustainable and ethical source material for mescaline.
