Mescaline is one of the main active ingredients in the peyote
plant, Lophophora williamsii. It is also found in several other
cacti including the South American Trichocereus otherwise
known as the Peruvian torch species. Mescaline can also be
synthesized in the laboratory. It is one of the oldest known
hallucinogenic drugs. Ingestion of mescaline via use of the
peyote cactus has been used in rituals by North American
Indians dating back thousands of years. Ingestion of peyote
was also common among the Aztec, Apache, and Pima
Indians for religious, ceremonial, and medicinal purposes.
Mescaline was isolated from peyote in 1896 by the chemist
Hefter and in 1919, the chemical structure was confirmed by
Spath. There are many analogs of mescaline with over 250
being prepared and self-tested by the chemist and pharmacologist,
Alexander Shulgin (aka Sasha Shulgin). Mescaline
became a Schedule I drug and was placed in Controlled
Substances Act in 1970. Many of the related chemicals or
analogs of mescaline were also placed in Schedule I of the
Controlled Substances Act.
화학적 성질
White Powder
용도
Psychedelic Alkoloid
정의
ChEBI: A phenethylamine alkaloid that is phenethylamine substituted at positions 3, 4 and 5 by methoxy groups.
위험도
Highly toxic by ingestion.
Safety Profile
Poison by
intraperitoneal and intravenous routes.
Moderately toxic by ingestion route. An
experimental teratogen. Other experimental
reproductive effects. Human systemic
effects by intramuscular route: euphoria and
hallucinations, dstorted perceptions. A
psychotoimetic agent (a drug of abuse).
When heated to decomposition it emits
toxic fumes of NOx.
환경귀착
The primary exposure pathway is oral via ingestion of the
chemical powder or salt or via ingestion of peyote ‘ buttons.’
These buttons are the round, fleshy tops of the cactus that are
sliced and dried. Multiple buttons of peyote are typically
ingested due to the relatively small content (i.e., 40–50 mg) of
individual peyote buttons.
