Acute and post-acute behavioral and psychological effects of salvinorin A in humans.
Psychopharmacology March 1, 2012 Peter H Addy 71 citations
In a double-blind, placebo-controlled, randomized study, thirty middle-aged, well-educated adults with prior hallucinogen experience smoked either an active dose (1,017 μg) or a very low dose (100 μg) of salvinorin A, the active compound in Salvia divinorum, two weeks apart. On the active dose, participants talked, laughed, and moved more, and all six clusters of the Hallucinogen Rating Scale were significantly elevated, indicating hallucinogenic experiences. No significant adverse events occurred during sessions or were reported after eight weeks. The results show both similarities and differences between salvinorin A and other hallucinogens, and as a selective kappa opioid receptor agonist, it may offer a novel way to study hallucinogenic states beyond serotonin mechanisms.