Hunting and hallucinogens: The use psychoactive and other plants to improve the hunting ability of dogs.
Journal of ethnopharmacology August 2, 2015 Bradley C Bennett, Rocío Alarcón 43 citations
People in lowland Ecuador and Peru give plants to their hunting dogs to improve performance, yet no experimental evidence or pharmacological review exists. This review catalogs plants used by Ecuadorian Shuar and Quichua, finding 22 species, including nearly all their major hallucinogens, and 43 species from other cultures. No studies have tested these plants' effects on dogs. Combining phytochemical data with ethnobotanical reports, the authors classify the plants as depuratives, olfactory sensitizers, ophthalmic agents, or psychoactive. They hypothesize that hallucinogens may enhance dogs' hunting by filtering extraneous signals and sharpening sensory perception, particularly olfaction, potentially aiding detection of explosives or drugs.