Prehistoric peyote use: alkaloid analysis and radiocarbon dating of archaeological specimens of Lophophora from Texas.
Hesham R El-Seedi, Peter A G M De Smet, Olof Beck, Göran Possnert, Jan G Bruhn
Journal of ethnopharmacology October 3, 2005 DOI: 10.1016/j.jep.2005.04.022 via PubMed
Summary
AI-generated from the abstractTwo dried peyote buttons from the Witte Museum in San Antonio were radiocarbon dated and chemically analyzed. The calibrated radiocarbon age of the samples corresponds to 3780-3660 BC. Alkaloid extraction yielded about 2% alkaloids, and mescaline was identified in both samples using thin-layer chromatography and gas chromatography-mass spectrometry. No other peyote alkaloids were found. These are the oldest plant drugs ever to yield a major bioactive compound upon chemical analysis. The identification of mescaline suggests that native North Americans recognized the psychotropic properties of peyote as long as 5700 years ago.
Study at a glance
| Characteristics | Archaeological analysis Peer reviewed |
|---|---|
| Sample size | 2 |
| Population | Peyote buttons (Lophophora williamsii) from Shumla Cave No. 5, Texas |
| Citations | 162 |
| Key finding | Mescaline was identified in two peyote samples dated to 3780-3660 BC, making them the oldest plant drug to yield a major bioactive compound and indicating recognition of peyote's psychotropic properties 5700 years ago. |
Abstract
Two archaeological specimens of peyote buttons, i.e. dried tops of the cactus Lophophora williamsii (Lem.) Coulter, from the collection of the Witte Museum in San Antonio, was subjected to radiocarbon dating and alkaloid analysis. The samples were presumably found in Shumla Cave No. 5 on the Rio Grande, Texas. Radiocarbon dating shows that the calibrated 14C age of the weighted mean of the two individual dated samples corresponds to the calendric time interval 3780-3660 BC (one sigma significance). Alkaloid extraction yielded approximately 2% of alkaloids. Analysis with thin-layer chromatography (TLC) and gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS) led to the identification of mescaline in both samples. No other peyote alkaloids could be identified. The two peyote samples appear to be the oldest plant drug ever to yield a major bioactive compound upon chemical analysis. The identification of mescaline strengthens the evidence that native North Americans recognized the psychotropic properties of peyote as long as 5700 years ago.