What sorts of things would you be interested to learn about Salvia divinorum? Any unresolved questions you want answered?

I'm already working on a summary of sublingual extracts (and the mixed results that go with the territory), and am currently working on structuring a thorough look at the history, chemistry, and pharmacology. I just want to make sure I hit as wide a range of interests as possible, so I figured I ought to take requests

With the legality of salvia being questioned (unfortunately), and while erowid did sort of answer this question, is it possible for salvia to show up in ANY drug test?

Thanks for your time,
ElusiveMind

salvinorin is so obscure and metabolized so fast I doubt there are any tests available that will show positive.

Have you been testing the extracts yourself sublingually entropy?

I would like to know more about it's use orally..as a tea pressed from the leaves. I know it is used that way traditionally, and I have personally tested tea many times from my plants and there is some activity..it is mild though..

Yes, I believe that that to be the case too but just wanted some other opinions as little is really noted about it since it is "legal".

I too would like to hear how successful the experiences with sublingual extracts were and if there are any unknown tips you stumbled upon.

I know using mouthwash will help Salvinorin A absorb a little better when using the sublingual route. Also brushing your teeth and the areas around your mouth will help too. Any other tips?

Glad to know you are workin on a summary of Salvia Div. with its various aspects Entropymancer Would like to read this one the project is finished

Pce,
ElusiveMind

Does salvia also have treshold, medium effects and is this accurately dosable or is just all or nothing?

To answer that question poekus, salvia's effects vary extremely from person to person. Salvinorin-A's effects on the brain are still not completely understood, and because such a little dose of the substance is needed (sometimes half a microgram!!), there is no threshold, medium, or "powerfull" effects scale. I have had friends that smoke one big hit, hold it in for 25 seconds, and are extremely effected by that one hit. On the other hand, it took two bowls of the same leaf before I was able to get slight visual and auditory distortions.

If you go into the salvia trip with an open mind, and willingness to have an intense spiritual experience, then you will be ok.

Yes, a method has been devised to test for salvinorin A and salvinorin B (Pichini et al. 2005), the latter being the primary metabolite of the former. But the drug is excreted rapidly, so it would be virtually undetectable unless the urine collected was the first you'd passed since taking salvia.



I haven't, yet. I'm very tempted to do so once I finish scouring a few forums to review other people's efforts. There was a recent report published on a placebo-controlled study of sublingual salvinorin A (dissolved in a mix of 25% DMSO / 75% polyethylene glycol); doses up to 4 mg produced no effects distinguishable from placebo (Mendelson et al. 2011). There was also a report in the last issue of the Entheogen Review that doses up to 12 mg sublingually in acetone produced no effect (Zhah 2008), in contrast with Ott's report of unmistakable activity at 100 μg (Ott 1995). Obviously Siebert has had enough success to sell his sublingual tincture in ethanol... but I suspect one of the major factors in the success of that product is that they include some other chemicals from the leaves, which aid the absorption of salvinorin A.



From what I gather, it takes a very large dose to get anything more than minor effects from a tea... it probably helps to do the juicing by hand, rubbing the leaves together in water. You're not actually trying to infuse salvinorin A; it's practically insoluble in water. What you're trying to do is create a fine emulsion to serve as a vehicle for salvinorin A so it mixes into suspension in the water.



A given individual can achieve consistent effects with a consistent dose. Of course the potency of leaves can vary considerably, so it would take a great deal of determination (extracting pure salvinorin A and infusing a measured dose onto a measured amount of spent leaf) to actually ensure a consistent dose. Smoked experiences for me break down into four categories: threshold (slight body feelings, minor head shift), almost there (effects are physically heavy and mentally disorienting, but not quite enough to seperate your mind off into salvia land), ideal (your consciousness becomes emerged in the experience and your body becomes fairly irrelevant), and too far (entirely disorienting, poor recollection of the experience).

But like maxzar100 says, different people respond to the same dose differently. The one study in humans (Johnson et al. 2010) did not note substantially variability among the subjects, which tends to indicate that setting and effective vaporization technique are significant factors. But you also have to bear in mind that the residues salvinorin A binds to in the KOR are not residues that are particularly relevant for the endogenous ligands (dynorphins). Since some of these sites are not apparently selected for, they could allow for greater variability between individuals of the same species - that is, more variability in how people are affected by something like salvinorin A.






References

• Johnson, M.W. et al. 2010. "Human psychopharmacology and dose-effects of salvinorin A, a kappa opioid agonist hallucinogen present in the plant Salvia divinorum" Drug and Alcohol Dependence (Article in press), doi:10.1016/j.drugalcdep.2010.11.005.
  
• Mendelson, J.E. et al. 2011. "Lack of effect of sublingual salvinorin A, a naturally occurring kappa opioid, in humans: a placebo-controlled trial" Psychopharmacology 214(4): 933-939.
  
• Pichini, S. et al. 2005. "Quantification of the plant-derived hallucinogen Salvinorin A in conventional and non-conventional biological fluids by gas chromatography/mass spectrometry after Salvia divinorum smoking" Rapid Communications in Mass Spectrometry 19(12): 1649-1656.
  
• Zhah. 2008. "Lost in Jonathan Ott's footsteps: acetone tinctures of Salvia divinorum" Entheogen Review 16(4): 132-136.
  

One more thing I would like to know, is what are the acute physical risks of Salvia. (Ex. blood pressure, heart rate, etc)

I have seen a report (only 1 report though) that claims while patients (people, not rats) were administered with Salvinorin A, even with high and low doses, there was no change in heart rate or blood pressure I believe this to be flawed but wanted to bring it up. I can't seem to find the article at this time but will post a link to it when found.

ElusiveMind

EDIT: I believe this may be the article but can't get it. The Link Actually, just noticed that the link is the same as the first reference in the above post.

Thanks Entropymancer & maxzar100. I'll take some leaves and smoke them when I feel ready for it and be prepared for the full effects.

Why does salvia cause vivid dreams?

It would be interesting to find out what causes the different effects of smoking compared to quidding. A lot of people suggest that there are chemicals in the fresh leaf with different effects that break down upon drying and that these chemicals are responsible for the more "lsd-like" effects. Or maybe it is just about the method of administration?