INVESTIGATION OF SOPHORA-SECUNDIFLORA SEEDS (MESCALBEANS)

  • 1 January 1977
    • journal article
    • research article
    • Vol. 40  (4) , 374-383
Abstract
The seeds of S. secundiflora (mescalbeans) were purported to have hallucinogenic activity because of their past use in certain native American ceremonies during which visions were experienced by those consuming the seeds. Chemical analysis of mescalbeans revealed the absence of detectable amounts of tryptamine derivatives; however, 2 additional quinolizidine alkaloids, epi-lupinine and .DELTA.5-dehydrolupanine, were isolated. Thus far, 7 quinolizidine alkaloids were detected in mescalbeans and quantitation of these constituents showed that the major alkaloid present is cytisine (0.25%). The toxicity of mescalbeans in mice (oral LD50 1.4 g/kg) is only partially attributable to the known alkaloid content. In addition, the ethnobotanical reports regarding the native American use of mescalbeans were reviewed. No unequivocal evidence was found in this study to support the proposal that mescalbeans are hallucinogenic.