Sedatives | Psychotropia: The Psychoactive Database

Tila

Tila is actually the Spanish name for the linden

(Tilia spp.), which has mild sedative effects (cf.

diazepam). Since the linden is not indigenous to

the Americas, the European name was applied to

American plants. Thus, in Cuba, ]usticia pectoralis

is called either tilo or tila. Numerous plants are

known in Latin America as tila. In southern

Mexico, an as yet unidentified plant is also called

tila. Its fruits, which resemble the large fruit

capsules of Turbina corymbosa, are referred to as

flor de tila, “linden flowers.” A tea made from these

flowers is used in folk medicine as a tranquilizer

and nerve tonic. This plant may be identical with

or related to Tilia mexicana Schlechtend.

(Tiliaceae) (Argueta et al. 1994, 1337*).

The word amapola is used in South America to
refer to opium (cf. Papaver somniferum). In Mexico
and Guatemala, many plants are referred to as
amapola [N.N.], perhaps because they are able to
exert a psychoactive effect or are used in folk medicine as an opium substitute (Martinez 1987,
52f.*’ Argueta V. et al. 1994,119*).
In Mexico, 4 g of the petals of amapola (Passiflora
foetida?) brewed with 200 ml of water is
drunk as a tea to treat lack of dreams, overexcitability,
whooping cough, and asthma (de la
Rosa 1995, 15). In the tropics, sedative teas made
of the flowers or leaves of Pseudobombax ellipticum
are drunk to treat coughs, asthma, and flu
(Argueta V. et al. 1994, 120*). The chemistry is
unknown.

Plants Known as Amapola

Common Name	Botanical Name	Family
amapola	Bernoullia flammea Olivo	Bombacaceae
amapola	Hunnemannia fumariaefolia Sweet	Papaveraceae
amapola	Ipomoea fistulosa Mart. [syn. Ipomoea carnea] (see Ipomoea spp.)	Convolvulaceae
amapola	Kosteletzkya paniculata Benth.	Malvaceae
amapola	Papaver rhoeas L. (see Papaver spp.)	Papaveraceae
amapola	Papaver somniferum L.	Papaveraceae
amapola	Passiflora foetida L. (see Passiflora spp.)	Passifloraceae
amapola	Pseudobombax ellipticum (H.B.K.) Dugand [syn. Bombax ellipticum H.B.K.]	Bombacaceae
amapola	Tabebuia pentaphylla Hems!.	Bignoniaceae
amapola amarilla	Chelidonium majus Mill.	Papaveraceae
amapola amarilla	Eschscholzia californica Cham.	Papaveraceae
amapola blanca	Bernoullia flammea Olivo	Bombacaceae
amapola blanca	Pseudobombax ellipticum (H.B.K.) Dugand	Bombacaceae
arnapola colorada	Pseudobombax ellipticum (H.B.K.) Dugand	Bornbacaceae
amapola de California	Eschscholzia californica Cham.	Papaveraceae
amapola de China	Papaver rhoeas L.	Papaveraceae
arnapola del campo	Argemone mexicana L.	Papaveraceae
amapola de los indios	Eschscholzia californica Cham.	Papaveraceae
amapola grande	Althaea rosea Cav.	Malvaceae
amapola de opio	Papaver somniferum L.	Papaveraceae
amapola silvestre	Pseudobombax ellipticum (H.B.K.) Dugand	Bombacaceae

Literature
de la Rosa, Francisco. 1995. Ayudese con las yerbas y
plantas medicinales mexicanas. Mexico City:
Editores Mexicanos Unidos.

Panax ginseng C.A. Mey-(Araliaceae)-ginseng (panacea)

Synonyms
Panax schinseng Th. Nees

Ginseng is the most renowned medicinal plant in
Asia and has become the very symbol of traditional
Asian or Chinese medicine and phytotherapy. The
plant has also been called the mandrake of the East
and the Chinese mandrake (cf. Mandragora
officinarum, Phytolacca acinosa) (Kirchdorfer
1981, 30 ff.). These names may be the origin for
ginseng’s reputation as a psychoactive plant
(Schultes and Hofmann 1980, 367*). Ginseng is
one of the most well-known aphrodisiacs and is
also regarded as a panacea (Kimmens 1975). The
ginsenosides in the root have general tonic and
stimulating ("harmonizing") effects on the body
and mind (Fulder 1984, 1985). The Chinese say
that ginseng "kindles !he inner fire." Ginseng is
used in homeopathy for a variety of ailments,
including defects of memmy and depression. It is
found in numerous traditional and modern nerve
tonics (Hu 1976). Ginseng is a harmonizing and
somatensive medicine, i.e., it stimulates in a completely
nontoxic manner and produces no stress. It
increases the flow of oxygen to brain cells and can
even alleviate the lack of oxygen in the brain that
can be caused by amphetamines and other stimulants
(Fulder 1995, 210). It lowers the amount of
alcohol in the blood by about half, i.e., consuming
ginseng can shield a person from becoming inebriated
(Lee 1996,47 ff.).
In the toxicological literature, the side effects of
frequent use of ginseng are given as euphoria and
sleeplessness (Roth et al. 1994, 532*). The dried
leaves find use in smoking blends. It is doubtful
whether these have psychoactive effects. The same
is true for American ginseng, Panax quinquefolium
1. (Emboden 1986, 165*; Pritts 1995).

Literature (selection)
Fulder, Stephen. 1984. Ober Ginseng. Bonn:
Hornemann Verlag.
—.1985. Tao der Medizin. Basel: Sphinx Verlag.
—. 1995. Das Buch vom Ginseng. Munich:
Goldmann.
Hu, Shiu-Ying. 1976. The genus Panax (ginseng) in
Chinese medicine. Economic Botany 30: 11-28.
Kappstein, Stefan. 1980. Das Buch vom Ginseng.
Bern: Morzsinay Verlag.
Kimmens, Andrew C., ed. 1975. Tales ofginseng. New
York: William Morrow and Co.
Kirchdorfer, Anton Maria. 1981. Ginseng: Legende
und Wirklichkeit. Munich: Droemer Knaur.
Lee, Florence C. 1996. Facts about ginseng: The elixir
oflife. Seoul: Hollym.
Pritts, Kim Derek. 1995. Ginseng: How to find, grow,
and use America’s forest gold. Mechanicsburg, Pa.:
Stackpole Books.

Nymphaea caerulea – Blue Egyptian Water Lily

Nymphaea caerulea, also known as the Blue Egyptian water lily or sacred blue lily, is a water-lily in the genus Nymphaea.

Distribution

Its original habitat may have been along the Nile and other locations in East Africa. It spread to other locations, however, already in ancient times, like the Indian Subcontinent and Thailand.

Description

The leaves are broadly rounded, 25–40 cm across, with a notch at the leaf stem. The flowers are 10–15 cm diameter. Reports in the literature by persons unfamiliar with its actual growth and blooming cycle have suggested that the flowers open in the morning, rising to the surface of the water, then close and sink at dusk.[citation needed] In fact, the flower buds rise to the surface over a period of two to three days, and when ready, open at approximately 9-9:30am and close about 3pm. The flowers and buds do not rise above the water in the morning, nor do they submerge at night. The flowers have pale bluish-white to sky-blue or mauve petals, smoothly changing to a pale yellow in the centre of the flower.

It was considered extremely significant in Egyptian mythology, since it was said to rise and fall with the sun. Consequently, due to its colourings, it was identified, in some beliefs, as having been the original container, in a similar manner to an egg, of Atum, and in similar beliefs Ra, both solar deities. As such, its properties form the origin of the lotus variant of the Ogdoad cosmogeny. It was the symbol of the Egyptian deity Nefertem.[2]

Properties and uses

Ancient Egyptian funerary stele showing a dead man, named Ba, seated in the center, sniffing a sacred lily.

This lotus is used to produce perfumes since ancient times; it is also used in aromatherapy.

Recent studies have shown Nymphaea caerulea to have mild psycho-active properties. It may have been used as a sacrament in ancient Egypt and certain ancient South American cultures. Eating Blue Lotus can act as a mild sedative. Nymphaea caerulea is distantly related to, and possesses similar activity as Nelumbo nucifera, the Sacred Lotus. Both Nymphaea caerulea and Nelumbo nucifera contain the alkaloids nuciferine and aporphine.[3]

The mildly sedating effects of Nymphaea caerulea makes it a likely candidate (among several) for the lotus plant eaten by the mythical Lotophagi in Homer’s Odyssey.

Used in aromatherapy, Nymphaea caerulea is purported to have a “divine” essence, bringing heightened awareness and tranquility.[citation needed]

Some sources site it as an antispasmodic similar to copal resin.

In modern culture, blue lotus flowers are used to make various concoctions including blue lotus tea, wine and martinis. Recipes for such drinks involve steeping or soaking the petals for up to 3 weeks. Blue lotus tea is prepared by boiling the entire flowers for 10–20 minutes.

References

1. ^ “Nymphaea caerulea information from NPGS/GRIN”. www.ars-grin.gov. http://www.ars-grin.gov/cgi-bin/npgs/html/taxon.pl?25433. Retrieved 2008-12-04.

2. ^ Wilkinson, Richard H. (2003). The Complete Gods and Goddesses of Ancient Egypt. Thames & Hudson. ISBN 0500051208.

3. ^ http://www.touregypt.net/featurestories/lotus.htm

The previous information was received from:http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nymphaea_caerulea

U.S. FEDERAL LEGAL SUMMARY

Blue Lotus

REGULATED

No

STATUS

Not Approved For

Human Consumption

SCHEDULE

Un-Scheduled

Psychoactive Lotus/Lily (Nymphaea caerulea, Nymphaea ampla, Nelumbo nucifera) is uncontrolled in the United States. This means all parts of the plant and its extracts are legal to cultivate, buy, possess, and distribute (sell, trade or give) without a license or prescription. If sold as a supplement, sales must conform to U.S. supplement laws. If sold for consumption as a food or drug, sales are regulated by the FDA.

INTERNATIONAL LAW #

Australia #

Not currently controlled in Australia, selling for human consumption may be controlled by medical regulations and may not be legal. (unconfirmed) (thanks callan)

Russia #

In April 2009, Nymphaea caerulea was banned along with Spice and related products, Salvia divinorum, Argyreia nervosa and others. See http://english.pravda.ru/hotspots/crimes/14-04-2009/107400-Light_drugs-0. (last updated April 15 2009)

If you have information about the legal status of this substance in any other country, please let us know.

The previous information was received from:http://www.erowid.org/plants/lotus/lotus_law.shtml