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dubbyah
Stranger
Registered: 09/07/05
Posts: 198
Last seen: 15 years, 18 days
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why does salvia divinorin produce the effects that it does?
#5848248 - 07/11/06 07:08 PM (17 years, 6 months ago) |
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why is this hallucinagenic chemical active in the leaves? is it a defense mechanism? does anyone have any links to neuropharmacological abstracts about the mechanism of action? more specific then merely acting on kappa opioid receptors...
i mean, has there been any animal testing done? there needs to be some more known about the neurological effects..
calling redgreen??
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MustNotBe
HPPDer


Registered: 01/27/06
Posts: 930
Last seen: 1 year, 8 months
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Re: why does salvia divinorin produce the effects that it does? [Re: dubbyah]
#5848312 - 07/11/06 07:25 PM (17 years, 6 months ago) |
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Thats like asking why is fire red? Or why havent I died when there is a bunch of big cracks on my microwavedoor? Well thats a little different..
-------------------- Junkies United we stand , Devided we're sick as fuck. - - - "Hallucinations are something heroin users are not at all accustomed to," said Const. Conor King, Victoria police drug expert. "They react like you or I would react if we took Aspirin and all of a sudden the TV got up and started walking across the room." - - - Make drugs legal, or alcohol and tobacco illegal. Either way it's more fair.
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dubbyah
Stranger
Registered: 09/07/05
Posts: 198
Last seen: 15 years, 18 days
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Re: why does salvia divinorin produce the effects that it does? [Re: MustNotBe]
#5848431 - 07/11/06 07:56 PM (17 years, 6 months ago) |
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its the same as asking why is thc present in cannabis plants and why psilocybin is present in mushrooms
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MustNotBe
HPPDer


Registered: 01/27/06
Posts: 930
Last seen: 1 year, 8 months
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Re: why does salvia divinorin produce the effects that it does? [Re: dubbyah]
#5848599 - 07/11/06 08:51 PM (17 years, 6 months ago) |
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Those are as defence mechanisms... As to disorient animals that eat it so they will be inable to defend itself. And the THC also makes you more hungry if you eat it.. So if you where a logical animal it would be stupid to do so.
-------------------- Junkies United we stand , Devided we're sick as fuck. - - - "Hallucinations are something heroin users are not at all accustomed to," said Const. Conor King, Victoria police drug expert. "They react like you or I would react if we took Aspirin and all of a sudden the TV got up and started walking across the room." - - - Make drugs legal, or alcohol and tobacco illegal. Either way it's more fair.
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Jaeger
Dreamer
Registered: 10/01/05
Posts: 960
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Re: why does salvia divinorin produce the effects that it does? [Re: MustNotBe]
#5848609 - 07/11/06 08:54 PM (17 years, 6 months ago) |
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Yea, but Sal-A is not active when consumed orally. I would normally pull the defence mechanism card here too, but it has flaws in this case.
Sal-A is a unique case due to method of action.
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MustNotBe
HPPDer


Registered: 01/27/06
Posts: 930
Last seen: 1 year, 8 months
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Re: why does salvia divinorin produce the effects that it does? [Re: Jaeger]
#5848637 - 07/11/06 09:02 PM (17 years, 6 months ago) |
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Maybe its just a coincidence that the chemical has an effect on our brains. Maybe its just a mineral the plant produces.
-------------------- Junkies United we stand , Devided we're sick as fuck. - - - "Hallucinations are something heroin users are not at all accustomed to," said Const. Conor King, Victoria police drug expert. "They react like you or I would react if we took Aspirin and all of a sudden the TV got up and started walking across the room." - - - Make drugs legal, or alcohol and tobacco illegal. Either way it's more fair.
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thatiAM
Stranger

Registered: 06/14/06
Posts: 1,250
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Re: why does salvia divinorin produce the effects that it does? [Re: MustNotBe]
#5848905 - 07/11/06 09:57 PM (17 years, 6 months ago) |
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Quote:
MustNotBe said: Maybe its just a coincidence that the chemical has an effect on our brains. Maybe its just a mineral the plant produces.
The question would then be, what is the evolutionary advantage of producing said protein, when many many many other plants seem to do fine without it? It takes extra energy to do so, so presumably if it had no selective pressure/benefit then it would not be produced.
It is possible that due to genetic drift this trait was selected (basically random sampling error of evolution, random traits evolving that may even be disadvantageous). But that's a hell of a coincidence for such a powerful psychoactive to occur from genetic drift.
Yet, I don't see how it could be based on a defense mechanism either. As was mentioned, it's not really very orally active. Maybe on some insect brains or something that would otherwise use the plant (specific bacteria, even?) it provides protection. But I'm not so sure.
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Lion
Decadent Flower Magnate


Registered: 09/20/05
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Re: why does salvia divinorin produce the effects that it does? [Re: thatiAM]
#5848945 - 07/11/06 10:09 PM (17 years, 6 months ago) |
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This is a question whose answer won't be found here; I don't know that any serious scientific study has gone into the evolution of psychoactive compounds in plants like salvia divinorum, stropharia cubensis, banisteriopsis caapi. Even McKenna only describe the effects of these plants on human evolution -- the closest he could come to describing the origins of the entheogens themselves was the 'alien theory'.
Psilocybin is not really advantageous as a deterrent: at small doses all it does is increase visual acuity; at slightly higher doses it can cause what might be considered 'delirium', but not the kind of delirium that would render the user significantly less likely to consume more mushrooms. One could argue that the nausea it produces would be evolutionarily advantageous -- I think it's a stretch to say that a compound as powerfully psychoactive psilocin developed through the process of random mutation and natural selection. I think cubes want to be eaten. 
Tetrahydrocannabinol is certainly not a defense mechanism. DMT is even less likely.
-------------------- “Strengthened by contemplation and study, I will not fear my passions like a coward. My body I will give to pleasures, to diversions that I’ve dreamed of, to the most daring erotic desires, to the lustful impulses of my blood, without any fear at all, for whenever I will— and I will have the will, strengthened as I’ll be with contemplation and study— at the crucial moments I’ll recover my spirit as was before: ascetic.”
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