Salvinorine is the most powerful natural hallucinogen. Salvinorine is a unique diterpene hallucinogenic molecule found in Salvia divinorum. This plant was discovered in the 196O's by Hofmann,etc,in Mexico.

Salvinorine may open novel avenues of research into the mechanisms of schizophrenia and psychotic states as it, apparently, does not act by any known neurotransmitter system. The effects of salvinorine are very sensitive to light and sound stimulation. Salvinorine's hallucinogenic properties can only be experienced in darkness and silence,contrary to serotoninergic hallucinogens.

Because of this peculiar phenomenon,salvinorine may,in fact,just trigger phenomena naturally encountered in the transition phase between the waking state and sleep. In fact,descriptions of the effects of salvinorine on consciousness are consistent with the fact that salvinorine is not really a hallucinogenic molecule but an oneirogenic molecule. Salvinorine,apparently,triggers a shift from the normal waking state of consciousness to a dream state of consciousness while retaining awareness.

Such a state of consciousness is called a conscious dream when it comes naturally or with learning.Conscious dreaming has been much explored by some Tibetan monks since nearly a millenium while it only came recently to the attention of Westerners. The first explorer of conscious dreaming in the West seems to have been the Marquis de Saint-Denis in the I9th century,in France.

So salvinorine should be a valuable tool in the exploration of natural REM sleep. As psychotic states obey to rules very similar to those observed in dreams,salvinorine might also open the way to novel anti-psychotics. Salvinorine,thus,deserves serious studies. Note: Salvia divinorum is a very rare plant. For those researchers interested in studying salvinorin(a), here is the email address of a nursery where you can obtain specimens of salvia divinorum : hoti@ilhawaii.net