Daniel J Siebert's Home Page

DANIEL SIEBERT is an ethnobotanist, educator, and artist. He has been researching Salvia divinorum for over twenty years and was the first person to work on the human pharmacology of salvinorin A and to clearly identify this compound as the psychoactive principal of the plant. He has studied Salvia divinorum in its native habitat and has worked with it under the guidance of Mazatec shamans. His work appears in scientific journals and other publications. Mr. Siebert is the creator of the popular Salvia divinorum Research and Information Center web site. He is also the founder and moderator of Sagewise, a closed-membership email-based discussion forum for Salvia divinorum researchers and professionals. He currently resides in Malibu, California and is completing work on his comprehensive book about Salvia divinorum, Divine Sage.

Personal interests include:
Ethnobotany, botany, horticulture, pharmacology, chemistry, consciousness studies, philosophy, nature, ashtanga yoga, the creative and theatrical arts, juggling, and funambulism.

Current projects include:
Ethnobotanical research: Expeditions to the Sierra Mazateca of Oaxaca Mexico to study the role of Salvia divinorum in Mazatec culture, its traditional uses, and the beliefs, rituals, and mythology associated with it.

Pharmacology and consciousness studies: Identifying and characterizing the range of effects produced by Salvia divinorum, through experiments, interviews, and the analysis of thousands of experiential reports. Exploring the tremendous potential of this herb as tool for understanding the nature of human consciousness.

Collaboration and correspondence: Sharing resources and knowledge. Bringing together the skills and expertise of scientists throughout the world, to investigate such questions as: How does salvinorin A produce its effects? What is its receptor site affinity? Are there pharmacologically active isomers and analogs?

Publication and documentation of important findings: Scientific journals, books, film, photography, my web site, and magazines.

Community outreach: Lectures, workshops, interviews, documentaries, the Sagewise email discussion forum.

Providing a mail order resource for Salvia divinorum and related materials: The Sagewise Salvia Shop offers Salvia divinorum leaves, standardized extracts, a unique sublingual extract, live cuttings of many rare clones, books, etc.

Botanical investigations and horticultural experimentation: Looking for answers to several important questions, including:

Is Salvia divinorum native to the Sierra Mazateca or was it introduced from another area?
Does it exist in truly wild habitats, or are all non-cultivated populations feral?
Since it spreads almost exclusively through asexual propagation, how limited is its genetic diversity?
Are there other powerfully psychoactive Salvia species?

Research financing: Primarily self-financed, with some monies generated through The Sagewise Salvia Shop. I am currently seeking grants and contributions for several important research projects. Philanthropic organizations or individuals who are interested in furthering the study of Salvia divinorum by contributing funds or other resources, are encouraged to contact me.

To discuss research projects, collaborations, speaking engagements, consultations, workshops, interviews, etc. Please contact me at: dsiebert@gte.net