Mescaline Cactus List, Dosage, & Effects

Mescaline is one of the oldest psychoactive compounds known to man. According to scientific research, despite the fact that some of its effects are quite spectacular, it is not addictive.

Apparently, native South Americans used mescaline some 5,700 years ago. Modern science only came to grips with it in 1897, when German chemist Arthur Heffter managed to isolate and identify the compound.

Nowadays, mescaline is considered to be the top exponent of the phenethylamine class of psychedelic substances.

The natural sources of mescaline are a number of cactus species. The most prominent representative of this group is peyote cactus (Lophophora williamsii). San Pedro Cactus (Echinopsis pachanoi) also contains mescaline, alongside Peruvian Torch (Echinopsis peruviana). The Fabaceae family of beans is a mescaline source as well.

The peyote cactus is a small, almost mushroom-like cactus, which is cut at ground level when harvested for mescaline. Its roots then produce pups that can be harvested again. The body of the plant is dried into disk shapes called buttons. these buttons can be chewed, though their taste is quite unpleasant, to say the least.

It is probably due to this taste that vomiting was considered part and parcel of the ritual mescaline experience. A regular button with a 3 inch diameter contains about 25 mg of mescaline.

The substance is consumed orally. Other then chewing on the nasty-tasting buttons, users can also soak them in water and then drink the water.

Mescaline dosage

As far as mescaline sulfate goes, some 200 mg to 400 mg makes a proper dose. Slightly less mescaline hydrochloride (178 mg to 356 mg) is required for the same effect.

Taking more than 800 mg is considered a heavy dose, or overdosing.

Nowadays, peyote buttons are often ground into a powder and made into gel capsules. This way, users can avoid the unpleasant taste of the concoction.

While most mescaline consumption happens orally, through actual ingestion, mescaline hydrochloride can be vaped.

Those who choose this path of administration, will experience quicker onset and effects of shorter duration.

Cognitive effects of mescaline

Besides enhancing creativity, mescaline also induces a state of cognitive euphoria. Those aiming to improve their focus, can go for threshold or low doses, as these tend to bring about such an effect.

Mescaline also enhances motivation and it kills the ego. This ego-effect is not particularly consistent however. It also tends to be very dose dependent.

The substance is quite hallucinatory. Few anecdotal reports mention its effects on dreams, though considering its mentioned cognitive effects, it would not be far-fetched to assume that it can potentiate dreams as well.

In regards to hallucinations, it triggers transformations and internal hallucinations complete with autonomous entities.

A lot of visual geometry is also involved in these hallucinations.

Based on their interactive style and overall believability, such internal hallucinations have been described as akin to lucid dreams. Most such hallucinations involve dark environments.

Mescaline seems able to trigger equally believable and convincing external hallucinations too. Autonomous entity contact, as well as intricate scenarios and plots can be expected in this regard as well.

List of Cacti Containing Mescaline

• Echinopsis macrogona (Cactus macrogonus)
• Echinopsis pachanoi (San Pedro)
• Echinopsis peruviana (Peruvian torch)
• Lophophora decipiens
• Lophophora diffusa (peyote substitute)
• Lophophora williamsii (peyote)
• Opuntia cylindrica
• Pelecyphora aselliformis (peyote substitute)
• Trichocereus bridgesii / Echinopsis lageniformis (Bolivian torch)
• Trichocereus pachanoi
• Trichocereus peruvianus