Greetings Martina4847:
I just spoke with my dear friend who has been a pharmacist for 25
years and she suggested that foxglove (the plant from which digitalis
is made) was *physically* dangerous as well as cocaine (derivative of
the coca plant, considered an herb) and cocaine would also be
considered a dangerous psychological substance. She mentioned that
opium use could also be psychologically dangerous as it is a hypnotic
drug (Morphine and Codeine, painkillers, are derivatives of opium).
Aside from cocaine (which, again, is a derivative of the coca plant -
using the plant in its natural state is seldom harmful) she could
recall no other "dangerous psychological herb". Cannabis was
mentioned but she allowed it was not psychologically harmful unless
used by a mentally unstable individual.
See these links for more information on the abovementioned plants:
"A Certain Herb Called Coca:" A Study of Coca's Role in Andean Society
and Its Under-valuation by Scholars by Jeffrey Voris
http://www-personal.umich.edu/~jlvoris/thesis.html
Cannabis
http://www.cannabis.com
Foxglove
http://herbsforhealth.about.com/library/weekly/aa080999.htm
Opium
"Opium is one of the most valuable of drugs, Morphine and Codeine, the
two principal alkaloids, being largely used in medicine. It is
unexcelled as a hypnotic and sedative, and is frequently administered
to relieve pain and calm excitement. For its astringent properties, it
is employed in diarrhoea and dysentery, and on account of its
expectorant, diaphoretic, sedative and antispasmodic properties, in
certain forms of cough, etc."
http://www.botanical.com/botanical/mgmh/p/popwhi64.html
I then searched the Internet for other possibilities:
Salvia "is a natural herb indigenous to Brazil, which according to Web
site has for centuries been used for its psychoactive effects by the
shaman healers. The shamans used salvia to travel to supernatural
worlds, in which they would find answers on how to heal the sick.
Today, students smoke the herb to obtain a feeling of inebriation and
a "separation from reality."
"Salvia divinorum appears to be safe in terms of physiological
effects, but there have been few toxicological studies performed on
it."
Please read the entire text from this article "UND exposed to new
legal drugs"
by Tom Schauer at http://www.und.edu/org/ds/_issues/2000/10/31/life/drugs.html
to see more of the effects of taking salvia.
Kava Kava might be a contender but it is not considered
psychologically dangerous:
"Kava Kava is obtained from the shrub Piper methysticum, which is
native to the Polynesian Islands, It has been used by the Islanders as
a religious and visionary herb and aphrodisiac for most of their
history."
From http://altnature.com/library/aphrodis.htm
From the same site, Damiana:
"Damiana is obtained from the shrub Turnera diffusa, which is native
to the U.S. Southwest and northern Mexico. The inhabitants of this
region have used Damiana for many years as a remedy for nervous
disorders, and as a tonic and aphrodisiac."
As my friend noted, anyone who is psychologically unstable to begin
with might be dangerously affected by many herbs.
Should you require clarification of any of the links or information I
have provided, please request it and I will be happy to respond.
Best regards,
journalist-ga
SEARCH STRATEGY:
[phone call to friend]
"coca plant"
cannabis
foxglove digitalis
"psychologically dangerous" herb
dangerous psychological herb |
