Cimora

Cimora is a Peruvian term used to describe a brew with hallucinogenic properties made from the “San Pedro” cacti (Trichocereus pachanoi) and other plants such as chamico (Datura stramonium) in South America,^[1][2] used traditionally for shamanic purposes and healing in Peru and Bolivia. The name is also used to describe a number of both hallucinogenic and non-hallucinogenic plants in the region, some of which are used in traditional medicines. Which plants go by the name cimora is an ethnobotanical problem that has been debated at great length by ethnobotanists in many different journals. The term cimora is said to refer to algo malo, meaning something bad.^[3] San Pedro goes by many names including pachanoi, aguacolla, elremedio, gigantón, and cactus of the four winds.^[4] The ritualistic use of the brew is similar to ayahuasca, which is a South American used as a traditional spirit medicine in Brazil, although while the active ingredient in ayahuasca is DMT,^[5] the active ingredient in cimora is mescaline. The use of cimora and the rituals involved have evolved throughout history due to the influence of those who controlled Peru at different stages, although it has almost always involved the use of the San Pedro cactus and its mescaline content.