Psychoactive plant

The tobacco plant (Nicotiana tabacum) is an example of a psychoactive plant. The active constituent is nicotine.

Psychoactive plants are plants, or preparations thereof, that upon ingestion induce psychotropic effects. As stated in a reference work:

Psychoactive plants are plants that people ingest in the form of simple or complex preparations in order to affect the mind or alter the state of consciousness.[1]

Psychoactivity may include sedative, stimulant, euphoric, deliriant, and hallucinogenic effects.

Several hundred psychoactive plants are known.[1] Some popular examples of psychoactive plants include Coffea arabica (coffee), Camellia sinensis (tea), Nicotiana tabacum (tobacco), and Cannabis (including hashish).

Psychoactive plants have been used ritually (e.g., peyote as an entheogen), medicinally (e.g., opium as an analgesic), and therapeutically (e.g., cannabis as a drug) for thousands of years.[2] Hence, the sociocultural and economic significance of psychoactive plants is enormous.

  1. ^ a b Cite error: The named reference Ratsch was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  2. ^ Schultes, Richard Evans (1976). Hallucinogenic Plants. Illustrated by Elmer W. Smith. New York: Golden Press. pp. 2, 9, 34. ISBN 0-307-24362-1.