Calea zacatechichi
Encyclopedia
Calea zacatechichi, also known as Dream Herb, Leaf of God, and Bitter Grass, is a plant used by the indigenous
Chontal of the Mexican state of Oaxaca
for oneiromancy
(a form of divination
based on dream
s.) The plant naturally occurs from southern Mexico to northern Costa Rica. It has been scientifically demonstrated that extracts of this plant increase reaction times and the frequency and/or recollection of dreams versus placebo
and diazepam
. It is also employed by the Chontal
people as a medicinal herb
against gastrointestinal disorders, and is used as an appetizer, cathartic anti-dysentery
remedy, and as a fever-reducing agent.
The correct Latin name is Calea ternifolia Kunth, with Calea zacatechichi Schltdl. being a synonym (Wussow et al. 1985). The name zacatechichi retains usage as a local or common name.
, who assert that this plant is capable of "clarifying the senses" causing euphoria
, call it thle-pela-kano, meaning "leaf of God". Whenever they desire to know the cause of an illness or the location of a distant or lost person, the common ritual is to smoke a cigarette, whilst drinking a tea, both made of Calea Zacatechichi, right before going to sleep.
s calaxin, ciliarin, the germacranolide
s 1-beta-acetoxy zacatechinolide and 1-oxo zacatechinolide, caleochromene A and B, calein A and B, caleicine I and II, as well as acacetin
, O-methyl acacetin, zexbrevin and an analogue, and several analogues of budlein A and neurolenin B, including calein A.
of the dried leaves of the same plant. The human dose for divinatory purposes reported by the Chontal people is a handful of dried plant, but effects can be felt with as little as two to three grams of dried leaf matter. The user knows that he or she has taken a large enough dose when a sense of tranquility and drowsiness is experienced and when he or she hears the beats of his or her own heart and pulse
. Calea is an extremely bitter herb and is known to induce strong nausea when drunk. Many users prefer to smoke it rather than drinking the tea. Alternatively alcoholic tinctures and placing the leaf matter in algae capsules can be as effective as tea while being much less bitter and much more palatable. There are no reports of hangover or other undesirable side effects. Many report an extremely mild cannabis
like state of relaxation from smoking calea leaf or taking calea tincture
.
Generally Calea is a southern plant. Growing Calea from fresh seed is not easy; cloning this plant is much simpler. The most common way to grow it is propagation from cuttings or layers, the latter of which is very easy in late summer. The Calea plant likes full sun, well drained soils, and medium irrigation. Anecdotal evidence suggests the flowering or post flowering plant harvested in the dry or cold season yields the best herbal product.
A good soil mix for calea cultivation is:
1/3 of a rich substrate, 1/3 vermiculite and 1/3 of humus, or a light garden soil.
Propagation from seeds can be tried with the following method:
Sow the seeds in a pot with the soil mix indicated as above.
Don't cover the seeds, moisten the seeds with water and cover with a plastic bag.
This little greenhouse needs from 4 to 6 hours of light to germinate.
If the seeds dry out during this period, the plants will not germinate.
, meaning that it is completely legal to grow and sell. However, Louisiana State Act 159
makes the substance illegal to grow, cultivate, harvest or sell in Louisiana if intended for ingestion. The act applies to more than 40 types of plants.
Tennessee proposed a bill that would have made many "hallucinogenic" plants, including Calea zacatechichi, illegal when "intended for human consumption," but the law was changed to ban only Salvia divinorum
and Damiana (Turnera diffusa).
Calea zacatechichi was banned in Poland
in March 2009.
Indigenous peoples of Mexico
Mexico, in the second article of its Constitution, is defined as a "pluricultural" nation in recognition of the diverse ethnic groups that constitute it, and in which the indigenous peoples are the original foundation...
Chontal of the Mexican state of Oaxaca
Oaxaca
Oaxaca , , officially Estado Libre y Soberano de Oaxaca is one of the 31 states which, along with the Federal District, comprise the 32 federative entities of Mexico. It is divided into 571 municipalities; of which 418 are governed by the system of customs and traditions...
for oneiromancy
Oneiromancy
Oneiromancy is a form of divination based upon dreams; it is a system of dream interpretation that uses dreams to predict the future.-Ancient Egyptian:...
(a form of divination
Divination
Divination is the attempt to gain insight into a question or situation by way of an occultic standardized process or ritual...
based on dream
Dream
Dreams are successions of images, ideas, emotions, and sensations that occur involuntarily in the mind during certain stages of sleep. The content and purpose of dreams are not definitively understood, though they have been a topic of scientific speculation, philosophical intrigue and religious...
s.) The plant naturally occurs from southern Mexico to northern Costa Rica. It has been scientifically demonstrated that extracts of this plant increase reaction times and the frequency and/or recollection of dreams versus placebo
Placebo
A placebo is a simulated or otherwise medically ineffectual treatment for a disease or other medical condition intended to deceive the recipient...
and diazepam
Diazepam
Diazepam , first marketed as Valium by Hoffmann-La Roche is a benzodiazepine drug. Diazepam is also marketed in Australia as Antenex. It is commonly used for treating anxiety, insomnia, seizures including status epilepticus, muscle spasms , restless legs syndrome, alcohol withdrawal,...
. It is also employed by the Chontal
Chontal
The Chontal Maya are an indigenous people of the Mexican state of Tabasco. "Chontal", from the Nahuatl word for chontalli, which means "foreigner", has been applied to various ethnic groups in Mexico...
people as a medicinal herb
Herbalism
Herbalism is a traditional medicinal or folk medicine practice based on the use of plants and plant extracts. Herbalism is also known as botanical medicine, medical herbalism, herbal medicine, herbology, herblore, and phytotherapy...
against gastrointestinal disorders, and is used as an appetizer, cathartic anti-dysentery
Dysentery
Dysentery is an inflammatory disorder of the intestine, especially of the colon, that results in severe diarrhea containing mucus and/or blood in the faeces with fever and abdominal pain. If left untreated, dysentery can be fatal.There are differences between dysentery and normal bloody diarrhoea...
remedy, and as a fever-reducing agent.
The correct Latin name is Calea ternifolia Kunth, with Calea zacatechichi Schltdl. being a synonym (Wussow et al. 1985). The name zacatechichi retains usage as a local or common name.
Use
The Chontal medicine menMedicine man
"Medicine man" or "Medicine woman" are English terms used to describe traditional healers and spiritual leaders among Native American and other indigenous or aboriginal peoples...
, who assert that this plant is capable of "clarifying the senses" causing euphoria
Euphoria
Euphoria is an emotional and mental state defined as a sense of great elation and well being.Euphoria may also refer to:* Euphoria , a genus of scarab beetles* Euphoria, a genus name previously used for the longan and other trees...
, call it thle-pela-kano, meaning "leaf of God". Whenever they desire to know the cause of an illness or the location of a distant or lost person, the common ritual is to smoke a cigarette, whilst drinking a tea, both made of Calea Zacatechichi, right before going to sleep.
Chemical composition
Several compounds have been isolated from the plant, including the sesquiterpeneSesquiterpene
Sesquiterpenes are a class of terpenes that consist of three isoprene units and have the molecular formula C15H24. Like monoterpenes, sesquiterpenes may be acyclic or contain rings, including many unique combinations...
s calaxin, ciliarin, the germacranolide
Germacranolide
Germacranolides are a group of natural chemical compounds classified as sesquiterpene lactones. They are found in a variety of plant sources....
s 1-beta-acetoxy zacatechinolide and 1-oxo zacatechinolide, caleochromene A and B, calein A and B, caleicine I and II, as well as acacetin
Acacetin
Acacetin is an O-methylated flavone found in Robinia pseudoacacia and Turnera diffusa .The enzyme apigenin 4'-O-methyltransferase uses S-adenosyl methionine and 5,7,4'-trihydroxyflavone to produce S-adenosylhomocysteine and 4'-methoxy-5,7-dihydroxyflavone ....
, O-methyl acacetin, zexbrevin and an analogue, and several analogues of budlein A and neurolenin B, including calein A.
Preparation and dosage
Crushed dried leaves are steeped in hot water, and the resulting tea is drunk slowly, after which the user lies down in a quiet place and smokes a cigaretteCigarette
A cigarette is a small roll of finely cut tobacco leaves wrapped in a cylinder of thin paper for smoking. The cigarette is ignited at one end and allowed to smoulder; its smoke is inhaled from the other end, which is held in or to the mouth and in some cases a cigarette holder may be used as well...
of the dried leaves of the same plant. The human dose for divinatory purposes reported by the Chontal people is a handful of dried plant, but effects can be felt with as little as two to three grams of dried leaf matter. The user knows that he or she has taken a large enough dose when a sense of tranquility and drowsiness is experienced and when he or she hears the beats of his or her own heart and pulse
Pulse
In medicine, one's pulse represents the tactile arterial palpation of the heartbeat by trained fingertips. The pulse may be palpated in any place that allows an artery to be compressed against a bone, such as at the neck , at the wrist , behind the knee , on the inside of the elbow , and near the...
. Calea is an extremely bitter herb and is known to induce strong nausea when drunk. Many users prefer to smoke it rather than drinking the tea. Alternatively alcoholic tinctures and placing the leaf matter in algae capsules can be as effective as tea while being much less bitter and much more palatable. There are no reports of hangover or other undesirable side effects. Many report an extremely mild cannabis
Cannabis
Cannabis is a genus of flowering plants that includes three putative species, Cannabis sativa, Cannabis indica, and Cannabis ruderalis. These three taxa are indigenous to Central Asia, and South Asia. Cannabis has long been used for fibre , for seed and seed oils, for medicinal purposes, and as a...
like state of relaxation from smoking calea leaf or taking calea tincture
Tincture
A tincture is an alcoholic extract or solution of a non-volatile substance . To qualify as a tincture, the alcoholic extract is to have an ethanol percentage of at least 40-60%...
.
Cultivation
A good soil mix for calea cultivation is:
1/3 of a rich substrate, 1/3 vermiculite and 1/3 of humus, or a light garden soil.
Propagation from seeds can be tried with the following method:
Sow the seeds in a pot with the soil mix indicated as above.
Don't cover the seeds, moisten the seeds with water and cover with a plastic bag.
This little greenhouse needs from 4 to 6 hours of light to germinate.
If the seeds dry out during this period, the plants will not germinate.
Law
Calea zacatechichi is an unscheduled substance in the United StatesUnited States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
, meaning that it is completely legal to grow and sell. However, Louisiana State Act 159
Louisiana State Act 159
Signed into law June 28, 2005 and effective August 8, 2005, Louisiana State Act No 159 found in, Louisiana RS 40:989.1, outlawed the cultivation, possession or sale of 40 known hallucinogenic plants in the state of Louisiana...
makes the substance illegal to grow, cultivate, harvest or sell in Louisiana if intended for ingestion. The act applies to more than 40 types of plants.
Tennessee proposed a bill that would have made many "hallucinogenic" plants, including Calea zacatechichi, illegal when "intended for human consumption," but the law was changed to ban only Salvia divinorum
Salvia divinorum
Salvia divinorum is a psychoactive plant which can induce dissociative effects and is a potent producer of "visions" and other hallucinatory experiences...
and Damiana (Turnera diffusa).
Calea zacatechichi was banned in Poland
Poland
Poland , officially the Republic of Poland , is a country in Central Europe bordered by Germany to the west; the Czech Republic and Slovakia to the south; Ukraine, Belarus and Lithuania to the east; and the Baltic Sea and Kaliningrad Oblast, a Russian exclave, to the north...
in March 2009.