Silene undulata

Silene undulata (—"white ways/paths", also known as Silene capensis, and African dream root) is a plant native to the Eastern Cape of South Africa.

Cultivation In cultivation, S. undulata is an easily grown, but moisture hungry herb. It is tolerant of extreme heat, >, and moderate cold, . A moisture retentive seedbed is essential. The fragrant flowers open at night and close in the day. It is a biennial to short lived perennial and the root can be harvested after the second year.

Uses Silene undulata is regarded by the Xhosa people as a sacred plant. Its root is traditionally used to induce vivid (and according to the Xhosa, prophetic) lucid dreams during the initiation process of traditional healers, classifying it a naturally occurring oneirogen similar to the more well-known dream herb Calea zacatechichi.

Constituents Silene undulata has been found to contain β-carbolines such as norharman, harmalol, and harmaline, and harmine, as well as ibogaine. In addition, these constituents were predicted to act as serotonin 5-HT2A receptor agonists. These components, and in turn serotonin 5-HT2A receptor activation, may be involved in the psychoactive effects of Silene undulata.

Silene undulata

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