This page lists substances used in ritual context.
Psychoactive substances may be illegal to obtain, while non-psychoactive substances are legal, generally.
Psychoactive use
This sections lists entheogens; drugs that are consumed for their intoxicating effect in combination with spiritual practice.
Hallucinogens used in rituals This is a list of species and genera that are used as entheogens or are used in an entheogenic concoction (such as ayahuasca). For ritualistic use they may be classified as hallucinogens. The active principles and historical significance of each are also listed to illustrate the requirements necessary to be categorized as an entheogen. The psychoactive substances are usually classified as soft drugs in terms of drug harmfulness.
Animal
Vernacular name Species Phytochemical(s) Substance effect class Regions/Cultures of use Bullet ant venom Paraponera clavata Secretion: Poneratoxin Deliriant The Satere-Mawe people use bullet ants to get extremely painful stings in their initiation rites twenty times. Colorado River toad bufotoxins Incilius alvarius Secretion: 5-MeO-DMT, bufotenin (et al.) Psychedelic Bufo alvarious secretion has gained popularity in spiritual retreats. Controversial interpretation of Mesoamerican art.
Mushroom
Vernacular name Species Phytochemical(s) Substance effect class Regions/Cultures of use Dictyonema huaorani Dictyonema huaorani 5-MeO-DMT, DMT, psilocybin Psychedelic Confirmed used by shamans. Fly agaric Amanita muscaria Muscimol, ibotenic acid Depressant, and dissociative Siberian shamans. Scandinavia. Lithuania. Panther cap Amanita pantherina Muscimol, ibotenic acid Depressant, and dissociative Psilocybin mushroom Psilocybe spp. (etc.) Psilocybin and psilocin;baeocystin, norbaeocystin and aeruginascin (in trace amounts or in select species) Psychedelic Mazatec
Plant Vernacular name Species Phytochemical(s) Substance effect class Regions/Cultures of use Angel's trumpet Brugmansia spp. Seed, flower, leaf: Tropane alkaloids Deliriant South America, sometimes used as part of ayahuasca. Ayahuasca Banisteriopsis caapi Bark: Harmine 0.31-0.84%, tetrahydroharmine, telepathine, dihydroshihunine, 5-MeO-DMT Psychedelic South America; people of the Amazon Rainforest. UDV of Brazil and United States. Bolivian torch cactus Echinopsis lageniformis Stem: Mescaline Psychedelic South America Brosimum acutifolium Latex: Bufotenin Psychedelic Bufotenin has been identified as a component in the latex of the takini (Brosimum acutifolium) tree, which is used as a psychedelic by South American shamans. Cannabis (and cannabis concentrates) Cannabis spp. Flower: Cannabinoids (THC, and CBD) Psychedelic Hindu religion in India, Rastafari movements, Cannabis-based religions like First Church of Cannabis or International Church of Cannabis and other various groups (see entheogenic use of cannabis) Chacruna Psychotria viridis Leaf: DMT Psychedelic UDV of Peru, Ecuador, Colombia, and the Brazilian church. Santo Daime have used it as part of ayahuasca. Chaliponga Diplopterys cabrerana Leaf: 5-MeO-DMT, bufotenin, DMT Psychedelic Brazil, Colombia, Ecuador, and Peru as part of ayahuasca. Changa A DMT/MAOI-infused smoking blend DMT/MAOI Psychedelic Changa has gained popularity in spiritual retreats. Christmasvine Turbina corymbosa Seed: LSA, isoLSA, lysergol, and turbicoryn; up to 0.03% lysergic acid alkaloids Psychedelic Mazatec Harmal (espand, Syrian rue) Peganum harmala Seed: Harmaline and other harmala alkaloids Psychedelic Iran and the Middle East. Hawaiian baby woodrose Argyreia nervosa Seed: 0.325% ergoline derivatives of dry weight. Psychedelic Huna shamans used them according to various oral histories. Henbane Hyoscyamus niger Seed, flower, leaf: Tropane alkaloids Deliriant Ancient Greece and witches of the Middle Ages. Iboga Tabernanthe iboga Root bark: Ibogaine Psychedelic Bwiti religion of West Central Africa. Used by Western nations to treat opioid addiction. Jimsonweed Datura stramonium Seed, flower, leaf: Deliriant Algonquin, Navajo, Cherokee, Luiseño and the indigenous peoples of Marie-Galante used this plant in sacred ceremonies for its hallucinogenic properties. It has also been used by Sadhus of India, and the Táltos of the Magyar (Hungary). Jurema Mimosa tenuiflora syn. Mimosa hostilis Root bark: 1-1.7% DMT and yuremamine Psychedelic Used by the Jurema Cult (O Culto da Jurema) in the Northeastern Brazil. Labrador tea Rhododendron spp. Leaf: Ledol, some grayanotoxins Deliriant Caucasian peasants used Rhododendron plants for these effects in shamanistic rituals. Mad honey Rhododendron ponticum Nectar: Grayanotoxins Deliriant In Nepal, this type of honey is used by the Gurung people both for its supposed medicinal and hallucinogenic properties. Mexican morning glory Ipomoea tricolor Seed: Ergoline derivatives LSA and iso-LSA Psychedelic Zapotecs Beach moonflower Ipomoea violacea Seed: Ergoline derivatives LSA and iso-LSA Psychedelic Mazatec Nyakwána Virola theiodora Bark, roots, leaves and flowers: DMT, and 5-MeO-DMT Psychedelic The Yanomami people use the powdered resin as an entheogen known as nyakwána which is inhaled or "snuffed" into the nasal cavity, it contains a high concentration of 5-MeO-DMT and DMT. Peruvian torch cactus Echinopsis peruviana Stem: Mescaline Psychedelic Pre-Incan Chavín rituals in Peru. Peyote Lophophora williamsii Stem: Mescaline Psychedelic Native American Church is known as peyotism. Also used in the Oshara tradition. Red ucuuba Virola sebifera Bark: DMT, and 5-MeO-DMT Psychedelic The smoke of the inner bark of the tree is used by shamans of the indigenous people of Venezuela in cases of fever conditions, or cooked for driving out evil ghosts. Salvia Salvia divinorum Leaf: Salvinorin A and other salvinorins Psychedelic Mazatec San Pedro cactus Trichocereus macrogonus var. pachanoi (syn. Echinopsis pachanoi) Stem: Mescaline Psychedelic South America Vilca Anadenanthera colubrina Beans: 5-MeO-DMT. Up to 12.4% bufotenin. DMT Psychedelic There have been reports of active use of vilca by Wichi shamans, under the name hatáj. Yopo Anadenanthera peregrina Beans: 5-MeO-DMT. Up to 7.4% bufotenin. DMT Psychedelic Archaeological evidence of insufflation use within the period 500-1000 AD, in northern Chile, has been reported. Evidence in Puerto Rico (c. A.D. 1150–1250) indicates the preparation of yopo/cohoba snuff in the precolonial Caribbean.
Chemicals Many man-made chemicals with little human history have been recognized to catalyze intense spiritual experiences, and many synthetic entheogens are simply slight modifications of their naturally occurring counterparts. Some synthetic substances like 4-AcO-DMT are thought to be prodrugs that metabolize into psychoactive substances that have been used as entheogens. While synthetic DMT and mescaline are reported to have identical entheogenic qualities as extracted or plant-based sources, the experience may wildly vary due to the lack of numerous psychoactive alkaloids that constitute the material. This is similar to how isolated THC produces very different effects than an extract that retains the many cannabinoids of the plant such as cannabidiol and cannabinol. A pharmaceutical version of the entheogenic brew ayahuasca is called Pharmahuasca.
Substance IUPAC name Substance effect class Notes 2C-B 4-Bromo-2,5-dimethoxyphenylethanamine Psychedelic There are claims that 2C-B is used as entheogen by the Sangoma, Nyanga, and Amagqirha people over their traditional plants. It is referred to as Ubulawu Nomathotholo, which roughly translates to "Medicine of the Singing Ancestors".The Nexus Factor - An Introduction to 2C-B ErowidUbulawu Nomathotholo Pack Photo by Erowid. © 2002 Erowid.org 5-MeO-DMT 2-(5-Methoxy-1H-indol-3-yl)-N,N-dimethylethan-2-amine Psychedelic See species Bufotenin 3-[2-(Dimethylamino)ethyl]-1H-indol-5-ol Psychedelic See species DMT 2-(1H-Indol-3-yl)-N,N-dimethylethanamine Psychedelic See species DPT N-[2-(1H-indol-3-yl)]ethyl-N-propylpropan-1-amine Psychedelic DPT is used as a religious sacrament by the Temple of the True Inner Light who believes that DPT and other psychedelics are physical manifestations of God. https://www.erowid.org/library/books_online/tihkal/tihkal09.shtml Harmaline 7-methoxy-1-methyl-4,9-dihydro-3H-pyrido[3,4-b]indole Psychedelic See Peganum harmala Ibogaine 12-Methoxyibogamine Psychedelic See Tabernanthe iboga Ketamine Dissociative Ketamine psychedelic therapy (KPT) have been used for preparation for death (thanatological, death-rebirth psychotherapy) LSA (8β)-9,10-didehydro-6-methyl-ergoline-8-carboxamide Psychedelic See species Iso-LSA (8α)-9,10-didehydro-6-methyl-ergoline-8-carboxamide Psychedelic See species LSD (6aR,9R)-N,N-diethyl-7-methyl-4,6,6a,7,8,9-hexahydroindolo[4,3-fg]quinoline-9-carboxamide Psychedelic Used by League for Spiritual Discovery (LSD), and the Neo-American Church. MDMA (RS)-1-(1,3-benzodioxol-5-yl)-N-methylpropan-2-amine Entactogen Small doses of MDMA are used as an entheogen to enhance prayer or meditation by some religious practitioners.MDMA and Religion . CSP. Retrieved on 11 June 2011. Muscimol 5-(Aminomethyl)-isoxazol-3-ol Deliriant See Amanita spp. Psilocybin [3-(2-Dimethylaminoethyl)-1H-indol-4-yl] dihydrogen phosphate Psychedelic (See also Psilocybe spp) Prodrug for Psilocin. The Mazatec curandera María Sabina was celebrating a mushroom velada with pills of synthetic psilocybin named Indocybin synthesized by Albert Hofmann. Salvinorin A methyl (2S,4aR,6aR,7R,9S,10aS,10bR)-9-(acetyloxy)-2-(furan-3-yl)-6a,10b-dimethyl-4,10-dioxo-dodecahydro-1H-naphtho[2,1-c]pyran-7-carboxylate Psychedelic See Salvia divinorum
Prodrugs
Substance IUPAC name Substance effect class Notes 1A-LSD (6aR,9R)-4-acetyl-N,N-diethyl-7-methyl-4,6,6a,7,8,9-hexahydroindolo[4,3-fg]quinoline-9-carboxamide Psychedelic Prodrug (suspected) for LSD 1P-LSD (6aR,9R)-N,N-Diethyl-7-methyl-4-propanoyl-6,6a,8,9-tetrahydroindolo[4,3-fg]quinoline-9-carboxamide Psychedelic Prodrug (suspected) for LSD. In tests on mice 1cP-LSD was found to be an active psychedelic with similar potency to 1P-LSD. 4-AcO-DMT 3-[2-(Dimethylamino)ethyl]-1H-indol-4-yl acetate Psychedelic Prodrug for psilocin (found in psilocybin mushroom, see also psilocybin)
This page lists non-psychedelic psychoactive substances which are consumed in ritual contexts for their consciousness-altering effects. Non-psychoactive consumption like symbolic ingestion of psychoactive substances is not mentioned here.
Non-hallucinogenic substances used in rituals This is a list of psychoactive substances which are consumed in ritual contexts for their consciousness-altering effects. Some of these drugs are classified as hard drugs in terms of drug harmfulness.
Plant The plant parts are listed to prevent accidents. For example, kava roots should always be used because the leaves of the plant are known to cause hepatoxicity and death.