Many cacti are known to be psychoactive, containing phenethylaminealkaloids such as mescaline.[1] However, the two main ritualistic (folkloric) genera are Echinopsis, of which the most psychoactive species occur in the San Pedro cactus group (including Echinopsis pachanoi, syn. Trichocereus pachanoi, Echinopsis Peruviana, syn. Trichocereus peruvianus and Echinopsis lageniformis, syn. Trichocereus bridgesii[2][3]), and Lophophora, with peyote (Lophophora williamsii) being the most psychoactive species. Several other species pertaining to other genera are also psychoactive, though not always used with a ritualistic intent.[4][5][6]
Mammillaria craigii; grahamii (var. oliviae); heyderi; (Dolichothele) longimamma; (Solisia) pectinifera; (Mamillopsis) senilis; sonorensis; and other species
Several world regions have historically used psychoactive cacti for their properties, particularly Indigenous peoples from North America and South America, such as in Mexico and the Andes region. Archaeological studies have found evidence of use going back two thousand years.[18][19] In 2022, the Peruvian Ministry of Culture declared the traditional use of San Pedro cactus in northern Peru as cultural heritage.[20]Lophophora williamsii (peyote) is used by the Native American Church (aka Peyotism).
^Bruhn, Jan G.; Catarina Bruhn (1973). "Alkaloids and ethnobotany of Mexican peyote cacti and related species". Economic Botany. 27 (2): 241–251. doi:10.1007/BF02872994. S2CID36480873.
^Pummangura, S.; J. L. McLaughlin; R. C. Schifferdecker (September 1981). "Cactus Alkaloids. XLVII. β-Phenethylamines From the "Missouri Pincushion", Coryphantha (Neobessya) missouriensis". J. Nat. Prod. 44 (5): 614–616. doi:10.1021/np50017a022.
^"Archived copy". users.lycaeum.org. Archived from the original on 8 March 2001. Retrieved 17 January 2022.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link)