Deliriant

Source: Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia.
The toxic berry of Atropa belladonna which contains the tropane deliriants scopolamine, atropine, and hyoscyamine.

Deliriants are a subclass of

LSD and dissociatives such as ketamine, due to their primary effect of causing delirium, as opposed to the more lucid (i.e. rational thought is preserved better, including the skepticism about the hallucinations) and less disturbed states produced by other types of hallucinogens.[1] The term generally refers to anticholinergic drugs, which are substances that inhibit the function of the neurotransmitter acetylcholine. Common examples of deliriants include plants of the genera Datura and Brugmansia (both containing scopolamine) as well as higher than recommended dosages of diphenhydramine (Benadryl).[2][3] A number of plant deliriants such as that of the Solanaceae family, particularly in the Americas have been used by some indigenous cultures to reach delirious and altered states for traditions or rituals, such as rites of passage, divination or communicating with the ancestors.[4] Despite their long history of use, deliriants are the least-studied class of hallucinogens in terms of their behavioral and neurological effects.[5]

Etymology

The term was introduced by

ploughing
(agricultural) so as to be analogous to the mental aberration that is delirium.

Mechanism of action

The altered state of consciousness produced by common or 'classical' deliriant substances such as scopolamine, atropine and diphenhydramine is primarily mediated through the drug compounds' competitive antagonism of the peripheral and central muscarinic acetylcholine receptors. Particularly the M1 muscarinic receptor. M1 receptors are located primarily in the central nervous system and are involved in perception, attention and cognitive functioning. Delirium is only associated with the antagonism of postsynaptic M1 receptors and to date; other receptor subtypes have not been implicated.[6] Peripheral muscarinic receptors are part of the autonomic nervous system. M2 receptors are located in the brain and heart, M3 receptors are in salivary glands and M4 receptors are in the brain and lungs.[6] Scopolamine is a nonspecific muscarinic antagonist at all four (M1, M2, M3, and M4) receptor sites.[7][8] Due to these compounds' inhibition of various signal transduction pathways, the decrease in acetylcholine signaling is what leads to many of the cognitive deficits and mental impairments.[9]

It has also been said that common anticholinergic agents/hallucinogens should be more accurately referred to as

nicotinic receptors.[6]

Effects

The

street drug there.[17]

The

Anthropological assessment of the sacred Chumash Datura cult in Southern California ascertained that within the tribe; frequent or repeat users of datura tended to gradually become more and more antisocial, often adopting behavior patterns that the rest of the tribe viewed as "capricious malevolence".[22]

During one of his workshops in Hawaii, psychonaut

psilocybin mushrooms are regarded as being "related to light" and that (Brugmansia) is "related to the darkness" and that they (the tribes) "are aware of the polarity of this flower", further crediting the idea that the hallucinogenic experience produced by deliriants is typically of a "dark" and disturbing nature.[citation needed] When datura was first formally discovered in colonial Jamestown, Virginia in 1676 by English soldiers during Bacon's Rebellion, they spent 11 days in altered mental states after using the leaves of the plant (which they did not know were psychoactive and poisonous) as part of a salad. Historian Robert Beverley Jr. wrote of the observable effects seen during their intoxicated state; "They (the soldiers) turned natural fools upon it for several days: one would blow up a feather in the air; another would dart straws at it with much fury; and another, stark naked, was sitting up in a corner like a monkey, grinning and making mows (grimaces) at them; a fourth would fondly kiss and paw his companions, and sneer in their faces with a countenance more antic than any in a Dutch droll… They were not very cleanly; for they would have wallowed in their own excrements if they had not been prevented. A thousand such simple tricks they played, and after eleven days returned (to) themselves again, not remembering anything that had passed."[23]

Deliriant substances

Datura stramonium (jimsonweed) 4-valved seed capsule

psychonautically the premier and paradigmatic deliriant substance, to which all other deliriants and/or antimuscarinic hallucinogens are usually compared.[26][4]

Synthetic compounds such as

Shivaism.[32][33][34]

Recreational use

chronic
dementia (1896)

Despite the fully legal status of several common deliriant plants and

receptor agonist. Some are in development but reportedly as of 2016, none are in clinical use.[6]

Ultimately, user reports of recreational deliriant usage on the drug resource website

cholinergic hypothesis for Alzheimer's disease and other related dementias.[40]

Despite these overtly negative effects both on the physical and mental health of the user, usage of deliriants for recreational purposes has still gone on for centuries and was said to be introduced in

intoxications or later on to counter negative health consequences or symptoms such as dysphoria or senility.[42][43][44]

Occultism and folklore

sabbath upon an inverted besom
with a candle upon its twigs

Deliriants such as

bodily fluids dripped from the bodies of deceased murderers, with some sources stating blood and others claiming semen or urine.[11][48][49]

curanderos) believe one of the purposes for this is to "steal one's energy and/or power", of which they believe every person has a limited amount.[57]

Since medieval times, extremely

lycanthropy.[58][42] This is believed to have originated at least partially from wolfsbane's alleged tendency to cause paresthesia which supposedly can be reported to feel like one's body is covered in fur.[32] In Greek mythology, the goddess Hecate is said to have invented aconitum which Athena used to transform Arachne into a spider.[59][60]

Classes of deliriants

See also

References

  1. ^ a b Duncan, D. F., and Gold, R. S. (1982). Drugs and the Whole Person. New York: John Wiley & Sons
  2. ^ a b c "Datura reports on Erowid". Retrieved 2013-05-07.
  3. ^ a b Forest E (27 July 2008). "Atypical Drugs of Abuse". Articles & Interviews. Student Doctor Network. Archived from the original on 27 May 2013.
  4. ^
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  7. ^ "Google Scholar". scholar.google.com. Retrieved 16 December 2017.
  8. ^ "PDSP Ki Database".
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  11. ^ a b c Sinclair, Raisa (2019). A Field Guide To Deliriants
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  13. PMID 28500194. Archived
    (PDF) from the original on 22 April 2021.
  14. ^ "Devil's Breath: Why Scopolamine Abuse is So Terrifying". Northpoint Washington. 9 May 2019.
  15. ^ "Colombia Travel Advisory". travel.state.gov. Archived from the original on 5 April 2022.
  16. ^ Global Affairs Canada (16 November 2012). "Travel Advice and Advisories for Colombia". Travel.gc.ca. Archived from the original on 16 May 2022.
  17. ^ Duffy R (23 July 2007). "Colombian Devil's Breath". Vice. Retrieved 3 February 2022.
  18. ^ a b c d e f Rätsch, Christian, The Encyclopedia of Psychoactive Plants: Ethnopharmacology and Its Applications pub. Park Street Press 2005
  19. ^ a b Safford, William (1916). Narcotic Plants and Stimulants of the Ancient Americans. United States: Economic Botanist. pp. 405–406.
  20. ^ a b Grinspoon, Lester and Bakalar, James B. (1997). Psychedelic Drugs Reconsidered. The Lindesmith Center
  21. ^ Smith, Gordon (15 December 1983). "The Kumeyaay rock art at Hakwin: Hallucinogen datura explains symbols". San Diego Reader.
  22. ^ "The Datura Cult Among the Chumash; The Journal of California Anthropology" (PDF).
  23. Beverley, Robert. "Book II: Of the Natural Product and Conveniencies in Its Unimprov'd State, Before the English Went Thither"
    . The History and Present State of Virginia, In Four Parts. University of North Carolina. p. 24 (Book II). Retrieved 2008-12-15.
  24. ISBN 3-904144-77-4
  25. ^ "Pharmacognosy and Phytochemistry: Drugs Containing Alkaloids".
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  29. ^ Bliss, M. (2001). "Datura Plant Poisoning" (PDF). Clinical Toxicology Review. 23 (6). Archived from the original (PDF) on 2021-04-23. Retrieved 2020-04-11.
  30. ISBN 978-92-9168-249-2. Archived from the original
    (PDF) on 2012-03-29. Retrieved 2020-06-04.
  31. PMID 15904689
  32. ^ a b c Lewis Spence (1970). The Encyclopedia of the Occult. Bracken Books. p. 306 – via Internet Archive.
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  35. ^ "Datura reports". Erowid.org. Retrieved 2013-05-07.
  36. ^ "Datura Items". Lycaeum.org. Archived from the original on 2010-10-03. Retrieved 2011-01-04.
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  38. ^ "Study suggests link between long-term use of anticholinergics and dementia risk". Alzheimer's Society. 2015-01-26. Archived from the original on 2015-11-12. Retrieved 2015-02-17.
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  45. ^ a b c Schultes, Richard Evans; Hofmann, Albert (1979). The Botany and Chemistry of Hallucinogens (2nd ed.). Springfield Illinois: Charles C. Thomas. pps. 261-4.
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  50. ^ Starý, František, Poisonous Plants (Hamlyn colour guides) – pub. Paul Hamlyn April, 1984, translated from the Czech by Olga Kuthanová.
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  52. ^ "Genesis 30:14–16 (King James Version)". Bible Gateway. Retrieved 6 January 2014.
  53. ^ "Song of Songs 7:12–13 (King James Version)". Bible Gateway. Retrieved 6 January 2014.
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  56. ^ Endredy, James (2011). The Flying Witches of Veracruz: A Shaman's True Story of Indigenous Witchcraft, Devil's Weed, and Trance Healing in Aztec Brujeria
  57. ^ a b Campos, Don Jose (2011). The Shaman & Ayahuasca: Journeys to Sacred Realms.
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External links

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