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Are S. divinorum-infused alcohol or tea orally active?
Q: Would dissolving Salvia divinorum in a shot of drinkable alcohol (whiskey, vodka, rum, etc.) and taking the shot provide the effects of Salvia divinorum on the body? How does the effectiveness compare to Salvia tea (with the same amount of Salvia leaf)?

A: There is some controversy related to the oral activity of Salvia divinorum and/or salvinorin A. Several researchers suggest that the gastrointestinal system renders salvinorin A inactive, and thus oral potions have no psychoactive effect. Even those who have reported oral activity, such as Jonathan Ott, will state that the plant is much less psychoactive when taken in this manner as compared to buccal/sublingual absorption or smoking.

Chewed fresh or dried leaves are most effective when they are retained in the mouth as a quid, allowing the salvinorin A to absorb through the mucous membranes of the cheek or under the tongue (buccally or sublingually). Extractions of leaf that have been made into alcohol-based tinctures are also effective when held in the mouth and allowed to absorb through the buccal or sublingual mucosa.

We have not heard of anyone successfully creating an orally active tea. Salvinorin A is not particularly soluble in water, and is only mildly more soluble in lower-proof ethanol. Its solubility increases with higher proof ethanol and with heat (remembering that high-proof ethanol is flammable and must be kept away from gas stoves, open flames, sparks, or lit smoking materials).

Theoretically, if one were to saturate warm or hot 95% drinking ethanol with pure salvinorin A, it might be possible to create an orally active potion at some volume of liquid. However, 95% alcohol would be SUPER "burny" to drink, and diluting it with a mixer would cause the salvinorin A to drop out of solution, likely reducing or eliminating its oral activity.

Although we are aware of a number of people who have attempted to create an orally active alcohol-based Salvia divinorum tincture, we have not heard of anyone being successful.


Asked By : Anonymous
Answered By : Jon
Edited By : Fire, Spoon
Published Date : 3 / 3 / 2011
Last Edited Date : 3 / 2 / 2011
Question ID : 3156

Categories: [ Alcohol ] [ Salvia ] [ Chemistry ]



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