The San Pedro cactus (Trichocereus pachanoi) is a type of columnar cactus native to parts of the Americas. It is a fast-growing plant and has been valued for its role in religious healing rituals in South America since antiquity. Nowadays, it’s popularly considered a source of hallucinogens such as mescaline, although that idea is challenged by some researchers.
Can You Eat San Pedro Cactus Raw? The single answer is yes. It tastes like cucumber. But, the San Pedro cactus can be prepared for ingestion in a number of ways. The most well-known variant is to harvest the cactus, peel the outer, green part of the plant and boil it down.
A Mescaline Trip: What Does It Feel Like?
Nausea is felt after 30 minutes. Sometimes, it is followed by chills or sweating however, this sensation will disappear once the journey starts. Within an hour or two you experience a feeling of peace and calm. The highest point of the experience is attained within two to four hours of having taken the medication. The effects slowly diminish over 8-12 hours following the fact. The duration of effects of a trip to the peyote can be as long as 16 hours. A higher dose may prolong the duration of the trip up to 24 hours.
Its effects are the same as the effects of LSD. Expect emotional peaks, and mood swings as well as an alteration in your perception. Your notions of self-awareness of time, reality, and time are also changed and you will feel as if you’re one with the universe. Your surroundings could “melt” or “breathe” and make everything appear living and interconnected. In certain instances, an experience with peyote may produce supernatural effects. This means that an excursion can offer totally different thoughts.
Chemically, mescaline resembles 2C-B, a synthetic psychedelic agent. Mescaline, like LSD, DMT, 2C-B and psilocybin, the psychoactive component of Hallucinogenic Truffles, acts on serotonin receptors (specifically 5-HT2A) in the brain.
.“Mescaline is not a “fire and forget” drug (like alcohol, amphetamines or MDMA) that you can throw in to make yourself feel better!”
Are There Also Dangers? and Can Such a Cactus Be Addictive?
As with all psychedelics, it is best used in familiar surroundings in the presence of a trip sitter who will remain sober. Stay out of traffic and keep windows and doors closed. In nature, San Pedro acts wonderfully on the senses. The colors become deeper and the shapes of the leaves and flowers make the journey even more intense.
Taken within its natural environments, San Pedro is said to be a beautiful experience that only enhances your appreciation for nature while opening your mind to its splendor. People report feeling at one with nature and find it easier to appreciate Mother Earth as they see everything as part of a whole. Some also contemplate their own existence, questioning how they fit into this world.
However, cactus mescaline should never be taken in conjunction with:
- Alcohol and cannabis.
- Stimulant drugs such as cocaine and amphetamines.
- Tramadol. (Tramadol is a synthetic opioid )
- Depression, anxiety or psychosis.
- MAO inhibitors such as Banisteriopsis, sleeping pills and drugs.
- A heart problem, high blood pressure or hypotensive treatment.
- Do not pass use during pregnancy or lactation.
Cacti like san Pedro and the torch of Peru, are not addictive. It is possible to develop an addiction that requires some days to recover. This means you’ll require a greater amount of cacti for the same result.
The most significant drawback of San Pedro is that they could make you feel nauseated. Be sure to have a bucket on hand and a few containers of water. Take a bite of this psycho-cactus only when you are feeling good. It will guarantee you pleasure. San Pedro in particular reinforces the feelings you experience. If you feel like you are at low levels it is unlikely that a trip will solve your issues!
Effects
The effects of mescaline are similar to the effects that are experienced by LSD and psilocybin. However, they are distinct. A lot of users have commented on similarities to MDMA and also that they felt at ease and calm during the session even with the massive dose.
In comparison to other mescaline-rich plants such as peyote, San Pedro feels milder and more soothing as well as less physical and anxiety-inducing. The onset is usually followed by a tingling and tingling sensation that runs through the veins. Vomiting and nausea can occur. In shamanic practices, this is often referred to by the term “cleansing the body”. The result isn’t that unpleasant, as you’ll be feeling refreshed shortly afterward and you can look at the next pleasure of the experience.
The peak of the experience is usually very visual and (with the right dosage) typically produces an out-of-body sensation and a merging with the sensory system (synesthesia or hearing “feel” or sight “smell”). The visual effects are characterized by flashes of light-colored in a rainbow as well as kaleidoscopic patterns, and the sensation the entire world “breathes”. Things around you that are normally mundane can suddenly seem more fascinating stunning, intriguing, and unique. Mescaline is a particular phenomenon that people are
Mescaline-rich cacti such as San Pedro may not be addictive, but they may nonetheless trigger negative reactions. The decision of the dose and the precautions to take regarding the setting and set are, therefore, crucial.
Safe Use Rules
- Only enter San Pedro well prepared. Make sure the set, setting, and dose are right.
- Consume in the early morning. Daylight can affect your (up to 16 hours) experience in a positive manner.
- Find a sober “trip sitter” accompanying you on your “journey”. You should choose someone with experience in psychedelics.
- The full effects will be evident within 3 hours of ingestion. Thus, avoid drinking more than you need to if you are experiencing the sensation that it’s not enough.
- Don’t consume it on an empty stomach, but do not consume on an empty stomach. A small breakfast a few hours prior to taking your drink is recommended.
- Don’t be afraid to fall, and do not try to combat the consequences. The reason for negative experiences is being a result of the person who is experiencing the experience cannot let go and is determined to be in the control.
- Take the day off after taking it so you can reflect on the experience.
Dosage
The most important factor in the intenseness of the San Pedro experience is the mescaline content in every plant. Since every plant has different amounts of mescaline it is challenging to measure mescaline precisely.
The dried cactus loses 75% of its original weight and can contain up to 2.4% mescaline, while a freshly harvested plant usually contains around 0.1%.
The mescaline content of 50 g of dried cactus can vary between 150 mg of mescaline (the threshold dose) and 1150 mg of mescaline (a possible overdose) . Therefore, if little is known about the cactus at hand, start with the smallest dose possible that is likely to produce effects (~7g dried; 107g fresh).
FAQ
What if I Eat San Pedro cacti?
San Pedro cacti, like peyote and mushrooms, are known to have hallucinogenic properties when ingested. Due to this, it is often a hot topic among those who are interested in psychedelics. However, not many people know that if they eat the San Pedro cactus itself, they will experience the effects.
Among its effects, they can cause the acceleration of the heart rate and dilation in the pupils.
What Does the San Pedro Cactus Produce?
What does the San Pedro cactus produce, you ask? Mescaline. The San Pedro cactus contains the alkaloid mescaline and other derivatives of phenylethylamine with hallucinogenic properties. This cactus was used throughout history by various pre-Columbian cultures and civilizations that settled in northern Peru. The Amazonian Indians (who also used ayahuasca) would chew on the fresh stalks or brew them into a tea, as they believed it would give them special powers or visions of their dead ancestors.
Mescaline causes hallucinations and feelings of euphoria, empathy, serenity, and heightened sensory perception. Those who take mescaline may feel a sense of detachment from their surroundings as if they are seeing everything from a different perspective
What Benefits Does San Pedro Have?
The leaves are boiled in water in order to make tea, which is then consumed to treat rheumatic diseases and diabetes. The roots are also cooked in the water in order to cure intestinal parasites, dysentery as well as gonorrhea, and menstrual issues.
How Long Does It Take for San Pedro to Take Effect?
When it comes to San Pedro, there seems to be some confusion about how long it takes for the cactus to take effect. I’ll tell you that for me and most of my friends who have used San Pedro, we’ve noticed that the effects don’t really kick in until two hours after ingestion.
Taken at a dose of 300 grams, one might expect to feel the effects within a half-hour. However, I’ve found from experience that mescaline and San Pedro can take up to two hours to start taking effect. If you consume too high of a dose or if your supply is weak, it might not happen at all.
A common mistake is to reduce thinking that the initial dose did not work. It’s important to know that the effects can take up to two hours to appear. Taking more could produce an overdose.
The onset of effects varies from person to person, but around two hours tend to be the average time frame for me and my friends.
Conclusion
This imparts pretty much all there is to know about eating San Pedro cactus. The best way to get it into your system is to boil it and then run it through a sieve to remove the pulp. Also, if you’re not in a jungle and don’t happen to have boiling water, you can chew the raw cactus—this will work just as well. In terms of active dose, the effects are pretty much identical regardless of which method you choose, but keep in mind that people who take the boiled extract are usually more affected. Either way, ingesting a large dose unprepared can be hazardous.