Antidepressant Effects of Salvia Divinorum (Case Study)

[Paradoxic]

I have not, but one could certainly try. Sounds like a good option for an all-natural anti-depressant.

I know SSRIs enhance most any psychedelic trip, but does it also enhance a Salvia experience?

[DrYRHead]

That is what I was wondering too. Some people claim that SSRIs block most of the effects of MDMA. Some people have found that St. John's wort has an MAOI effects that can help increase the effects of tryptamines.

[Paradoxic]

Hmm, I must have actually been thinking of MAOIs. I just checked it and I guess SSRIs tend to reduce the effects of psychedelics (http://www.erowid.org/ask/ask.cgi?ID=2768).

Have you ever tried booting one of your Salvia trips with an MAOI?

[DrYRHead]

Yes, one had tried taking  harmala alkaloid sources (passion flower herb or Syrian rue seeds) before quiding or tincturing SD. The intensity of the trip was not quite as strong as usual, but the duration of the trip was about twice as long.

[Paradoxic]

Thats odd it did not increase the intensity. Have you ever tried doing harmala alkaloids and smoking Salvia?

I didnt know passion flower was an MAOI, it must be a weak one (maybe thats why it wasnt as intense). I have done passion flower a number of times and I only experience a slight downer buzz.

[DrYRHead]

Yes passion flower is a rather weak MAOI. It only has about 1mg harmala alkaloids/gram of the herb. S. rue seeds have about 30mg of harmala alkaloids/gram. However, I don't think that the interaction between the SD and harmala alkaloids is a MAOI one, anyway. I'm thinking that it is just a regular synergy. Harmala alkaloids are said to synergize the effects of Cannabis/THC too, and that is not an MAOI interaction either.
As far as smoking harmala alkaloids, it can be done. A Syrian rue seed extract laced onto some SD leaf could be make for an interesting dream. 

[donna81503]

I note that much of this thread is very old. 
If anyone is conducting such research regarding depression, I would like to volunteer as a study subject. 
I went off Prozac after many years and am wondering if I am feeling the loss of it now? 
Anyone who is  in touch with someone doing research, please email me.
Donna

[DrYRHead]

Of course, SD has been used by many adults to self treat depression. In the past herbalists like Michael Moore have also written about harmala alkaloids for the treatment of depression. Harmala alkaloids found in Passion flower, Syrian rue seeds, and puncture vine are a short term MAOI, white the pharmaceuticals MAOI type drugs used to treat depression are long term in effect. At the same the the pharm-chem MAOI drugs take longer to kick in, but the harmala alkaloids take effect in 30 to 45 minutes.  St John's Wort is another mild MAOI herb that seems to effect the metabolism of serotonin in particular. It is a popular substitute for the SSRI type drugs like Preozac.

On a related not another one of the members of the Salvia genus, S. elegans (pinapple sage) has show some anti-depressant effects without the extreme psychoactive quality of SD. However, that does not mean that it lacks psychoactive effect either. Pineapple sage can have a mild sedative or tranquillizer like effect at times. I'll try to look up some links to data about these things later.