Antidepressant Effects of Salvia Divinorum (Case Study)

[Paradoxic]

A 26-year-old woman had been clinically depressed since adolescence. She showed consistent HAM-D scores between 19–21 (moderately depressed range). Sertraline was prescribed and she was given behavioral therapy, but neither proved to significantly help the patient. She found relief after smoking Salvia Divinorum, confirmed by a HAM-D score of 2. Later she found oral 'sublingual' consumption provided relief for up to a week from a single use.

She continued to use the herb orally 3 times per week. HAM-D scores have been recorded for 6 months in the range of 0–2 confirming total remission of symptoms. Minimal side effects were noted, such as occasional lightheadedness for up to 1 hour after use.

In addition, she has reported that occasional intoxicating doses were also useful causing "'psychospiritual' awakening, characterized by the discovery of the depth of her sense of self, greater self-confidence, increased feelings of intuitive wisdom and 'connectedness to nature.'"

Sources:
Karl R. Hanes, PhD; Journal of Clinical Psychopharmacology 2001; 21:634-635
Erowid.org

[DrYRHead]

SD does, indeed, have much to offer in the area anti-depressant treatment. It is so much less toxic than Prozac and other SSRIs and tricyclics. Unfortunately many US states, and a few countries have banned it, and placed SD under CI(CSA Schedule 1: That is a substance that can't be used in medicine due to being classified as too addictive/dangerous), or equivalent. This banning of a medicinal plant that has yet to be thoroughly studied for its medicinal effects is very hurtful.   :cry:

[Paradoxic]

I completely agree, but I think it is possible if the general trend of the US and the world allows Salvia to be used medicinally then things could change in these states and countries. What we need is some solid research that shows a really positive benefit from Salvia for something like treating depression.

I myself intend to do some research on Salvia this next year for medicinal benefits in either depression or drug addiction. When I start gathering more information about these topics on Salvia I will be posting a lot of it here.

[DrYRHead]

Most reports indicate that SD does not even need to be used in trip level dosing for its anti-depressive effects. If the governments want to argue that it still could be used to trip on, it should be pointed out to them that many legal OTC drugs, such as DXM and anti-histamines, at the corner drug store can cause hallucination in larger than recommended doses. Those legal OTC drugs are even quite toxic in trip level doses, yet SD is not toxic at trip level dosing.

[Paradoxic]

Thats definitely a good point for argument. It would be interesting to do a study that investigates how long the anti-depressant effects last in relation to the dose taken.

But yeah in the US what I think what determines whether or not something like Salvia becomes illegal or not has a lot to do with making money. If it has medicinal uses but pharmaceutical companies cant make money from it then there be a strong push to make it illegal so that homegrowers dont compete with the pharmaceutical companies products. I think for this reason marijuana is illegal, anyone who needs it for a medical problem will just grow it themselves so it would be tough for companies to profit from it. Salvia would be in a similar situation to cannabis because anyone can grow it. However, if we can get an image of Salvia as a useful medicinal plant out into the public opinion then it will be much tougher for it to become outlawed.

[DrYRHead]

Yes, many of the industrialists fear Cannabis. The Pharm-chem, alcohol and tobacco industries fear MJ and hash, and the petro-plastics industry fears fiber hemp. That is they fear the competition from them. However, if MJ and hash were made legal in the USA, like it is in Holland/Netherlands, the demand for alcohol and tobacco would probably not really go down much judging by what happened over there.

Cannabis can be grown almost anywhere, and it is much easier than SD to grow. SD needs to be grown, pretty much, from cutting too. That makes growing it a bit harder.

[Paradoxic]

Oh yeah I forgot about how hemp would compete with other industries. However, I know they do allow the production of hemp in some places in the US (I'm not sure which ones though). And yeah I dont think the demand for alcohol/tobacco would be affected much because anyone who wants MJ can get it anyway. But maybe if it was a lot cheaper some people would buy it over tobacco.

I think initially MJ is easier to grow than Salvia, but its much more difficult to grow good bud.

[DrYRHead]

Yes, I read someplace that there are a few industrial hemp farms in the mid-west, and one in Hawaii. However, the license costs quite a bit. So much so that most farmers would not be able to afford it.

Wiki Industrial Hemp article;  http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hemp
 
As for growing the other kind of Cannabis to its highest potential, one would need grow lights and other technical equipment. More stuff than is, indeed, needed for growing SD. However, lower grade Cannabis and industrial hemp can be still be grown in some rather harsh environments.

[Paradoxic]

Interesting wiki, I haven't read that one. I think I will look more into how hard it is to get a license, I'm curious about it.

But you're right cannabis/hemp can grow almost anywhere, probably why we call it weed. Also definitely a big reason its so good for industrial uses.

[DrYRHead]

Back to the original topic. Has anyone here tried mixing SD with St. John's wort or Kanna. If so was there a synergy between the anti-depressant effects of say SD + Kanna, or SD + St John's wort? I'd test such out, but I don't have a problem with depression, so I don't have any baseline of blues/melancholy to measure the potential alteration of my mood. BTW, both Kanna and St. John's wort are mild SSRIs(selective serotonin re-uptake inhibitors) just like Prozac.

[Nirav]

A new research attempt is currently on the process of being implemented at  http://groups.yahoo.com/group/SalviaD_Alliance/
One of it's members posted yesterday the following:

On 6/23/07, Sixlegged <sixlegged@yahoo.com> wrote:
>
> Hi Folks-
>  
>  Sitting in my inner-city garden disturbed by the lack
>  of both qualitative and quantitative data on the
>  salvia experience, the idea occurred to me to do a
>  content analysis of salvia experiences. The
>  methodology that came to mind was to set up a blog
>  where everyone and anyone is invited to participate-
>  they just need to post a few things in addition to a
>  qualitative description of the experience. Another
>  rule is that the experience must be posted within 24
>  hours, as our minds tend to alter the past over time,
>  and the sooner something is documented, the closer to
>  reality- or unreality- it should be.
>  
>  I'd like to look at variables such as method of
>  administration, approximate dose, alleged potency of
>  the salvia, age of user, history of salvia and other
>  drug use, etc. Most of it would be categorical data.
>  
>  Then frames could be developed (as in the content
>  analysis for magazines, TV, and newspapers, etc.). I
>  suspect that the frames would be something like 1)
>  entity contact, 2) childhood experience, 3)
>  vortex/sense of motion, and more.
>  
>  Since I have access to SPSS, running stats on data
>  would be easy and we could look for significant
>  differences in groups, frames, etc.
>  
>  Unfortunately I have no means of offering incentives,
>  but would freely share any findings with everybody.
>  The question here is this: how many would like to
>  particpate in such a project?
>  

To this i have given the following reply:

Excellent proposition!  In view of the current situation to criminalize SD use, this is something of urgent need to be carried on, ASAP.

I would definetly include in the evaluation the degree of previuous preparation before the intake, such as dieting, ambience mood involved during the experience, body posture, the presence or not of a neutral sitter, and wheather the user has formulated or not a key issue, or question for his/her own investigation and if the "objective" was accomplished or not. Also key for the evalution of SD benefits is to know what transforming events have taken place during the following days, weeks or months, in the form of dreams, insights, creativity, life changes and sincronic events happening that may bring a resolution of previous energy blockages limiting the individual's inner growth or portential.

It is also wise to check not only on the erowid vault but also on a relatively new source in the web, at  www.SalviaSource.org  The forums on that site seems quite usefull to make this recopilation task easier.

Again this all involves a great deal of time, patience and objectivity, if we are to arrive at something meaningfull that would create a standing force againts SD criminalization attempts.  

Participants can remain anonimous all thoughout the data recopilation process, if they so choose, but, if the situation arises, they must be wiliing to back up their statements giving their real names and address, for legal validation and support of their statements.  An indication of such disposition should be given at the onset of this quest, because if this willingness to fully cooperate with this research is not present, then all data compilation and processing may lack real worth!

Namaste,
Nirav

===============

Just a few weeks ago, another member of the SD Alliance forum posted the following survey, but i have not seen much further activity on such proposal:

Survey for SalviaNauts -------- -- - - - -

Has Salvia D changed your life?

How often do you use it and why do you use it?

What is the best results you have ever gotten?

What are the worst effects you have ever had from Salvia D ?

What is your goal with this substance?

Do you think you will reach your goal?

How can a person use salvia D to gain enlightenment?

How could a person use Salvia D for healing? Have you? What kind of healing?

Thank you four your time and effort!
infinitelysearching
infinitelysearching@gmail.com

=============

The question remains: who has the time, if there is no available funding, to take on on such a task?
Namaste,
Nirav

[Paradoxic]

This is a great idea and I think its awesome that you and others are organizing this stuff. I am definitely willing to get involved in this project and it would certainly be sweet if this web site was used in the study. I'd even be willing to create an online survey that walks people though questions and logs stuff into a database.

I really appreciate that you posted that link and suggested this site as a source to use in the study. I think I will contact that poster via email and offer my help. Thanks a lot for posting about this, this is a great opportunity to initiate some good Salvia research and also perhaps get Salvia Source some publicity.

Its an interesting coincidence that you posted this because earlier today I joined that yahoo group.

[DrYRHead]

Yes, this discussion is going on over at the SalviaD-Alliance forum too, BTW.

[cechmangoal]

I think it is a great idea. as we've all said, the time for doing research is running out with SD being illegalized like everywhere. I would definetly be initerested in sharing as much as i can to better this cause and would gladly contribute to all studies going on. From a personal perspective, i KNOW that SD helps depression and anxiety. on many occasions i have taken just one rip of regular dried leafs when i've been in a shitty spot. instantly it feels as if there is a fresh breeze flowing through my body and i know that all my problems can be handled. Weed would even let me down sometimes in those moments where salvia would not. I wish that positive information regarding the potentials of SD was what the media and the world were hearing, not all the bad rap that it gets because of people using it irresponsibly. Lets keep adding to that positive information!

peace,
steven

[DrYRHead]

I've been wondering if any one that has taken SD to treat depression has ever mixed it with St. John's wort or SSRIs. Has anyone here had experience with such anti-depressant admixtures?