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What are the Side Effects of Salvia?

Salvia divinorum is a type of plant whose leaves, when chewed or smoked, induce a hallucinogenic state. Unlike other hallucinogens, salvia's effect tends to last for a period of minutes rather than hours. Salvia can be extremely potent, with its effects varying from person to person.

  1. How Salvia Works

    • Salvia works by triggering opioid receptor activity in the brain. It activates receptors responsible for vision, which is what causes the visionary aspect of the user's experience.

    Unpleasant Side Effects

    • Salvia causes people to experience very strong feelings of depersonalization. Users also experience strong hallucinations and physical sensations such as feeling warm or hot. Amnesia is common. Users also might experience an increase in sweating.

    Pleasant Side Effects

    • Some salvia users report pleasant side effects such as improved insight and mood, improved concentration and increased concentration (see Reference 1).

    Long-Term Effects

    • Salvia is not known to have addictive properties. After taking salvia, some users might experience lingering anxiety while others report an antidepressant effect.

    Medical Implications

    • Because of some of the positive side effects reported by salvia users, research is being done to identify aspects of the plant that can be used in beneficial medicines to treat mental disorders, addiction and AIDS. In 2007, The National Institute on Drug Abuse funded a grant to study the active ingredient in salvia as a way to treat drug addiction (see Resource 2). Further studies are ongoing.

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