Diviner's sage
Salvia divinorumLamiaceae // leaves
Also known as: ska María Pastora, hojas de la Pastora
Preparation
Overview
Plant parts
leaves
Known constituents
salvinorin A
Research corpus coverage
Chemistry notes
- Principal reported constituents include salvinorin A; broad class: potent kappa-opioid receptor agonist diterpene.
Uses & Evidence
Traditional / historical use
Documented traditional use — not a claim of established efficacy.
No traditional-use records in this corpus.
Modern evidence
Cultivated, rarely fertile plant; vernacular naming and origin narratives require caution.
MODERATE · Salvia divinorum: The Botany, Ethnobotany, Biochemistry and Future of a Mexican Mint
Identity/attribution caution.
Safety
Human
- Caution
Safety severity is MODERATE: intense disorientation, dysphoria, impaired coordination and accident risk
Intrinsic toxicity · MODERATE · Salvia divinorum: The Botany, Ethnobotany, Biochemistry and Future of a Mexican Mint
Additional safety notes (general, unstructured)
Free-text safety notes carried from their source — not broken out by species, route, or hazard type, and not equivalent to the structured records above. Each note names the kind of source it came from.
Safety severity is MODERATE: intense disorientation, dysphoria, impaired coordination and accident risk
MODERATE · Salvia divinorum: The Botany, Ethnobotany, Biochemistry and Future of a Mexican Mint
Preparation × species risk matrix
Unknown means insufficient evidence was located — not that a form is safe.
Cats
- tinctureCaution
- concentrated extractUnknown
- essential oilUnknown
- glyceriteUnknown
- infused oilUnknown
- salveUnknown
- smoke/combustionUnknown
- tea/infusionUnknown
- whole herbUnknown
Dogs
- tinctureCaution
- concentrated extractUnknown
- essential oilUnknown
- glyceriteUnknown
- infused oilUnknown
- salveUnknown
- smoke/combustionUnknown
- tea/infusionUnknown
- whole herbUnknown
Identity
Common name
ska María Pastora, hojas de la Pastora
Traditions
Mazatec ceremonial healing and divination
Sierra Mazateca, Oaxaca, Mexico // 20th-century ethnographic documentation; claimed older continuity // living tradition
Ethnobotanical
Diviner's sage is documented in Mazatec ceremonial healing and divination in Sierra Mazateca, Oaxaca, Mexico for divination and healing ceremonies.
MODERATE · Salvia divinorum: The Botany, Ethnobotany, Biochemistry and Future of a Mexican Mint
Ritual
Documented functions include divinatory, healing, visionary; these functions are tradition-specific and should not be generalized across cultures.
MODERATE · Salvia divinorum: The Botany, Ethnobotany, Biochemistry and Future of a Mexican Mint
Legal
Legal status changes over time and by jurisdiction — this is a dated snapshot, not current law.
International · Checked 2026-08-09
Varies substantially by country; constituent controls and plant-specific controls are not uniform.
State / municipal · Checked 2026-08-09
Material state and municipal variation may apply; verify jurisdiction at time of use.
US Federal · Checked 2026-08-09
Not federally scheduled as of date checked; many states regulate or prohibit it.
Sources
Research records are source-linked but may not yet be editorially reviewed.
peer-reviewed article
government/regulatory source