COLEUS
Chapter: Entheogens
AKA: Coleus blumei, coleus pumilus.
Effects: Despite the fact that the Mazatecs of Oaxaca, Mexico, use these mint plants in the same way they use the hallucinogenic hojas de la Pastora, no hallucinogenic agent has been isolated in either of them or in any of the 150 species of coleus. William Emboden states that researcher R. Gordon Wasson has reported mind-altering effects, but these have not been verified by others. However, Young et al. claim that only the fresh leaves exhibit psychoactive properties, and that it takes 50 to 70 to do the trick, which manifests itself as a "trippy, psilocybin-like state, colorful visual hallucinations and patterns, and telepathic and clairvoyant insights" for a duration of some two hours.
Precautions: Brief nausea a half-hour after consumption.
Dosage: Between 50 to 70 large fresh leaves; dried leaves will not do. They can be chewed, smoked, or steeped in lukewarm water for an hour and drunk as a tea.
