An Overview on the Hallucinogenic Peyote and Its Alkaloid Mescaline: The Importance of Context, Ceremony and Culture

Peyote (Lophophora williamsii) contains alkaloids including pellotine, anhalonidine, hordenine, and mescaline. Mescaline produces psychoactive effects by activating the serotonin 5-HT2A receptor, which triggers calcium release from the endoplasmic reticulum. Research is evaluating mescaline's therapeutic potential, with outcomes strongly influenced by mindset and context (set and setting), including ceremonies and culture. This overview summarizes current knowledge on peyote and mescaline metabolism, mechanism of action, and clinical applications. It presents their potential benefits in a new light, exemplifying how nature-based, ritually enriched treatment can combine with innovative Western medicine.

Study at a glance

Abstract

Peyote (Lophophora williamsii) is a cactus that contains various biologically active alkaloids—such as pellotine, anhalonidine, hordenine and mescaline. Here, mescaline induces the psychoactive effects of peyote through the activation of the serotonin 5-HT2A receptor and the subsequent release of calcium (Ca2+) from the endoplasmic reticulum (ER). Moreover, an evaluation of the therapeutic benefits of mescaline is also currently the subject of research. It is important to consider that the outcome of taking a psychedelic drug strongly depends on the mindset of the recipient and the context (set and setting principle), including ceremonies and culture. This overview serves to summarise the current state of the knowledge of the metabolism, mechanism of action and clinical application studies of peyote and mescaline. Furthermore, the benefits of the potential of peyote and mescaline are presented in a new light, setting an example for combining a form of treatment embedded in nature and ritually enriched with our current highly innovative Western medicine.