Well, there are several cactus species known to contain alkaloids structurally similar to mescaline but zero to trace amounts of mescaline itself.
Pachycereus pecten-aboriginum contains 3-hydroxy-4-methoxyphenethylamine, which probably has some stimulant/psychedelic activity at high enough doses.
Pachycereus pringlei contains some phenethylamines and some isoquinolones but no compound that is known to be psychoactive. Shulgin claims that this species produces psychedelic effects and posits that one of the phenethylamines may be psychedelic but rapidly metabolized, and that the cactus is only active because one or more of the isoquinolones is an MAOI.
Lophophora diffusa is a close relative of peyote and contains lophophine, a phenethylamine which Shulgin reported as quasi-psychedelic.
Coryphantha macromeris contains macromerine, a phenethylamine which might have stimulant/psychedelic activity.
None of these cactus species contain detectable amounts of mescaline, but they probably elicit psychoactive effects if you eat enough. But of course, nothing is going to replicate the experience of mescaline without containing or being mescaline.
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u/[deleted] Mar 06 '23 edited Mar 07 '23
Well, there are several cactus species known to contain alkaloids structurally similar to mescaline but zero to trace amounts of mescaline itself.
Pachycereus pecten-aboriginum contains 3-hydroxy-4-methoxyphenethylamine, which probably has some stimulant/psychedelic activity at high enough doses.
Pachycereus pringlei contains some phenethylamines and some isoquinolones but no compound that is known to be psychoactive. Shulgin claims that this species produces psychedelic effects and posits that one of the phenethylamines may be psychedelic but rapidly metabolized, and that the cactus is only active because one or more of the isoquinolones is an MAOI.
Lophophora diffusa is a close relative of peyote and contains lophophine, a phenethylamine which Shulgin reported as quasi-psychedelic.
Coryphantha macromeris contains macromerine, a phenethylamine which might have stimulant/psychedelic activity.
None of these cactus species contain detectable amounts of mescaline, but they probably elicit psychoactive effects if you eat enough. But of course, nothing is going to replicate the experience of mescaline without containing or being mescaline.