Ayahuasca

This nightshade is known in Colombia as ayahuasca and may possibly be utilized as an ayahuasca additive (Ott 1993, 410*; Schultes and Raffauf 1991, 39*). It may also have been used alone for psychoactive purposes. In the region of Limon (Costa Rica), the leaves and stems are used to treat wounds (Schultes 1978a, 192*). The alkaloid parquine (cf. Cestrum parqui) has been detected in the genus, which is composed of some twelve species (Schultes 1979b, 151*; Schultes and Raffauf 1991, 39*).