Salvia Divinorum is a perennial herb belonging to the mint or otherwise called Lamiaceae family. Salvia is native to southern Mexican regions where it is widely cultivated by the native Mazatec people. The origins of this plant still remain a mystery and botanists are unable to ascertain that whether it is a cultigen - a plant created or modified by human beings through breeding, or a natural hybrid. Its psychoactive mechanisms were first explored by a team headed by Daniel Siebert. Although Salvia is not the only naturally available substance known to stimulate a visionary state, it has gained renown in North America and Europe for its fast acting psychoactive effects and abuse by young people. This attention has also brought with it a flood of researchers, eager to discover new natural compounds that could be used in the treatment of disease.

Traditional methods of taking Salvia Divinorum have included chewing (also known as the quid method), smoking or by consuming an alcohol-based tincture. The dry leaves of this plant can be smoked directly, with a variety of milder effects. Higher concentration extracts are now being sold, however, with online shops such as www.blackhatbotanicals.com providing high quality extracts and fruit flavoring to compliment the experience. Because Salvia Divinorum burns hot, many users choose to smoke it with a water pipe, also known as a hookah, so as to cool off the smoke. Apart from smoking, Salvia has also been ingested directly by chewing. However, oral consumption deactivates the Salvinorin A constituent, as it is broken down by the gastro-intestinal system. Hence some hold the quid of leaves in their mouth long enough for the mucous membranes to absorb the active constituents. Smoking is much more effective than the quid method, since the Salvinorin A hits the bloodstream rapidly and in high concentrations. The quid method, however, does tend to provide a longer lasting effect. In addition, some sellers provide alcohol-based tinctures, commonly applied with the assistance of glass dropper on the tongue.

Once taken, the user can expect a range of deeply altered conscious states and moods. While vivid, the experience itself tends to last merely a few minutes, with the user making a full recovery to conscious reality in ten to fifteen minutes.Common effects include laughter, sensitivity to light, sound and motion, stunning visuals of an alternate reality, remembering past memories, a feeling of merging with objects and a state of confusion with overlapping reality. While some have accused Salvia Divinorum of being addictive, research indicates that it is, in fact, not addictive, and may be used as a treatment to wean drug abusers off their addictions.

For the native Mazatec shamans - a name for a traditional healer - Salvia Divinorum was used to induce visions in divination rituals, in addition to allegedly treating a wide assortment of diseases. It was used as a diuretic and also prescribed in order to provide relief to the complaints of anemia, diarrhea, headaches, swollen belly and rheumatism. However, recently it has been found that the plant, indeed, may have substantial medical value. Some researchers now claim that research into Salvia Divinorum's active compounds may result in a treatment or cure for diseases as varied as AIDS, depression and cancer. Chemically Salvia divinorum consists of an active constituent named Salvinorin A, a diterpenoid which gives this plant its psychoactive qualities. While being dissimilar to other opioid receptors it is not an alkaloid as it does not bear a nitrogen atom.