Pachycereus pringlei has
psychedelic effects and appears to have been used by ancient people in
Baja California,
Mexico, as an
entheogen. This was discovered by businessman Earl Crockett, who then contacted and became acquainted with
Alexander Shulgin. According to Shulgin,
N-methylmescaline, in
combination with MAOIs also present in the cactus that allow
N-methylmescaline to become
orally active, may be the active psychedelic constituent. In any case, Shulgin's hypothesis of
Pachycereus pringlei's psychedelic activity remains unconfirmed, and the active constituents have yet to be fully resolved. On the other hand,
trichocereine (
N,
N-dimethylmescaline) has been reported to be psychedelic, although these findings are conflicting and controversial. In addition,
methyl-TMA (
N-methyl-TMA) and
N-methyl-DOET are known to be psychedelic at sufficiently high doses. No naturally occurring isoquinolines are known to be hallucinogenic in humans. Some of the alkaloids in
Pachycereus pringlei, like carnegine, are known to have
toxic effects in animals, for instance
strychnine-like
convulsions. ==Gallery==