Bufo alvarius: a potent hallucinogen of animal origin.
Level 5 - mechanism / opinion, no new human data
Narrative review and descriptive experimental report without controlled clinical trials
PubMed 8170151 · doi:10.1016/0378-8741(94)90051-5
What was done
The authors evaluated ethnographic and mythological evidence for ancient Mesoamerican ritual toad use, compared the toxicity profiles of Bufo marinus and Bufo alvarius, and conducted bioassay experiments testing the psychoactivity and safety of smoking Bufo alvarius venom containing 5-methoxy-N,N-dimethyltryptamine (5-MeO-DMT).
What was found
The abstract reports no numerical data or quantitative measurements. It qualitatively reports that Bufo alvarius venom is toxic when ingested orally but is psychoactive and safely smoked, contrasting with Bufo marinus venom which was rejected as a candidate due to toxicity.
Why it matters
This paper provides the first formal report identifying an animal-derived hallucinogen, proposing a specific candidate (5-MeO-DMT in Bufo alvarius venom) to explain historical New World ritual intoxication.
Limits
The abstract reports no sample sizes, specific experimental methods, subject demographics, dosage ranges, or formal toxicity evaluations. The conclusions rely on descriptive observations rather than controlled clinical testing.
Cited by
- supports Natural 5-MeO-DMT is secreted by the glands of the Sonoran Desert toad.
- supports 5-MeO-DMT is obtained by milking the poison glands of the Sonoran Desert toad.