The Botany and Chemistry of Hallucinogens (Hardcover)

~ (Author) "AGENTS THAT CAUSE VISUAL, auditory, tactile, taste, and olfactory hallucinations or that induce artificial psychoses have been known undoubtedly since earliest human experimentation with the..." (more)
Key Phrases: hallucinogenic constituents, cactus alkaloids, plantis toxicariis, South America, United States, Amazonian Brazil (more...)

Editorial Reviews

Product Description

By Richard Evans Schultes, Harvard University, Cambridge, Massachusetts, and Albert Hofmann, Basel, Switzerland. With Forewords by I. Newton Kugelmass and Henrich Kluver. The Second Edition of this book encompasses all of the advances that have been made in this field since publication of the original text. Newly discovered hallucinogenic plants have been incorporated into the discussions along with new information on some well-known drugs. The authors continue to focus on the botany and chemistry of hallucinogens, although they also consider ethnobotanical, historical, pharmacological and psychological aspects. Initial chapters delineate definition, botanical distribution, and structural types of hallucinogenic plants. Plants of known, possible and dubious hallucinogenic potential are then covered in separate sections. The bibliography for this new edition has been enlarged to accommodate all of the recent activity in botanical and chemical investigation of psychoactive plants. Readers will also appreciate the excellent illustrations that accompany the text.

Product Details

• Hardcover: 437 pages
• Publisher: Charles C. Thomas Publisher; 2 edition (September 1991)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0398038635
• ISBN-13: 978-0398038632
• Product Dimensions: 9.3 x 6.3 x 1.4 inches
• Shipping Weight: 2.2 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (3 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #1,380,292 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

7 of 9 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Excellent source of information on plant hallucinogens, March 30, 2000

By A Customer

This book is a very extensive source of information about plant hallucinogens. It gives historical backgrounds on the plants used as hallucinogens. It also gives very extensive informaton about the molecules that are responsible for their hallucinogenic activity. It covers the molecular structures and their abundance in the plant sources. There is also information about how the plants are used as ethnobotanicals. I would suggest obtaining this book to anyone interested in ethnobotanicals.

5.0 out of 5 stars Comprehensive, and then some....., February 7, 2006

By	call me The Avi ("In my dreams I live in California......") - See all my reviews

Weighing in at just over 400 pages, this seminal work by Drs. Schultes and Hofmann is the definitive guide to hallucinogenic plant compounds. Detailed information is included about plant classification, chemical properties, and historical background concerning use. Although written in an academic tone, a book like this can't help but be interesting. Nevertheless, due to its overwhelming amount of information (and the expense and difficulty required to actually obtain a copy), it's probably best left to the most obsessed and/or diligent of psychonauts. For a less technical and more layman-friendly read, try Schultes/Hofmann's other book, Plants of the Gods.

5.0 out of 5 stars Excellent book worth seeking out., October 19, 1999

By A Customer

This review is from: The Botany and Chemistry of Hallucinogens (Hardcover)

This book is an excellent source of information on the chemistry behind ethnobotanicals. It covers a vast amount of material and the lenghty reference section is worth the trouble of locating this book.