Since the alkaloids of peyote fall into two classes with regard to
physiological action, the strychnine-like (increased reflex-irritability
to the point of tetanus) and the morphine-like (sedative-soporific) and
since there are important ethnographic considerations concerning the
supposed “sex” of peyote, we discuss the action of each alkaloid before
characterizing pan-peyotl physiologically. The two groups are somewhat
antagonistic in action; ethnographic indications seem to point to the
earlier action of the strychnine-like alkaloids, and a delayed reaction
of the morphine-like. However, the size of the dose and the continued
ingestion of buttons during the night cause variations in the length of
the different periods of intoxication.
The peyote-alkaloids might be arranged in a scale, with mescaline at the
morphine-like extreme and lophophorine at the other: (morphine-like)
mescaline, peyotline, anhaline, anhalamine, anhalonidine, anhalonine,
lophophorine (strychnine-like). Peyotline, however, has a variable effect
on different individuals, while anhalonine has been accounted of the
morphine-like group by Rouhier.[1] The color-visions so conspicuous in
peyote-intoxication are chiefly produced by mescaline.[2] Lophophorine
is the most toxic.[3] Physiologically the effects of the individual
alkaloids are:[4]
_Mescaline_: slowing of pulse, slight headache, sensation of
heaviness in the limbs lasting one to several hours; heavier
doses, feeling of discomfort and fullness of stomach (even when
injected intravenously) in addition to the above symptoms;
still heavier doses, accentuation of symptoms and appearance of
color-visions.
_Peyotline_: in about an hour reduces the pulse approximately
one-quarter the normal number of beats; two hours after
ingestion, heaviness of eyelids, sensation of fatigue, aversion
to all physical or mental effort; has no marked analgesic
action but is a fairly good sedative and has a very appreciable
hypnotic and anodyne action.
_Anhaline_ [= hordenine]:[5] exercises a paralyzing effect on
the central nervous system.
_Anhalamine_: this has not been adequately studied
physiologically. Nor have _Anhalinine_ and _Anhalidine_.
_Anhalonidine_: only slight sleepiness and dull sensation in
head; pulse not affected.
_Anhalonine_: produces no sensible effect, except perhaps a
slight sleepiness.
_Lophophorine_: the most toxic, has no narcotic action; a
quarter-hour after ingestion an accentuated sickening feeling
in the back of the head, with hotness and blushing of face,
slight pulse diminution; symptoms disappear after 40 minutes.
“In short,” says Rouhier,[6] “save for anhalonidine which,
in strong doses, provokes in the frog paralysis of the
motor nerve-ends (which is not observed otherwise in
mammals), the alkaloids of peyote act on the central nervous
system.... [Mescaline] acts on the brain, which it paralyzes.
[Lophophorine] is antagonistic in action to this, augmenting
the irritability of the spinal cord and its elongations....
Peyotline, anhalonine and anhalonidine hold a middle place
between the two preceding. They produce in the frog a soporific
effect (due to the paralysis of the brain or central nervous
system), followed by an effect of tetanus. Anhalonidine and
anhalonine have identical physiological effects. The paralyzing
effect of the former is of long duration. That of the second is
much reduced and is lacking in warm-blooded animals.”