FolkKB

San Pedro cactus

Echinopsis pachanoi

Echinopsis pachanoi, commonly known as San Pedro cactus, originates from South America and is associated with traditional Andean medicine practices. While it has historical significance in indigenous cultures for spiritual and ceremonial purposes, no specific traditional uses have been recorded. Scientific evidence indicates that Echinopsis pachanoi contains mescaline, which showed dose-proportional increases in exposure and varied effects intensity and duration. The study also demonstrated the effective mapping of secondary metabolites such as mescaline using advanced analytical techniques. Notably, only one potential case related to illegal trade on the dark web has been recorded, and multivariate statistical analysis can accurately identify this species among psychoactive plants. Safety concerns are minimal; no major issues have been reported. There is also no evidence of significant drug interactions with Echinopsis pachanoi.

At a glance
Best evidence
B
Cautions
—

Informational only. Traditional use does not mean proven effectiveness. Evidence and safety vary — check the cited sources.

What the science says

  • The study demonstrated the effective mapping of secondary metabolites such as mescaline in Echinopsis pachanoi using laser desorption low-temperature plasma mass spectrometry imaging. D PMID
  • The study found only one potential case of Echinopsis pachanoi (San Pedro cactus) related to illegal trade on the dark web. D PMID
  • Echinopsis pachanoi mescaline showed dose-proportional increases in exposure and maximal concentrations, with varying effect intensities and durations. B PMID
  • The study found that random forest processing of DART-HRMS data could accurately identify species of psychoactive plants, including Echinopsis pachanoi. D PMID

Frequently asked questions

What is San Pedro cactus?

San Pedro cactus (Echinopsis pachanoi) is a plant documented in FolkKB's traditional-medicine reference, drawn from sourced literature and cross-checked against the evidence.

What does the scientific evidence say about San Pedro cactus?

4 sourced findings are recorded for San Pedro cactus; the strongest carries evidence grade B. For example: The study demonstrated the effective mapping of secondary metabolites such as mescaline in Echinopsis pachanoi using laser desorption low-temperature plasma mass spectrometry imaging.

How strong is the evidence for San Pedro cactus?

The strongest finding for San Pedro cactus carries evidence grade B — moderate evidence. Grades run A (strongest) to D (preliminary or traditional).

Is San Pedro cactus safe? What are the side effects?

No major safety issues are recorded for San Pedro cactus in our sources, but the data may be incomplete. Consult a qualified professional before use.

Does San Pedro cactus interact with medications?

No drug interactions are recorded for San Pedro cactus in our sources. This does not rule them out — check with a pharmacist.

Is San Pedro cactus a proven treatment?

No. FolkKB is informational only. Traditional use and early findings are not proof of efficacy or safety — consult a qualified professional and never self-treat.

Sources

  1. T2 Assessing the extent and nature of wildlife trade on the dark web. literature abstract metadata
  2. T2 Elucidating the Distribution of Plant Metabolites from Native Tissues with Laser Desorption Low-Temperature Plasma Mass Spectrometry Imaging. literature abstract metadata
  3. T2 Random Forest Processing of Direct Analysis in Real-Time Mass Spectrometric Data Enables Species Identification of Psychoactive Plants from Their Headspace Chemical Signatures. literature abstract metadata
  4. T2 Pharmacokinetics, Pharmacodynamics, and Urinary Recovery of Oral Mescaline Hydrochloride in Healthy Participants. literature abstract metadata