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'''''Sceletium tortuosum''''' (also known as '''Kanna''') is a succulent plant commonly found in South Africa. Many of its psychoactive effects are similar to but less intense than the effects of [[empathogens]] such as [[MDMA]]. It can be [[administered]] [[Routes_of_administration#Oral|orally]], [[Routes_of_administration#Insufflation|insufflated]], [[Routes_of_administration#Subilingual|subilingually]], [[Routes_of_administration#Smoked|smoked]], or [[Routes_of_administration#Buccal|chewed]].
'''Sceletium tortuosum''', more commonly known as '''Kanna''', is a succulent plant commonly found in South Africa. Many of its psychoactive effects are similar to but less intense than the effects of [[empathogens]] such as [[MDMA]]. It can be [[administered]] [[Routes_of_administration#Oral|orally]], [[Routes_of_administration#Insufflation|insufflated]], [[Routes_of_administration#Subilingual|subilingually]], [[Routes_of_administration#Smoked|smoked]], or [[Routes_of_administration#Buccal|chewed]].
Kanna is sometimes used as an anti-depressant as a replacement for pharmaceutical anti-depressants. A pharmaceutical company owns a patented extract of kanna called Zembrin which may begin to be prescribed for depression, anxiety, insomnia and other psychiatric disorders in the future.
Kanna is sometimes used as an anti-depressant as a replacement for pharmaceutical anti-depressants, often with success. A pharmaceutical company owns a patented extract of kanna called Zembrin which may begin to be prescribed for depression, anxiety, insomnia and other psychiatric disorders in the future.
==History and culture==
==History and culture==
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===Combinational effects===
===Combination effects===
*'''[[Psychedelics]]''' - Kanna can reduce the [[anxiety]] and other negative effects experienced on psychedelics, as well as intensify the euphoria. Kanna may decrease the effects of psychedelics due to its serotonergic effects.
*'''[[Psychedelics]]''' - Kanna can reduce the [[anxiety]] and other negative effects experienced on psychedelics, as well as intensify the euphoria. Kanna may decrease the effects of psychedelics due to its serotonergic effects.
*'''[[Cannabis]]''' - Kanna is reported to have strong synergy with [[cannabis]]. Commonly reported effects from this combination are intense [[euphoria]], less [[anxiety]], and intensified [[hallucinations|visual effects]].
*'''[[Cannabis]]''' - Kanna is reported to have strong synergy with [[cannabis]]. Commonly reported effects from this combination are intense [[euphoria]], less [[anxiety]], and intensified [[hallucinations|visual effects]].
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==Toxicity and harm potential==
==Toxicity and harm potential==
{{toxicity}}
{{toxicity}}
Kanna is not known to be toxic on its own, however it may be toxic when mixed with other substances that interact with serotonin or PDE4.
Kanna is not known to be toxic on its own but it may be toxic when mixed with other substances that interact with serotonin or PDE4.
It is strongly recommended that one use [[responsible use|harm reduction practices]] when using this substance.
It is strongly recommended that one use [[responsible use|harm reduction practices]] when using this substance.
===Lethal dosage===
===Lethal dosage===
A lethal dose of kanna on its own is not known to have occured, however it may be dangerous and even lethal when mixed with other substances.
A lethal dose of kanna on its own is not known to have occured, however it may be dangerous and even lethal when mixed with other substances.
===Tolerance and addiction potential===
===Tolerance and addiction potential===
Kanna is known to have a "reverse tolerance", similar to serotonergic antidepressants and kava kava, where in order to experience the strongest and most theraputic effects, a person must have taken kanna recently. This is often called "priming" and usually takes about a week of daily priming to experience the most intense effects. After about week of priming, continuing to use kanna at the same dose will not cause an increase or decrease in tolerance to its psychoactive effects.
Kanna is known to have a "reverse tolerance", similar to serotonergic antidepressants and kava kava, where in order to experience the strongest and most theraputic effects, a person must have taken kanna recently. This is often called "priming" and usually takes about a week of daily priming to experience the most intense effects. After about week of priming, continuing to use kanna at the same dose will not cause an increase or decrease in tolerance to its psychoactive effects.
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{{LegalStub}}
{{LegalStub}}
Kanna is not known to be controlled, regulated or illegal in any country except for the United States as well as the United Kingdom.
Kanna is not known to be controlled, regulated or illegal in any country except for the United States as well as the United Kingdom.
*'''United States'''
*'''United States:''' Kanna is uncontrolled in the United States by federal law. This means all parts of the plant and its extracts are legal to cultivate, buy, possess, and distribute (sell, trade or give) without a license or prescription. If sold as a supplement, sales must conform to U.S. supplement laws. If sold for consumption as a food or drug, sales are regulated by the FDA.
**'''Louisiana''' - Kanna is a controlled substance in Louisiana<ref>https://erowid.org/plants/kanna/kanna_law.shtml</ref>. It is not controlled anywhere else in the United States.
**'''Louisiana:''' Kanna is a controlled substance in Louisiana.<ref>https://erowid.org/plants/kanna/kanna_law.shtml</ref> It is not controlled anywhere else in the United States.
*'''United kingdom''' - It is illegal to import any psychoactive substance intended for human consumption.
*'''United Kingdom:''' Kanna is prohibited in the United Kingdom under the Psychoactive Substances Act 2016.
WARNING: Always start with lower doses due to differences between individual body weight, tolerance, metabolism, and personal sensitivity. See responsible use section.
DISCLAIMER: PW's dosage information is gathered from users and resources for educational purposes only. It is not a recommendation and should be verified with other sources for accuracy.
Sceletium tortuosum (also known as Kanna) is a succulent plant commonly found in South Africa. Many of its psychoactive effects are similar to but less intense than the effects of empathogens such as MDMA. It can be administeredorally, insufflated, subilingually, smoked, or chewed.
Kanna is sometimes used as an anti-depressant as a replacement for pharmaceutical anti-depressants. A pharmaceutical company owns a patented extract of kanna called Zembrin which may begin to be prescribed for depression, anxiety, insomnia and other psychiatric disorders in the future.
The active compounds in kanna are mesembrine, mesembrenone, mesembrenol, and tortuosamine. It is believed that mesembrine and mesembrenone are responsible for the majority of kannas effects.
The main psychoactive effects of kanna are a result of its action as a potent serotonin reuptake inhibitor (SSRI), a PDE4 inhibitor, and a VMAT2 inhibitor[1].
The VMAT2 inhibition produced by kanna is thought to be responsible for the effects of kanna as a stimulant and euphoriant, due to the increase of dopamine and noradrenaline. The potent SSRI activity and PDE4 inhibition are thought to be mainly responsible for the antidepressant, anxiolytic, and sedating effects produced by kanna.
Disclaimer: The effects listed below cite the Subjective Effect Index (SEI), an open research literature based on anecdotal user reports and the personal analyses of PsychonautWikicontributors. As a result, they should be viewed with a healthy degree of skepticism.
It is also worth noting that these effects will not necessarily occur in a predictable or reliable manner, although higher doses are more liable to induce the full spectrum of effects. Likewise, adverse effects become increasingly likely with higher doses and may include addiction, severe injury, or death ☠.
Physical effects
Physical euphoria - This is generally described as a warm, relaxing, light sensation throughout the body.
Sedation and Stimulation - When snorted and smoked, kanna is typically stimulating, however other routes of administration may be sedating (especially orally)
Headaches - Headaches are commonly experienced on kanna, however they are usually mild and only experienced at strong or heavy doses.
Nausea - This effect is mild and usually does not result in vomiting. Nausea produced by kanna usually passes after a few minutes after it starts. It can be avoided using 5-HT3 antagonists like ginger and limonene, and usually subsides after about 2 weeks of use.
Heartburn - This can be avoided with 5-HT3 antagonists like ginger and limonene, and usually subsides after about 2 weeks of use.
Stomach bloating - This can be avoided with 5-HT3 antagonists like ginger and limonene, and usually subsides after about 2 weeks of use.
Diarrhea - This is milder when compared to the other unpleasant gastrointestinal effects of kanna. This can be avoided with 5-HT3 antagonists like ginger and limonene, and usually subsides after about 2 weeks of use.
Language suppression - This effect occurs at high doses, typically when smoked or chewed. It often results in mildly slurred speech, and difficulty structuring sentences.
Focus enhancement or Focus suppression - Kanna can enhance focus as well as suppress it. It is most strongly enhanced with smoking and snorting, less enhanced and sometimes suppressed when chewed, and often suppressed when taken orally.
Increased libido - Kanna is sometimes used as an aphrodisiac due to its libido & tactile enhancing effects as well as its vasodilating effects. This effect is not experienced in all users, and for some it may suppress libido in a similar way to common pharmaceutical SSRIs.
Enhancements - Audio can sound much cleaner and sharper while on kanna than when sober
After effects
The effects which occur during the offset of a stimulant experience generally feel negative and uncomfortable in comparison to the effects which occurred during its peak. This is often referred to as a "comedown" and occurs because of neurotransmitter depletion. The comedown experienced with kanna is less intense when compared to that of other stimulants, and is only experienced at high doses. Its effects commonly include:
At low doses kanna often results in an "afterglow" which results in mild and generally positive effects a few hours after the peak has passed. Its effects commonly include:
Psychedelics - Kanna can reduce the anxiety and other negative effects experienced on psychedelics, as well as intensify the euphoria. Kanna may decrease the effects of psychedelics due to its serotonergic effects.
Cannabis - Kanna is reported to have strong synergy with cannabis. Commonly reported effects from this combination are intense euphoria, less anxiety, and intensified visual effects.
Alcohol - Kanna is reported to have strong synergy with alcohol, resulting in strong feelings of euphoria.
Toxicity and harm potential
This toxicity and harm potential section is a stub.
As a result, it may contain incomplete or even dangerously wrong information! You can help by expanding upon or correcting it. Note: Always conduct independent research and use harm reduction practices if using this substance.
Kanna is not known to be toxic on its own but it may be toxic when mixed with other substances that interact with serotonin or PDE4.
A lethal dose of kanna on its own is not known to have occured, however it may be dangerous and even lethal when mixed with other substances.
Tolerance and addiction potential
Kanna is known to have a "reverse tolerance", similar to serotonergic antidepressants and kava kava, where in order to experience the strongest and most theraputic effects, a person must have taken kanna recently. This is often called "priming" and usually takes about a week of daily priming to experience the most intense effects. After about week of priming, continuing to use kanna at the same dose will not cause an increase or decrease in tolerance to its psychoactive effects.
Psychological dependence can be experienced with kanna, however is much less intense than the psychological dependence experienced with other stimulants such as amphetamine, and antidepressants such as fluoxetine. According to the manufacturers of Zembrin, kanna does not cause withdrawal symptoms, however some anecdotal reports describe mild physical withdrawal symptoms similar to, but less intense than the withdrawal symptoms experienced with SSRIs and stimulants.
Warning:Many psychoactive substances that are reasonably safe to use on their own can suddenly become dangerous and even life-threatening when combined with certain other substances. The following list provides some known dangerous interactions (although it is not guaranteed to include all of them).
Always conduct independent research (e.g. Google, DuckDuckGo, PubMed) to ensure that a combination of two or more substances is safe to consume. Some of the listed interactions have been sourced from TripSit.
Combinations with the following substances can cause dangerously high serotonin levels. Serotonin syndrome requires immediate medical attention and can be fatal if left untreated.
As such, it may contain incomplete or wrong information. You can help by expanding it.
Kanna is not known to be controlled, regulated or illegal in any country except for the United States as well as the United Kingdom.
United States: Kanna is uncontrolled in the United States by federal law. This means all parts of the plant and its extracts are legal to cultivate, buy, possess, and distribute (sell, trade or give) without a license or prescription. If sold as a supplement, sales must conform to U.S. supplement laws. If sold for consumption as a food or drug, sales are regulated by the FDA.
Louisiana: Kanna is a controlled substance in Louisiana.[3] It is not controlled anywhere else in the United States.
United Kingdom: Kanna is prohibited in the United Kingdom under the Psychoactive Substances Act 2016.
. eISSN 1471-6771. ISSN 0007-0912. OCLC 01537271. PMID 16051647.