Coleus (genus)
{{#ev:youtube|https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7QeKpAGXsss%7C340x240%7Cright%7CTerence McKenna talking about coleus and other plants in the Amazon.|frame}} Coleus was a genus plants in the Lamiaceae family. In the new taxonomy the genus is no longer recognized.
In Mazatec folk taxonomy, Salvia divinorum is called la hembra (means in Spanish the mother) , Coleus pumila is called "el macho" (means the father), and Coleus blumei is called both "el nene" (the child) and "el ahijado" (the godchild).[1] [2] The active compounds of coleus plants are unknown.
It is more than likely that the genus Coleus, is non psychoactive, some people claim it contains Salvinorin A, others claim is contains no compounds of value.
History
In the book, "A Golden Guide: Hallucinogenic plants" By Richard Evans Schultes, contains coleus as a plant with hallucinogenic properties. He proclaimed that he himself tried coleus, and he has no effects. Additionally, according to, "The Encyclopedia of Psychoactive Plants" by Christian Ratsch, a study was conducted surrounding coleus and its psychoactive affects. The study showed that when coleus is smoked, 30% of individuals that partook in the smoking experienced psychoactive affects, and the 70% left did not.[citation needed] This supported Schultes claim that coleus is unlikely to contain any psychoactive compounds.