Long associated with dance parties and raves starting in the 1990s, MDMA is also known for an increase in social behaviors such as energy, empathy, and pleasure. In recent years, however, this medicine become key to new research on various mental health issues, including substance use disorders.

Typically, if someone says they are “in recovery”, they are probably referring to healing from an addiction such as substance use disorder.

But what exactly is recovery, and why is it important that we discuss this topic in detail when also talking about plant-based medicine?

Peyote is a small, spineless cactus that is native to Mexico and the southwestern regions of the United States, particularly Texas. Known scientifically as Lophophora williamsii, Peyote has a long history of ceremonial and spiritual use among various Indigenous cultures in these regions.

LSD (lysergic acid diethylamide) is a potent compound known for its psychedelic effects. It is derived from ergot, a fungus that grows on certain grains like rye, and was first synthesized by Swiss chemist Albert Hofmann in 1938.

Ayahuasca is a powerful plant medicine that has been used for centuries by various indigenous communities in the Amazon region for healing, growth, and connection to the natural and spirit worlds.

Cannabis is a plant that has been used by humans for thousands of years for medicinal, spiritual, and recreational purposes.

Although for several decades the plant was commonly referred to as “marijuana,” in recent years common naming has shifted back toward “cannabis” in recognition of the scientific Latin name, Cannabis sativa L.

The term “bioculture” refers to the complex system of interrelationships between humans and nature in a particular place.

It encompasses all of the unique expressions of life interwoven within ecosystems and all of their living beings, including humans.

A biocultural approach to conservation reflects the dynamic interconnected relationship that exists between cultural and biological diversity.

“Right Relationship” is a broad concept that describes an ethical paradigm for how we interact with the many other beings of our world, including other people, plants, animals, and ecosystems.

In the context of traditional biocultural medicines, Right Relationship is a guiding principle for how medicine practitioners relate with the Indigenous teachers and stewards of these healing plants.

What is Psilocybin and How Can It Be Used in treatment of Opioid Use Disorder?

• Psilocybin is a major component of “magic mushrooms”

• In studies, high doses have been found to bring on mystical experiences

• Psilocybin's biological effects suggest that it could help in treatment of addiction

What is Ibogaine and how is it used in treatment of Opioid Use Disorder?

• Ibogaine is a psychoactive substance from the root bark of an African shrub

• It is reported to reduce opioid withdrawal symptoms and reduce cravings

• Wild iboga is overharvested and endangered, but alternatives are available

Since the dawn of humanity, cultures have used medicines from nature for healing, spirituality, and communal rites of passage. Some of these medicines have been used for their powerful psychoactive properties, including psychedelic effects.

Herbal medicine is the use of plants to treat disease and maintain or enhance general health and wellbeing. Plant medicines generally take the approach of returning the body to a state of natural balance so that it can heal itself.