Description

psychotria viridis (chacruna) leaves

Psychotria viridis (chacruna) leaves are a classic source in ayahuasca brews. In Perú, Ecuador, Colombia, and parts of Brazil, the leaves of Psychotria viridis and P. carthaginensis are commonly prepared with ayahuasca (Banisteriopsis caapi ) to make the ceremonial visionary healing brew. The Chacruna species of Psychotria Viridis is traditionally considered the preferred admixture to Ayahuasca. The Herb here is strictly offered as botanical specimen..

A member of the Rubiaceae family from South America, traditionally used in the healing Ayahuasca brew. The word Chacruna derives from the Quechua word chaqruy which means ‘to mix’. It is added to Ayahuasca brews to increase the light and changes the style, visions are often in richer colours, different than when only Banisteriopsis caapi is used alone.

Psychotria viridis contains dimethyltryptamine (DMT), a psychoactive substance found across the plant kingdom in many family, genera and thousands of species (large numbers of Australian Acacia spp. contain DMT), often only as trace amounts. In Psychotria viridis it is found in the leaves at concentrations varying from 0.1 – 0.61% with traces of other tryptamines (Ratsch 1998)

UDV is a Psychotria viridis selection used by the UDV (uniao de vegetal, which translates to English as ‘Union of the Vine’) either in Brazil or by members in Australia. It has a more narrow, rounded leaf appearance.