- Region
- North America
- Origin
- Texas, New Mexico and northern and central Mexico
North America · Herb · № 929
Dermatophyllum secundiflorum (syn. Sophora secundiflora)
Herb · North America
Mescal bean
Dermatophyllum secundiflorum (syn. Sophora secundiflora)
An evergreen shrub or small tree of the pea family with purple, grape-scented flowers and hard, bright red seeds. The seeds contain cytisine, a poison resembling nicotine. A single seed can be fatal.
Safety notes
Highly poisonous: can cause vomiting, convulsions, paralysis of breathing and death. That is why no preparation is given here. Keep the seeds out of reach of children. Cytisine is not on the lists of the Dutch Opium Act. This information describes traditional use and is no encouragement or advice. Use is at your own risk; the makers of this site are not responsible for the consequences. Never alone, never together with alcohol, other drugs or medicines, not in pregnancy, with heart disease or mental illness (also in the family), and do not drive. In an emergency call 112.
Cautions by tradition (1)
- Healing traditions of the Americas: Highly poisonous: a single seed can be fatal.
Preparation
Do not prepare or use it yourself. The seeds are highly poisonous, and the difference between an effective and a lethal amount is small.
Use in traditions
In rock shelters in Texas and northern Mexico seeds have been found in layers thousands of years old. Peoples of the southern prairies, such as the Iowa, Oto, Pawnee and Wichita, had a red bean dance in which the seeds were used for visions, vomiting and initiation. In the course of the nineteenth century peyote replaced that use. In the Native American Church roadmen still wear the red seeds as decoration. The name has nothing to do with mezcal or with the mescaline of peyote.
Applications
Use by tradition
How different herbal traditions describe this herb. Amounts are traditional guidelines checked for obvious errors; they are not medical advice. For poisonous plants no dosage is given on purpose.
Healing traditions of the Americas
Attributed effects
The red seeds in the red bean dance of the prairie peoples, and as decoration in the Native American Church.
Preparation and amount
Do not prepare or use it yourself.
Caution: Highly poisonous: a single seed can be fatal.