This article is a list of Acacia species (sensu lato) that are known to contain psychoactive alkaloids, or are suspected of containing such alkaloids due to being psychoactive. The presence and constitution of alkaloids in nature can be highly variable, due to environmental and genetic factors.
Acacias known to contain psychoactive alkaloids
+ Acacias Known to Contain Psychoactive Alkaloids 0.04-0.82% alkaloids in leaves and stems, 0.08% in ripe pods, mostly phenethylamine DMT in bark (up to 1.6%) and in leaves (0.6-1.0%), young leaves mainly containing tryptamine;recent Net reports, Australian underground info 0.72% alkaloids from leaves and stems, mostly tryptamineWhite, E.P. 1957. "Evaluation of further legumes, mainly Lupinus and Acacia species for alkaloids." New Zealand J. Sci. & Tech. 38B:718-725. DMT in bark (0.2-1.2%), 0.1% alkaloids from leaves (mostly NMT);name="independent assay"/> 1.5% alkaloids from leaves and stems, mostly tryptaminename="White1957" /> β-methyl-phenethylamine (N-methyl-phenethylamine), 2.4% in leaves; 3.2% alkaloids in aerial parts (stems, leaves, flowers) - about 70% was β-methyl-phenethylamine, with smaller amounts of phenethylamine Published reports of DMT in the leaf derive from a misreading of a paper that found no DMT in leaves of this species. Besides this, there are independent claims of DMT in leaves and bark based on human bioassay, and traces of 5-MeO-DMT, DMT and NMT were tentatively identified by TLC in twigs. Root bark contains alkaloids that were not identifiedSalisu, Y. et al. 2009. "Hypoglycaemic effects of Acacia albida Del. (Mimosaceae) methanol root bark extract." Nigerian J. of Pharmaceutical Sciences 8(1):66-72. Dimethyltryptamine active levels in leaf Ash used in Pituri. Ether extracts about 2-6% of the dried leaf mass.Wattle Seed Workshop Proceedings 12 March 2002, Canberra March 2003 RIRDC Publication No 03/024, RIRDC Project No WS012-06 Not known if psychoactive per se. 0.028% β-methyl-phenethylamine in leaves,Camp, B.J. & Norvell, M.J. 1966. "The phenethylamine alkaloids of native range plants." Economic Botany 20:274-278. DMT (0.00012-0.00102%) and N-methyltyramine (0.00011-0.005%) in leaves;English Title: Nutritive value assessment of the tropical shrub legume Acacia angustissima: anti-nutritional compounds and in vitro digestibility. Personal Authors: McSweeney, C. S., Krause, D. O., Palmer, B., Gough, J., Conlan, L. L., Hegarty, M. P. Author Affiliation: CSIRO Livestock Industries, Long Pocket Laboratories, 120 Meiers Road, Indooroopilly, Qld 4068, Australia. Document Title: Animal Feed Science and Technology, 2005 (Vol. 121) (No. 1/2) 175-190 DMT and 5-MeO-DMT tentatively identified by TLC from roots in one test, not detected in follow up; 5-MeO-DMT tentatively identified by TLC in seedsTrout, K. & Friends. 2007. Some Simple Tryptamines. Second edition. Mydriatic Productions, USA. Has been claimed to contain tryptamine alkaloids and significant amount of tryptamine in the seeds, but this needs confirmation and supporting information 5-MeO-DMT tentatively identified in stem bark 0.02% alkaloids in spring (80% tetrahydroharman, 20% tryptamine), 0.028% autumn (tryptamine) and none in summer, with leaves of Californian plants;Repke, D.B. et al. 1973. "Alkaloids of Acacia baileyana." Lloydia 36(2):211-213. traces of DMT and unidentified indoles tentatively detected in seeds Claimed to be psychoactive, but supporting information is needed. Ash used in pituri Hordenine, tyramine and N-methyltyramine in leaves;Adams, H.R. & Camp, B.J. 1966. "The isolation and identification of three alkaloids from Acacia berlandieri." Toxicon 4:85-90. 0.28-0.66% N-methylphenethylamine in leaves. Causes stock intoxications in Texas.Camp, B.J. & Moore, J.A. 1960. "A quantitative method for the alkaloid of Acacia berlandieri." Journal of the American Pharmaceutical Association 49:158-160. Claims of amphetamines, mescaline, nicotine and many other alkaloidsClement, B.A. et al. 1997. "Toxic amines and alkaloids from Acacia berlandieri." Phytochemistry 46(2):249-254. are suspect 0.65% alkaloids from leaves and stems, 0.58% from pods and 0.09% from seeds, mostly phenethylamine Tryptamine and DMT N-oxide from bark 0.02-0.06% alkaloids from stems and leaves, consisting of tryptamine and phenethylamine; one screening found no alkaloids Claims of DMT in the plantSecret drugs of Buddhism anonymshare.com have been referenced to works that do not support the claim. Needs research. Claims of tryptamines in this species are unreferenced. Leaves of this (and/or other plants) and tobacco, are occasionally smoked with Anadenanthera seeds for psychoactive effectsRätsch, C. 2005. The Encyclopedia of Psychoactive Plants (English language edition). Park Street Press, Vermont. Claims of DMT and other tryptamines in leaf and bark are unreferenced. Needs research. Claimed to contain up to or more than 1.8% DMT in bark, 0.2-0.6% in leaf, Requires further confirmation. 0.3% N-methyl-tetrahydroharman, traces of tetrahydroharman in leaf and stem;Johns, S.R. et al. 1966. "Alkaloids of the Australian Leguminosae VII. Nb-methyltetrahydroharman from Acacia complanata A. Cunn. ex Benth." Australian Journal of Chemistry 19:1539-1540. independent claims of DMT from bark need confirmation 2.1% Nicotine (w/w), 1.2% calycotomine (d/w) from leavesGupta, G.L. & Nigam, S.S. 1971. "Chemical examination of the leaves of Acacia concinna." Planta Medica 19:55-62. 0.074% alkaloids from stems (20% DMT, 80% NMT);Arthur, H.R. et al. 1967. "Nb-Methylated tryptamines and other constituents of Acacia confusa Merr. of Hong Kong." Australian Journal of Chemistry 20:811-813. NMT and an unidentified tryptamine alkaloid from trunk bark;Lou, V. et al. 1965 . "Isolation of N-methyltryptamine from Acacia confusa bark." Lloydia 28(3):207-208.Reference 32 may be outdated? 2.85% alkaloids from root bark (45% DMT, 55% NMT);Liu, K.-C. et al. 1977. "Studies on the constituents of the cortex radicis of Acacia confusa." Chemistry (The Chinese Chemical Society, Taiwan) 1:15-16. 0.005% DMT, 0.009% DMT N-oxide, 0.006% NMT and 0.007% N-chloromethyl-DMT (might be artefact of extraction) from unspecified partsNMR spectral assignments of a new chlorotryptamine alkaloid and its analogues from Acacia confusa Malcolm S. Buchanan, Anthony R. Carroll, David Pass, Ronald J. Quinn Magnetic Resonance in Chemistry Volume 45, Issue 4, Pages359 - 361.