Traditional Salvia divinorum is used by the Mazatec people through oral ingestion. The primary traditional method of taking salvia involves grinding large quantities of fresh salvia leaves. You then infuse water with them to make a salvia tea. This method has the drawback of being less potent because the active ingredient of salvia is poorly absorbed in the stomach. This is also a less attractive way of using salvia because the Salvia divinorum tea is extremely bitter and large quantities of it must be consumed before effects can be felt. The benefit of taking salvia orally is that the effects last longer than with other methods.
Taking Salvia By Smoking
Smoking Salvia divinorum is a modern development. The primary consideration when smoking salvia is that a high temperature is required to vaporize the psychoactive chemical. Because of the difficulty in vaporizing Salvinorin-A, large volumes of smoke need to be inhaled, and the smoke must be held in the lungs for a long period to maximize absorption. Smoking salvia like a cigarette is possible and some people experience effects from this method, but the most effective method for smoking salvia leaves is by using a water pipe. Smoking with a water pipe cools and condenses the smoke. This means that the smoke is less harsh, and it is easier to inhale a much larger quantity.
Benefits of Smoking Salvia
The benefit of smoking as a method of ingesting salvia is that the effects are more powerful. When smoked, salvinorin-A is absorbed and metabolized quickly, so the hallucinogenic properties become superficial within moments of inhaling a few lungful of salvia smoke. The salvia effects brought about by smoking is more intense, but does not last as long as the trip from oral ingestion. The downside to smoking, of course, is the irritation to the lungs from the harsh smoke.
Alternative way to take Salvia – Salvia Extract
The most popular method today, by far, is smoking Salvia divinorum extract. This happens to be the most widely available salvia for sale. As with tinctures, smoke able extracts are produced by isolating Salvinorin-A from salvia leaves through the use of solvents. As opposed to the final product being delivered in the solvent, however, manufacturing an extract involves producing pure Salvinorin-A. To make the pure Salvinorin-A which is used to fortify a small quantity of dried Salvia divinorum leaves. For example, a 20x salvia extract might buttress 5 grams of dried leaves with the pure Salvinorin-A extracted from 100 grams of leaves, making those 5 grams 20 times more powerful.
The Most Powerful Experience
Smoking salvia extract is clearly superior for users seeking the most powerful experience and the most reliable method of ingestion. Extract avoids the major difficulty of smoking normal leaves: vaporizing enough Salvinorin-A. Because the extract leaves are fortified, much more of the active ingredient is present per a given volume of smoke. While normal salvia leaves may contain different levels of Salvinorin-A, making the effects unpredictable and difficult to reproduce, users know exactly what they’re getting when smoking leaves fortified with pure Salvinorin-A.
Benefits of Taking Salvia Extract
- Easy Injection and Absorption
Salvia extract as an alternative way of taking Salvia has enhanced easy absorption of its active component into the main body stream.
- Anti-Inflammatory Properties
Good news for people with inflammatory conditions such as arthritis, asthma and inflammatory acne. Sage extract contains powerful anti-inflammatory compounds, such luteolin and rosmarinic acid.
- Positive Effects on Mood and Cognitive Performance
Sage extract has a longstanding reputation for lifting the spirits. Now there is even some scientific proof especially when taken as tea.
- Salvia also Help Reduce Hot Flashes
Sage may also reduce sweating and hot flashes in menopausal women. The use of sage as a natural remedy for excessive sweating and hot flashes has its roots in traditional folk medicine.
- Cough-Suppressing Ability
Sage tea is an age-old remedy for coughs, sore throat and a number of other ailments affecting the mouth and throat, including laryngitis, halitosis, pharyngitis, tonsillitis and throat ulceration.
Overall
As a final note on Salvia divinorum alternative methods of use, it’s important to remember that cultivation, handling and extraction processes all contribute the potency of any salvia obtained. Also, salvia extract comes in doses which determines how concentrated they will be. Therefore, as a starter or novice in using Salvia, it is advisable to start with the extract with lowest concentration.