BT-085 · Fabaceae

Yopo

Anadenanthera peregrina

Evidence: TraditionalHigh riskRestricted in Türkiye

Ramón Pané, a friar travelling with Columbus, was the first European to describe the Taíno cohoba ceremony in the Caribbean; cohoba was made from this plant.

Other names: Cohoba, paricá; relative vilca (A. colubrina)
Part used: Seeds
Region: Amazon
Andes
Use: Ritual and shamanic, Poisonous

Photo: The Drug Users Bible · CC BY 2.0 · Wikimedia Commons

In short

What is Yopo?

Yopo (Anadenanthera peregrina) is a plant of the Fabaceae family. Traditions that use it: Amazon, Andes. Part used: seeds.

What is Yopo used for?

Traditional use: Roasted seed powder is blown into the nose through a bone tube; shamans use it to contact spirits and to heal. Scientific evidence: traditional. Contains bufotenine, DMT and 5-MeO-DMT.

Is Yopo safe?

Safety label: high risk. Can cause vomiting, racing heart and high blood pressure. Dangerous for people with heart disease or a psychiatric history. Legal status: Restricted in Türkiye.

Traditional use

Amazon and Orinoco

Roasted seed powder is blown into the nose through a bone tube; shamans use it to contact spirits and to heal.

Andes

Its relative vilca appears with snuff kits in Andean archaeological finds at least 4,000 years old.

In nature

Where it grows: Open forests of the Orinoco basin, northern Amazon and Caribbean.
Harvest season: Seed pods are collected in the dry season.
Local names: No Turkish folk name. Local names: yopo, cohoba, paricá, vilca

Mix-up risk

Vilca (A. colubrina) and yopo are used similarly but differ chemically.

Preparation

Seeds are roasted, ground and mixed with lime to make snuff.

What science says

Contains bufotenine, DMT and 5-MeO-DMT. Effects are short and intense; there are no controlled human studies.

Safety

High risk

Can cause vomiting, racing heart and high blood pressure. Dangerous for people with heart disease or a psychiatric history.

Drug interactions

Medicine or substance	Why it matters
Antidepressants and MAO inhibitors	Risk of serotonin syndrome with bufotenine and DMT.
Blood pressure and heart medicines	Sudden changes in blood pressure and heart rate.

This list is not complete. If you take regular medication, ask your pharmacist or doctor before trying Yopo.