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Coleus blumei
C. scutellarioides; C. blumei; Plectranthus scutellarioides
Ecclesiastes 3:1 "There is a time and a purpose for everything under the heavens."
Nicknames: Coleus scutellarioides (syns. Coleus blumei, Plectranthus scutellarioides)[6] It's also known as Panikoorka; Others include: Flame Nettle, Painted Nettle, and Joseph's Coat.[?] Miana leaf[9]
Ethnobotany: Traditionally, it was consumed by the Mazatec indians of Oaxaca for effects similar to Salvia Divinorum.[13] We do know that it does NOT contain salvinorum A, or any related illegal alkaloids.[?] Some claim Coleus blumei to be an oneirogen, and it is discussed often on drug forums and ethnobotany forums.[?] This would make sense because of it often being compared to Salvia ( another oneirogen )[11][13]. A very interesting fact is that: "the Mazatecs, according to Wasson, consider Coleus pumila and C. Blumei to belong to the same "family" as Salvia divinorum"[13]
Classification: Oneirogen[12] One academic source states that: "Mazatec Indians may have discovered hallucinogenic properties in the leaves of several other species of mints, Coleus Blumei and C. pumila - both Old World introductions from Southeastern Asia"[13]
Plant Family:Lamiaceae Genus: Coleus; Species: C. blumei;
Natural Habitat: Coleus blumei is native to Southeast Asia, to Australia.[6] Other sources indicate that it's native to: Tlanchinol, Hidalgo, Mexico[7] More specifically, it can be found native in: Archipelago, Borneo, Cambodia, Southeast China, Java, Laos, the Lesser Sunda Islands, Peninsular Malaysia, Maluku, Myanmar, Nansei-shoto, New Guinea, Northern Territory, Philippines, Queensland, the Solomon Islands, Sulawesi, Sumatra, Taiwan, Thailand, Vietnam, and Western Australia)[6]
Legality: 100% Legal. This plant produces NO controlled substances;
Mixes well with: Tootheache plant(due to the fact that studies show "C. blumei extract possesses antibacterial effects against oral bacteria")[2] Any plant that contains ECGC as well would mix well with Coleus blumei, as studies show that ECGC is also good for fighting and preventing cavities, and it exist in Kratom, Kola Nut, and Green Tea.[4] Myrrh is also used in rinses and mouthwashes, and has opioid properties as well.[5] In Tlanchinol, Hidalgo, Mexico, common ethnobotanicals used in medicine include coleus blumei, Plantago australis, and lippia dulcis, Borago officinalis, Foeniculum vulgare, and Eucalyptus golbulus, Ageratum houstonianum and Solanum nigrescens.[7]
OG Observations: Not every ethnobotanical that has been "suspected" or "claimed" to be "hallucinogenic" really are... Sometimes people mis-market things, and sometimes even the scholars are unsure, and use words like "suspected" in their writings. There's only one way to find out.. Some plants like Calamus, have the potential to be psychoactive when mixed with certain botanicals, or prepared in a proper way, but generally don't produce known noticable psychoactive effects.
Related Ethnobotanicals: Calea zacatechichi, "Dream Herb", Opium poppy seeds are oneirogenic, Cinnamon is good for the brain
More HerbsPedia Blogs: Plants that contain ergot constituents(lysergics), Health benefits of psilocybin, Health benefits of Raspberry leaf, Red larkspur is a Native American narcotic, Serpentine wood (Rauvolfia serpentina), Sleepy grass (Achnatherum robustum), Spikenard is a biblical herb, Strawberry leaves are medicinal, Synaptolepis kirkii is an African oneirogen
Phytochemicals:
Flavonoids, glycosides, volatile constituents, phenolic and many other compounds have been reported as the active phytoconstituents of the Coleus species[1] Coleus blumei specifically produces: flavonoid, terpenoid, tannin and saponin[2] Saponin is repeatedly suspected of being oneirogenic(and at high enough doses a poison). Abietane diterpenes are also found in C. blumei (sincoetsin C (1) and 3-hydroxyspirocoleon 7-O-B-D-glucoside (4)) [The two were found to be anti-bacterial][8] A strain of Coleus titled C. aromaticus gives us an idea of what other phytochemicals which may exist in the blumei strain. The scholarly source states that: "Essential oil of C. aromaticus is rich in carvacrol, thymol, eugenol, chavicol, ethyl salicylate [2] and contains γ-terpinolene (3.75%), pinene (2.50%), β-caryophyllene (4.20%), methyl eugenol (2.10%), thymol (41.3%), 1,8-cineole (5.45%), eugenol (4.40%), carvacrol (13.25%) and phellandrene (1.90%) [3]. Haque [4] detected 15 components in the essential oil (0.1%) by dry steam distillation of the fresh stalk and leaves of C. aromaticus. Prudent et al. [5] identified some important constituents like (Z)-1, 3-hexadiene (0.1%); (Z)-3-hexenol (0.6%); (E,Z) farnesene (0.2%); (E,E) farnesene (0.2%) and murolene (0.2%) in C. aromaticus. On the other hand, volatile constituent of Mauritius’s C. aromaticus were reported to contain camphor (39%) along with carvacrol (41.3%) [6]. Pino et al. [7] also characterized some volatile compounds from C. aromaticus leaf by steam distillation, hexane extraction, super critical CO2 extraction and identified 26 components by GC/MS. Butylaniside; caryophyllene; carvacrol; 1-8-cineole; p-cymene; ethylsalicylate; eugenol; limonene; myrcene; pinenes; selenene; terpinene; terpinen-4-ol; thymol; verbenone (essential oil); apigenin; chrysoeriol; 5,4-dihydroxy-6,7-dimethoxy-flavone (cirsimaritin); eriodictyol; 6-methoxygenkawanin; luteolin; quercetin; salvigenin; taxifolin; oxaloacetic acid; crategolic; euscaphic; 2,3-dihydro-olean-12-en-28-oic; pomolic; oleanolic; tormentic; 2,3,19,23-tetrahydroxyurs-12-en-28-oic; sitosterol; Dglucoside were isolated from the leaves of the C. aromaticus by Chatterjee and Pakrash"[1] That's a lot of pharmacological components..What is Phytochemistry? What are Phytochemicals?
Phytochemistry is the study of the pharmacological phytochemicals that medicinal plants produce. Common examples of famous phytochemicals includes: THC, CBD, Caffeine, Morphine, Melatonin, etc. Phytochemistry is very similar to pharmacognosy, as both related to herbal medicine and the study thereof. It is the modern branch of science that proves herbal remedies really do work.Pharmacological / Medicinal Properties:
Anti-oxidant; Anti-tumor Anti-fungal[9] In Cameroon, it is one of the most widely mentioned herbal remedy for cancer.[10] An academic source that I cite for this blog states a point that I push a lot on this website, and it states it very well. It states: "Nature has been a source of medicinal agents for thousands of years. An impressive number of modern drugs have been isolated from natural sources that are based on their use in traditional medicine."[2] Scientist have identified a number of pharmacologically active components of this Coleus blumei. "It has been reported to contain phytochemicals that are active against oral bacteria."[2] This isn't the first ethnobotanical that has been studied and found to produce phytochemicals that actively fight cavities!(see also Kratom for cavity prevention!) C. blumei extract was first screened for its phytochemicals content and was later screened for its antibacterial activity against Staphylococcus aureus and Streptococcus mitis.[2] Staphylococcus cause what's commonly known as "Staph" infections. Staphylococcus mutans specifically is the bacteria that leads to cavities[3] The results of various academic studies are clear, and indicate that: "These results suggest that C. blumei extract possesses antibacterial effects against oral bacteria similar to Oradex and therefore has the potential to be used as an oral rinse in the future."[2] Anti-bacterial[8]Buy Coleus blumei Here!
Academic citations:
[1] Katnoria, Jatinder Kaur, and Avinash Kaur Nagpal. "Analytical techniques for phytochemicals screening and bioactivities of some Coleus Species: A review." Journal of Pharmaceutical Sciences and Research 8.4 (2016): 227.
[2] Bismelah, N. A., Ahmad, R., Kassim, Z. M., & Ismail, N. H. (2019, July). Coleus blumei extract as a potential antibacterial oral rinse. In IOP Conference Series: Earth and Environmental Science (Vol. 269, No. 1, p. 012015). IOP Publishing.
[3] https://www.research.ufl.edu/publications/explore/v09n2/feature_03.html
[4] Mi-Ok, Yu, and Oh Kye-Heon. "Effect of tea catechin, EGCG (epigallocatechin gallate) on killing of oral bacteria." Korean Journal of Microbiology 40.4 (2004): 364-366.
[5] Al Eid, Raniah Abdullah. "Efficacy of Commiphora myrrh mouthwash on early wound healing after tooth extraction: A randomized controlled trial." The Saudi Dental Journal 33.1 (2021): 44-54.
[7] Andrade-Cetto, Adolfo. "Ethnobotanical study of the medicinal plants from Tlanchinol, Hidalgo, México." Journal of ethnopharmacology 122.1 (2009): 163-171.
[8] Jurkaninová, S., Kubínová, R., Nejezchlebová, M., Gazdová, M., Hanáková, Z., & Dall’Acqua, S. (2021). Anti-MRSA activity of abietane diterpenes from Coleus blumei Benth. Natural Product Research, 35(18), 3033-3039.
[9] Taher, M., et al. "Chemical Composition, Antioxidant, Antitumor and Antifungal Activities of Methanolic Extracts of Coleus blumei, Plectranthus amboinicus and Salvia splendens (Lamiaceae)." Journal of Agricultural Chemistry and Biotechnology 12.11 (2021): 177-187.
[10] Avana-Tientcheu, Marie-Louise, et al. "Diversity, ethnobotanical potential and sustainability assessment of plants used by traditional healers to treat cancer in Boyo division, North-West region, Cameroon." European Journal of Medicinal Plants 27.3 (2019): 1-22.
[12] Chopra, Nitin, and Lon Hays. "Are We Growing Psychotropics in Our Backyards?: A Case Report and Literature Review of: Coleus blumei." Journal of Addiction Medicine 10.1 (2016): 68-69.
[13] Schultes, R. E. (1970). The plant kingdom and hallucinogens (part III). Bulletin on Narcotics, 22(1), 25-53.
Government sources:
[11] Toro, Gianluca, and Benjamin Thomas. Drugs of the dreaming: Oneirogens: Salvia divinorum and other dream-enhancing plants. Simon and Schuster, 2007.
[?] Food of the Gods: Schults, Hoffman
Encyclopedia Sources:
[6] Wikipedia contributors. (2024, November 2). Coleus. In Wikipedia, The Free Encyclopedia. Retrieved 19:59, November 24, 2024, from https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Coleus_scutellarioides
Other resources:
M.A.P.S. Ethnobotanical Studies By Scholars
PubChem - pubchem.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov