Salvia divinorum, also known as Diviner's Sage[2], Magic Mint[2], ska María Pastora[3], Sally D, or simply Salvia (although the genus name is shared among many plants), is a powerful psychoactive plant, a member of the sage genus and the Lamiaceae (mint) family[4]. It has long been used as an entheogen by the indigenous Mazatec shamans for healing during spirit journeys[1]. The plant is found in isolated, shaded and moist plots in Oaxaca, Mexico[1]. It is thought to be a cultigen[5].
The Latin name Salvia divinorum literally translates to "Sage of the seers".[6] The genus name Salvia is derived from the Latin salvare, meaning "to heal" or "to save".[7]
The primary psychoactive constituent is a diterpenoid known as salvinorin A.[8][9]