THE METABOLISM OF MESCALINE WITH A NOTE ON CORRELATIONS BETWEEN METABOLISM AND PSYCHOLOGICAL EFFECTS

Abstract

Eleven volunteer subjects were given mescaline intravenously in 20 experiments. For the period of intoxication blood levels and rates of urinary excretion of mescaline and trimethoxyphenyl-acetic acid were measured and observations made of the subjects'' behavioral responses. Behavioral responses varied widely in severity of symptoms and in the pattern of disturbance of mental function. An average of 31% of the drug administered was recovered in the urine within the first 6 hours after the administration of the drug. An additional 7.4% (average) of the administered drug was recovered as trimethoxyphenyl-acetic acid. Blood levels and rates of excretion of mescaline did not fall off asymptotically, but formed a flattening curve and often one with some elevation between the 3d and 6th hour after drug administration. Blood levels and rates of excretion of trimethoxyphenylacetic acid showed such secondary peaks to an even greater extent. The period of maximal behavioral changes followed the period of maximal blood level and excretion by 1-2 hours. No correlations were observed between degree or type of behavioral responses and blood levels or rates of excretion of mescaline. The curves of blood levels and rates of excretion of mescaline and trimethoxyphenylacetic acid and the delay in occurrence of maximal behavioral change suggest that mescaline may be converted into some other substance which is directly responsible for the effects on the central nervous system.