Potions, Poisons and Panaceas Exhibit was organized in partnership with the Arts and Humanities in Healthcare Program at Center for Bioethics and Humanities and Denver Botanic Gardens School of Botanical Art and Illustration
September 8 - November 10, 2016
The Art Gallery at the Fulginity Pavilion for Bioethics and Humanities, University of Colorado Anschutz Medical campus

(click the images to enlarge)

Deanna Gammon
Ageratina altissima, 2016
graphite

Ageratina altissima, commonly known as white snakeroot, claimed thousands of lives in the 1800s in early America. For decades the cause of “milk sickness” remained elusive. In the 1920s the poisonous effect to grazing animals was finally recognized. The toxin contained in the plant is tremetol. The first noticeable signs in cattle that have grazed on the plants include weight loss and trembling. When humans ingest the milk, butter or meat from the affected cattle, the symptoms are similar. White snakeroot was responsible for the death of Nancy Hanks Lincoln in 1818. She left behind a son, nine-year-old Abraham Lincoln. Today, the plant is still found in southern and eastern parts of the United States. Its common name was derived from Native Americans, who used the roots to treat snakebite.

Constance Sayas
Allium cepa, 2009
watercolor

The onion is one of the oldest cultivated vegetables in history. Bulbs from the onion family have likely been used as a food source and a remedy for millennia. Sulphur compounds in onions have been shown to be anti-inflammatory, both by inhibiting formation of thromboxanes and by inhibiting the action of platelet-activating factor (PAF). Thiosulfinates condition anti-thrombotic benefits, including antioxidant activity, reduced serum cholesterol and enhanced in vitro platelet activity. This latter effect is important for cardiovascular health because it reduces the probability that platelets will aggregate in the blood, a major cause of heart attacks and strokes.

Shiere Melin
Allium (9th-Century Eye Salve Effective at Killing 20th-Century MRSA), 2016
watercolor pencil and mixed media

Allium, onions and garlic, are recorded throughout history for treating ailments from tooth decay to high cholesterol to heart disease. Recently, a 1,000-year-old salve recipe for eye infections translated from Bald’s Leechbook—an Old English manuscript considered the earliest medical book—was tested by scientists at the University of Nottingham. Equal amounts of garlic and onions or leeks from the genus Allium were mixed together with wine and bull’s gall. The concoction was then placed in a brass container and allowed to sit for nine days. The experts then tested it on cultures of MRSA (methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus), and the remedy killed up to 90 percent of the bacteria that causes the infection.

Karen Cleaver
Amanita muscaria, 2008
watercolor

The fly agaric mushroom (Amanita muscaria) was so named for its fly-attracting and fly-killing properties. It is also poisonous to humans, but when properly processed it becomes psychoactive, altering perception, mood or consciousness. It has traditionally been used as shamanic medicine by indigenous people around the world. Continued ritual use is documented in Siberia. Among all mushrooms species, the fly agaric has long been a source of interest because of its attractiveness; it embodies the concept of the mushroom and is probably the most rendered in the history of botanical illustration.

Mervi Hjelmroos-Koski
Apocynum cannabinum, 2009
watercolor

The milky sap of Apocynum cannabinum, a plant commonly known as dogbane or Indian hemp, contains cardiac glycosides and digoxin-like substances, both of which disrupt heart function. Although this plant is considered toxic to humans, it was commonly harvested in the 19th and early 20th centuries for a variety of folk treatments for diseases such as syphilis, rheumatic pain, intestinal worms, fever, asthma and dysentery. Apocynin, an organic compound derived from the root of Apocynum cannabinum, is currently being studied for a variety of pharmacological applications, including the treatment of diabetes, arthritis, asthma, bowel disease, heart-related diseases and atherosclerosis.


Constance Sayas
Argemone polyanthemos, 2009
watercolor

Prickly poppy was used medicinally by Native American peoples for a variety of complaints, including eye ailments and as a remedy against nervous irritability. Argemone polyanthemos is currently used in herbal medicine as a non-opioid, non-addictive, reportedly highly effective pain reliever similar in action but not in side effect to that other famed poppy product, morphine. However, the body apparently quickly builds up a resistance to the effects of prickly poppy’s active alkaloid, argemonic acid, so it is useful for short-term effects only. It also contains the alkaloid berberine, which is showing positive indications for cancer treatment.


Patricia Whalen
Atropa belladonna, 2012
graphite

The entire deadly nightshade plant is poisonous, with a long history of disparate uses. On the battlefield, Atropa belladonna was used to poison arrows, knives and the enemy’s food supplies. Italian dames applied it topically to lighten their skin and in their eyes to dilate the pupils. An ingredient in “twilight sleep,” it was a popular analgesic for childbirth in the early 20th century, but was discontinued when it was found to increase the infant mortality rate. Today, it is used by ophthalmologists to dilate the pupils for eye exams and safer eye surgery. It also contains lifesaving properties; for example, it is used as a cardiac stimulant in the treatment of severe bradycardia and as an antidote for opium and parathion, a toxin found in insecticide. It also blocks the paralyzing effects of nerve gas.

Randy Raak
Atropa belladonna, 2015
graphite

The entire deadly nightshade plant is poisonous, with a long history of disparate uses. On the battlefield, Atropa belladonna was used to poison arrows, knives and the enemy’s food supplies. Italian dames applied it topically to lighten their skin and in their eyes to dilate the pupils. An ingredient in “twilight sleep,” it was a popular analgesic for childbirth in the early 20th century, but was discontinued when it was found to increase the infant mortality rate. Today, it is used by ophthalmologists to dilate the pupils for eye exams and safer eye surgery. It also contains lifesaving properties; for example, it is used as a cardiac stimulant in the treatment of severe bradycardia and as an antidote for opium and parathion, a toxin found in insecticide. It also blocks the paralyzing effects of nerve gas.

Deanna Gammon
Bitter Herbs, 2016
mixed media

They shall eat lamb that same night;
they shall eat it roasted over the fire
with unleavened bread and bitter herbs.
Exodus 12:8

Rumex acetosella (sorrel), Taraxacum officinale (dandelion), Cichorium intybus (chicory), Nasturtium officinale (watercress), Lactuca (lettuce) and Chicorium endiva (endive) are all considered “bitter herbs.” Several biblical references recommend bitter herbs for strong health, notably for the long journey out of Egypt. These six herbs contain high levels of nutrients and phytochemicals. Through the ages, they were most commonly used to manage symptoms of cancer, asthma, insomnia, hepatitis, diabetes, osteoporosis, irregular heartbeat and impotence. Bitter herbs existed in ancient Israel and became a tradition of Passover. They are a bitter reminder of slavery and the joy of the Jews’ delivery out of Egypt.

Susan Willis
Calendula officinalis, 2016
ink, gouache and watercolor pencil

The flower petals of the calendula plant (Calendula officinalis) have been used for medicinal purposes since at least the 12th century. It has antiviral, anti-genotoxic and antifungal properties and appears to fight inflammation, viruses and bacteria. High amounts of flavonoids, plant-based antioxidants, protect cells from being damaged by free radicals. Calendula has been shown to help wounds heal faster, possibly by increasing blood flow and oxygen to the affected area, which helps the body grow new tissue. Also considered antiseptic and anti-inflammatory, its mild astringent and antiseptic qualities have been traditionally used for dealing with gastrointestinal problems such as stomach upset and ulcers.


Michael Campbell
Cannabis sativa, 2016
colored pencil and graphite

All cannabis contain cannabinoids, including varying levels the tetrahydrocannabinol (THC), the psychoactive component that makes people high. Cannabinoids can assist the healthy regulation of the central nervous, immune and endocannabinoid systems, and are increasingly recognized in the treatment of multiple sclerosis and chronic pain. Industrial hemp, a variety of Cannabis sativa, has lower concentrations of THC than marijuana and higher concentrations of cannabidiol (CBD), which decreases or eliminates its psychoactive effects. Ingestible seeds from the hemp plant contain numerous heart-healthy compounds, including the amino acid arginine, which has been shown to enhance blood flow and help maintain optimal blood pressure. The gamma-linolenic acid found in hemp seeds is anti-inflammatory, another bonus for heart health.


Shiere Melin
Cannabis sativa: San Carlos Rio Negro, Colombia, 2016
pen and ink

Marijuana is the budding flower of the female cannabis plant. It contains chemicals that when smoked or consumed act as both a depressant and a stimulant. All cannabis strains contain tetrahydrocannabinal (THC) and cannabidiol (CBD) compounds in varying quantities. THC is the psychoactive chemical that produces a “high” and has numerous medicinal effects: It soothes pain, is anti-inflammatory, reduces nausea and vomiting, has mild antioxidant properties and increases appetite (but also can increase psychosis, hallucinations and impaired cognitive function). CBDs, on the other hand, do not create a high but are anti-convulsive, anti-spasmodic, anti-depressant, anti-tumoral, sedative and neuroprotective.


Mary Francis
Migraine: Bane of the Ages, 2016
colored pencil and ink

When migraine headaches strike, two plants have a long history of providing relief: Salix alba, or willow, and Coffea arabica, coffee. Willow bark has been used to reduce fever and treat pain, headache and inflammation dating to the time of Hippocrates (400 BC). Salicin is the magic ingredient; its pain-relieving and anti-inflammatory effects led to the 18th-century development of acetylsalicylic acid, aka aspirin. Africans chewed coffee berries long before the hot beverage was invented. The caffeine found in Coffea arabica stimulates the central nervous system. Caffeine is thought to relieve pain on its own, but it can also boost the effectiveness of analgesics by up to 40 percent. Caffeine helps the body absorb medication faster too, so the combination of aspirin and caffeine provides a powerful treatment for migraine pain.

Randy Raak
Conium maculatum, 2015
graphite

Every part of Conium maculatum, commonly known as poison hemlock, is poisonous. The tubers, stems and leaves contain oenanthotoxin, a powerful convulsant whose ingestion can result in nausea, vomiting, grand mal seizures, respiratory failure and death. Conium maculatum can be mistaken for wild parsnip, sweet anise and other edible plants, as it was in a case study in England where eight people collected the plant, made it into a curry and suffered the consequences (none died). Its most famous victim was the philosopher Socrates. Homeopathically, hemlock has been used to treat breast cancer, cervical cancer and enlarged prostate, but its efficacy for treating these diseases has not been scientifically verified.


Libby Kyer
Cucurbita foetidissima, 2006
colored pencil

Buffalo gourd, known for its foul odor and taste, is poisonous when eaten, but the seeds, flowers and fruits have been used by Native Americans for generations to cure diseases from rheumatism to ulcers to swelling, and also vermin infestation. Compounds in the leaves work as insecticides when crushed, and the seeds can also be used as a vermifuge to kill parasites. The Isleta-Pueblo Indians boiled the roots and applied them as a poultice for chest pains. For more modern applications, Cucurbita foetidissima was analyzed for ribosome-inactivating proteins, which could potentially be used as specific anticancer and antiviral agents.

Irmgard Sturgell
Datura wrightii, 2015
watercolor

Named for the Sanskrit word Dhutra, or “divine inebriation,” Datura’s healing effects have been put to wide-ranging use on several continents. In China, the plant is used to treat asthma, convulsions and rheumatism. Turks use it to clear up acne and quiet bronchitis, and Italians administered Datura to kill lice. In North America, native people chewed the weed’s dried roots to reduce fever or made it into a poultice to treat inflammation and bruising. Datura’s numerous active compounds, among them alkaloids, tropanes and withanolides, have been isolated in the lab and screened for their biological effects. Extracts from the flowers, leaves, seeds and roots show significant anti-tumor, cytotoxic, anti-inflammatory, antibacterial, hepatoprotective, sedative, cytostatic and immunosuppressive properties. But the plant is also a potent poison, and unmeasured use can result in death.



Crystal Beckel
Digitalis purpurea, 2010
colored pencil

In the 13th century, German botanist Leonard Fuchs discovered this biennial flowering plant and gave it the scientific name Digitalis purpurea, meaning “finger-like,” because of its profusion of plump hanging flowers. Commonly called foxglove, fairy fingers or fairy gloves, it is also known as witches’ gloves for its toxic nature. In the 18th century, William Wothering, an English country doctor, realized Digitalis purpurea could be used to treat edema, often caused by chronic congestive heart failure. Today, digitalis is one of the most valuable drugs used to treat heart conditions. It increases the heart’s contractility to increase cardiac output and is also used as an antiarrhythmic to treat atrial fibrillation. The entire plant is toxic, however, and ingestion can lead to nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, low heart rate, seizure and death. Recently, Scandinavian oncolologists have suggested that digitalis could be used to destroy cancer cells in tumors without toxicity to the patient.





Eileen Richardson
Echinopsis pachanoi, 2016
graphite and ink

The San Pedro cactus, native to the Andes, has been used medicinally and spiritually for over 3,000 years. It is believed that consuming this mescaline-containing cactus allows users “to reach heaven while still on earth,” and that is why it is named after St. Peter, who according to the Bible holds the keys to heaven. Medicinally, Echinopsis pachanoi is employed to cure mental illness, depression, anxiety, addiction and alcoholism. The name for the cactus, in the indigenous language of the Central Andes, is huachuma. It translates to “removing the head,” an appropriate name for this hallucinogen. Those who consume it report being transported across time and matter to a distant dimension.

Susan Rubin
Glycyrrhiza glabra, 2008
colored pencil and mixed media

Licorice, Glycyrrhiza glabra, has long been used to treat gastrointestinal disorders. When extracted in hot water, licorice has been shown in rats to protect against an increase in gastric ulcers and mucosal damage. In large doses, however, licorice can result in sodium and water retention, hypertension, hypokalemia and suppression of the renin-aldosterone system. This suppressive effect, known as “chronic licorice intoxication,” was observed a study of several subjects. One man, who had been eating 60–100 grams of licorice daily for four or five years, showed signs of weakness, mental slowness and weight loss; was diagnosed with hypertension and hypokalemia; and required potassium supplements to maintain normal potassium levels and blood pressure. Under observation by researchers, after several months without licorice his health returned to normal.

Susan Curnutte
Helleborus orientalis ‘Ivory Prince’, 2014
watercolor and graphite

Since ancient times, Helleborus has been used for its pharmaceutical qualities—although it is a poison at high doses, at lower doses it is used to treat such ailments as psychoses, cardiac insufficiency, diarrhea and hemorrhoids. Medical researchers are studying the species on the basis of these applications. Phytochemicals (hellebrin, deglucohellebrin, 20-hydroxyecdysone and protoanemonin) were identified a few decades ago. Other active compounds have been reported and offer promising remedies for severe diseases such as cancer, ulcers and diabetes, and also for common medical problems such as toothache, eczema, low immunity and arthritis.

Cyndy Calkins
Humulus lupulus, 2012
pen and ink

The symptoms of menopause—hot flashes, insomnia, osteoporosis and anxiety—have been treated successfully with hormone replacement therapy, most commonly the commercial pharmaceutical Premarin, an estrogen extract from equine urine. But the side effects of Premarin have led many women to discontinue its use—among users’ concerns are abdominal bleeding, weight gain, breast tenderness and increased risk of certain cancers. Humulus lupulus, or hops, may eventually provide an alternative therapy. Hops contain one of the most potent estrogenic compounds found in the plant kingdom. The chemical structure of this compound was isolated in the late 1980s. To date, however, no randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled clinical trials have confirmed that hops can be used orally as an effective form of hormone replacement therapy.


Martha Narey
“Sleep Pillow No. 3” (Humulus lupulus), 2016
ink and watercolor pencil

Since at least the 8th century, pillows filled with hop cones, called strobiles, have been used to relieve insomnia, restlessness and anxiety. The aroma of the crushed cones acts as a sedative to induce drowsiness and bring on sleep. Dried hops strobiles are also used in brewing beer and ale. Paradoxically, hops strobiles are also useful in treating symptoms of substance withdrawal. Not surprisingly, they are also effective in improving appetite and digestion.The alkaloid lupulite, found in hops, provides the therapeutic sleep benefits and can be administered in a tea or tincture before bedtime.

Randy Raak
Hyoscyamus niger, 2015
graphite

Hyoscyamus niger, commonly called henbane, is one of the infamous “witches’ weeds,” a group of poisonous plants that includes nightshade, mandrake and Datura species. All have anaesthetic as well as psychoactive properties. Henbane may be the poison Claudius uses to kill his brother, King Hamlet, in Shakespeare’s play. He poured an extract of the plant into the king’s ear. In the 3,000-year-old Ayurvedic system of medicine, henbane is used to treat insomnia, psychiatric disorders, epilepsy, swelling, pain and breathlessness. Various experiments have shown that henbane is antihistaminic, antimicrobial, antispasmodic, analgesic, anti-inflammatory, anti-allergic and has sedative properties.




Randy Raak
Lagenaria siceraria, 2010
watercolor

Poor nutritional choices cause more than just obesity. Excessive fat accumulation in adipose tissue can compromise organ function, causing diabetes, hypertension and hyperlipidemia. In the aggregate, these diseases are called metabolic syndrome. Researchers searching for ways to treat the disorders associated with obesity have turned to plants traditionally known to combat metabolic diseases. The juice of Lagenaria siceraria, or bottle gourd, has been used medicinally in India to combat obesity and poor organ function caused by excess fat. A study of 50 subjects showed that consuming Lagenaria siceraria juice for 90 days reduced total cholesterol, triglyceride and low-density lipoprotein levels.


Liz LaFemina
Leucopaxillus giganteus, 2015
graphite

The funnel-shaped caps of Leucopaxillus giganteus can grow to be as large as 40 cm. Arcs or fairy rings of this impressive mushroom grow in grassy pastures or woody clearings in the Pacific Northwest and the Rocky Mountains. The substance clitocine, isolated from Leucopaxillus giganteus, has been shown in the lab to cause cell death in human cervical cancer cells. Apoptosis took place along multiple pathways, both death receptor and mitochondrial.

 

Eleanor Clark
Lilium asiatic hybrids, 2015
watercolor

One of the main health benefits of Lilium asiatic is that it helps to regulate heart rate, thereby allowing the heart to function more efficiently and regularly. Lilies minimize myocardium irritability without necessitating an increase in the oxygen required for heart muscle function. Further, lilies contain active cardiac glycosides as well as flavonoids, which stimulate arteries, causing them to dilate. Lilies also provide many topical applications. The roots, when integrated into ointment, can be used to treat burns and prevent the formation of scar tissue. Both root and flower alleviate the effects of snake and spider bites. The astringent properties of lily bulbs, either fresh or dried, are an effective treatment for skin ulcers and inflammation. Wood lilies in particular can treat open sores, wounds and bruises.


Christine Hubbell
Mirabilis multiflora, 2012
colored pencil

The purple blooms of Mirabilis multiflora, Colorado four-o’clock are visually soothing, but the plant’s substantial taproot provides its healing powers. Edema, goiter and rheumatism have all been treated with a poultice made from the taproot. When dried, ground into a powder and made into a paste, the root reduces inflammation and calms menstrual cramps. It also suppresses appetite. Like any medicine, Mirabilis multiflora can have adverse effects in larger doses, however. According to herbalist Michael Moore, who seems to have self-experimented, the root of Colorado four o’clock is a “strong purgative” and can induce “30 to 60 minutes of gaiety and hyperactivity followed immediately by several hours or more of befuddlement, slurred speech and general muscular lethargy.”


Heidi Snyder
Monarda fistulosa, 2012
colored pencil on drafting film

Bee balm is a safe herb for both humans and animals. Like most mints, bee balm soothes the digestive tract. The dried plant can be infused into an herbal tea. In this form, American colonists used bee balm to relieve colic, fever and colds, and the lemon-scented oil was used to scent soaps. The plant’s excellent antibacterial qualities make it useful for treating infections, both topically and as an inhalant. The Ojibwe and Menominee boiled bee balm to extract its oil, which they then inhaled to cure catarrh and bronchial infections. Monarda fistulosa’s antimicrobial effects were studied as part of a broader survey of native plants 2015. Bee balm showed moderate inhibition of E coli. growth, and researchers concluded that further investigation is warranted.


Heidi Snyder
Oenothera biennis, 2016
colored pencil on drafting film

Evening primrose seeds contain a fragrant oil that plays an important role in natural health. The oil contains gamma-linolenic acid (GLA), an omega 6 fatty acid that the body uses to manufacture a prostaglandin vital to soothing inflammation and supporting the immune system. Evening primrose oil is prized in aromatherapy skin care because of its many health benefits. Oenothera biennis also stimulates the important actions of the stomach, which has a direct association on the liver and spleen. It has proven successful in the treatment of gastrointestinal disorders.



Vanessa Martin
Papaver somniferum, 2015
mixed media

Of all plants with curative properties, none has been as widely used, saved as many lives or eased as much suffering as the opium poppy. When the seedpods of Papaver somniferum are scored, a sticky latex oozes out. This latex has been used for centuries as a psychotropic drug and for medicinal purposes. Several narcotics, known collectively as opiates, are derived from opium latex, including morphine, codeine, thebaine, papaverine and noscapine. Medicinal opiates were freely available in the United States and Europe in the 19th century before they were listed as addictive agents. Only available through prescription today, these drugs, made from the plant’s alkaloids, possess powerful pain-relieving properties.

Helen Smithwick
Papaver somniferum, 2016
watercolor and ink

Of all plants with curative properties, none has been as widely used, saved as many lives or eased as much suffering as the opium poppy. When the seedpods of Papaver somniferum are scored, a sticky latex oozes out. This latex has been used for centuries as a psychotropic drug and for medicinal purposes. Several narcotics, known collectively as opiates, are derived from opium latex, including morphine, codeine, thebaine, papaverine and noscapine. Medicinal opiates were freely available in the United States and Europe in the 19th century before they were listed as addictive agents. Only available through prescription today, these drugs, made from the plant’s alkaloids, possess powerful pain-relieving properties.


Susan Rubin
Papaver somniferum, 2008
colored pencil and mixed media

Of all plants with curative properties, none has been as widely used, saved as many lives or eased as much suffering as the opium poppy. When the seedpods of Papaver somniferum are scored, a sticky latex oozes out. This latex has been used for centuries as a psychotropic drug and for medicinal purposes. Several narcotics, known collectively as opiates, are derived from opium latex, including morphine, codeine, thebaine, papaverine and noscapine. Medicinal opiates were freely available in the United States and Europe in the 19th century before they were listed as addictive agents. Only available through prescription today, these drugs, made from the plant’s alkaloids, possess powerful pain-relieving properties.


Laurence Pierson
Passiflora × belottii, 2014
colored pencil on Mylar

Passionflower was named for the Passion of the Christ—Spanish missionaries felt the plant was a sign of God’s approval for the conversion of the native people of the Americas to Christianity. Native to the southern United States, Central and South America, passionflower is now extensively cultivated in Europe as well. There are approximately 400 species of Passiflora, most of them vining plants. The flowers and leaves contain small amounts of indole alkaloids, flavonoids, diverse steroids and pectine. Passionflower is known as a gentle, nonaddictive sedative useful in treating short-term bouts of sleeplessness, anxiety, tension and irritability. Its antispasmodic and tranquilizing properties have also made it useful in the treatment of conditions as diverse as asthma, palpitations, high blood pressure and muscle cramps. In each case, Passiflora reduces the over activity responsible for the disorder.

Elizabeth McCauley
Phallus indusiatus, 2013
pen and ink

Mentioned in a Tang dynasty (618–907) pharmacopeia, Phallus indusiatus, a tropical fungus, was considered a delicacy and an aphrodisiac in addition to its medical uses. Indigenous Miao people in southern China today use Phallus indusiatus for injuries and pain, stomach problems, leukemia and other ailments. Biochemistry analysis and in-vitro tests confirm its anti-tumor and anti-inflammatory properties.

Carla Pawlewicz
Prunus virginiana, 2016
pen and ink

Chokecherry seeds, bark and leaves contain amygdalin, a substance found in many fruit pits and seeds that hydrolizes into hydrocyanic acid and may cause cyanide poisoning. Symptoms vary by the amount ingested, and range from dizziness and headaches to kidney failure, coma and death from respiratory arrest. Modern medicine found that hydrocyanic acid in small doses stimulates respiration and improves digestion. As a result, from 1820–1970, the U.S. pharmacopoeia listed chokecherry as a remedy for coughs, colds, fevers, abdominal cramps and diarrhea, as well as pleurisy, whooping cough, tuberculosis and pneumonia. A recent study showed that the lipids from chokecherry seeds could be a good source of essential fatty acids, tocopherols and sterols—making an important nutritional supplement in safe doses


Leslie Crosby
Psilocybe mexicana, 2016
colored pencil and graphite

The mushroom genus Psilocybe is best known for its psychedelic properties. The psilocybin molecule yields the hydroxyl compound psilocin in the digestive tract, resulting in hallucinations. Native Central Americans ingested these mushrooms as part of their shamanic ceremonies. The effects of psilocybin and psilocin led to an investigation of potential uses for Psilocybe in psychiatric medicine. Studies have since discovered that psilocybin’s effects on personality may be long lasting. Although adults’ personalities generally remain stable after age 30, those who ingested psilocybin in a single hallucinogenic event have seen long-term changes in behavior, attitudes and values. Five personality categories were investigated—neuroticism, extroversion, openness, agreeableness and conscientiousness. One year after receiving a high dose of psilocybin, participants were found to be significantly more open than they were at baseline.



Martha Narey
Dancing at Mitla (Psilocybe zapotecorum), 2016
ink, watercolor and colored pencil

The Zapotec name for Psilocybe zapotecorum, badao zoo, translates as “drunken mushroom” and indicates the desired outcome from this hallucinogenic: ceremonial intoxication. Ethnography suggests that Psilocybe zapotecorum’s use over millennia produced divinely inspired visions and predictions for the future. Psilocybin, the active compound, alters perception, accentuating and shifting colors, distorting shapes and extending patterns. Intense feelings of excitement and well-being following ingestion may last five to six hours. The mushrooms are dried and crushed, and may be prepared as a tea. This species is native to Oaxaca in Mexico. 


Shiere Melin
Chocolate (Theobroma cacao), 2016
watercolor and ink

The Mayans thought Theobroma cacao had been given to them by the gods, as depicted here in a Mayan glyph. However, their spice-laden drink was very different from what we now know as chocolate. Throughout the centuries, cocoa has had many medicinal purposes, from reducing angina and asthma to improving energy, reducing fever and abdominal pain, disinfecting cuts and increasing sexual appetite. Today, there is evidence that cocoa boosts feel-good serotonin and dopamine levels in the brain and has anti-depressant, mood-elevating qualities. It contains anandamide, a cannabinoid that binds to the same THC receptors as cannabis and provides a feeling of euphoria. Rich in antioxidants, cocoa protects cells from premature destruction. Of all known foods, it has the highest level of antioxidant polyphenols, which inhibit blood platelets from clumping together and causing atherosclerosis. Even small amounts of cocoa help reduce blood cholesterol and lower blood pressure.

Randy Raak
Verbascum thapsus, 2013
colored pencil and graphite

The Greek physician and pharmacologist Dioscorides first recommended Verbascum thapsus 2,000 years ago as a remedy for pulmonary diseases. Today it is still used for expectoration, consumption, dry cough and bronchitis. Its combination of expectorant saponins and emollient mucilage makes the plant particularly effective at soothing the lungs. Recent studies have found that common mullein contains glycyrrhizin compounds with bactericide and potential anti-tumor applications. These compounds are concentrated in the flowers.

Renee Jorgensen
The Great Mullein (Verbascum thapsus), 2016
watercolor, colored pencil, gouache and ink

Mullein comes by its moniker of “the great herb” for good reason. It has many healing properties, from the respiratory (for coughs, asthma, respiratory disorders and inflammatory ailments) to the analgesic and antiseptic (to speed healing in burns, wounds, ulcers and skin diseases) to the gastrointestinal (for stomach and intestinal issues).
A 2011 study shoved mullein's efficiency as a wormicide for treating roundworm and tapeworm infestations. In high concentrations, Verbascum thapsus caused paralysis and death in both species.