Anya Ermakova - Naturally-occurring 5-MeO-DMT: a review of plants, animals and fungi

5-MeO-DMT is a psychoactive tryptamine found in various naturally occurring sources. Research highlights its presence in the Sonoran Desert toad, as well as in specific plant genera such as Anadenanthera, Virola, and Phalaris. Recent reclassifications for industrial purposes have renamed this compound Mebufotenin. Ethnobotanical records support the history of toad secretion and plant usage in indigenous practices, though many plant-based identifications rely on older, less reliable chemical assays. Today, practitioners increasingly favor the use of synthetic 5-MeO-DMT, largely due to pressing conservation concerns surrounding the exploitation of toad populations and over-harvested flora.