Mescaline is a naturally occurring psychoactive alkaloid with hallucinogenic properties derived from a range of cacti.
It is found predominantly in Mexico and the southwestern deserts of the U.S. It has been used in its natural state for thousands of years as traditional medicines and as a shamanic tool in religious rituals and spiritual ceremonies by Native American Indians, Mexican and South American tribes. Mescaline was first isolated from the peyote plant in 1896 and predating psilocybin and LSD, it was the first psychedelic to appear in Western culture.
Mescaline can be synthetically manufactured, and its extracted compound, similar in structure to adrenaline and noradrenaline, is recently being considered for its health benefits as a potential psychotherapeutic treatment in conditions such as substance abuse and depression.