Rustic Nicotiana

Nicotiana rustica is called mapacho in South America. It is often used for entheogenic purposes by South Americanshamans, because of its high nicotine content and comparatively high levels of beta-carbolines, including the harmala alkaloidsharmane and norharmane.

There are many methods of administration in South American ethnobotanical preparations. In a preparation known as singado or singa, Nicotiana rustica is allowed to soak or be infused in water, and the water is then insufflated into the stomach.

The plant is also smoked in cigars, used in enemas, and made into a lickable product known as ambil. Finally Nicotine rustica is a common ingredient in rapé, a smokeless tobacco product usually used as a nasal snuff. Rapé is often a combination of Nicotine rustica and a host of other herbs, depending on the intended use, including tonka eans, cinnamon, clove buds, alkaline ashes (creating nu-nu), Anadenanthera, Erythroxylum, Virola, and more.

Tobacco Purge

Tobacco purging refers to the traditional ritual preparation and use in the Peruvian Amazon of tobacco (Nicotiana rustica, also called «mapacho») as a liquid decoction to make use of its emetic properties.

Tobacco purging is often performed as an activity prior to the ayahuasca ceremonies (decoction of the Banisteriopsis caapi and Psychotria viridis plants), with the aim of carrying out a physical, emotional and energetic cleansing, the morning of the day before and on an empty stomach

Singada

Singada refers to the act of inhaling macerated liquid tobacco through the nose as part of the actions carried out in the healing rituals within the northern table, a medicinal tradition of the coast and northern highlands of Peru.

It differs snuff in which tobacco inhaled through the nose in the singada is in liquid form while in snuff the tobacco is in powder.

The inhalation of liquid tobacco has also been reported among the Jivaroan peoples such as the Shuar in the Amazonia of Ecuador and Peru, and the maroon blacks of the Guiana shield.

Ambil (tobacco)

Ambil (in uitoto: yera) is a black paste used by several peoples of the northwestern Amazon that is obtained from the cooking of tobacco (Nicotiana rustica) leaves, then mixing them with alkaline plant salts.

It is similar in its preparation to the chimó of western Venezuela and north of the plains of Colombia.

Rapé

Snuff is a preparation made from the leaves of the tobacco plant (Nicotiana tabacum) dried, ground and usually flavored for nasal consumption.

The word comes from the French râpé, which means grated. It is marketed under the name «snuff snuff».