quantities of alkaloids in the leaves and stems of Rivea 
corymbosa was also confirmed.” W. A. Taber, L. C. 
Vining and R. A. Heacock then also investigated the 
seeds of a number of commercially available varieties of 
Morning Glory (Ipomoea and Convolvulus spp.) and were 
able to trace the presence of alkaloids in a number of these 
ornamental plants.” The quantitative determination and 
the identification of clavine and lysergic acid alkaloids, 
however, was done only colorimetrically or by means of 
paper and thin layer chromatography. In no instance 
were the individual alkaloids isolated and crystallized by 
the authors. 
Pharmacological and clinical activity of the 
isolated alkaloids 
There is no doubt that the alkaloids isolated from the 
seeds of Rivea corymbosa and Ipomoea violacea are the 
active principles of these magic plants. Aside from the 
described alkaloids, a large quantity of a new glucoside, 
which was named turbicoryn by M. C. Pérezamador and 
J. Herran, was isolated from the seeds of Rivea corym- 
bosa.** ® It is most improbable that the presence of this 
glucoside has anything to do with the psychotomimetic 
action of ololiuhqui as, according to our observations, the 
seeds of Ipomoea violacea, which are stronger than the 
Rivea seeds, contain none of this glucoside or only small 
traces of it. On the other hand, the high pharmacological 
and psychic activity of the lysergic acid amides, as well 
as of elymoclavine and lysergol, is certain. 
D-lysergic acid amide (designation of compound un- 
dergoing tests: LA 111) was tested pharmacologically 
and clinically during the course of investigations on d- 
lysergic acid diethylamide (LSD 25) and related com- 
pounds long before it was known to be a component of 
ololiuhqui. Already at that stage we had, in experiments 
[ 208 ] 
