Elephant Creeper

Argyreia nervosa is a perennial climbing vine native to the Indian subcontinent and introduced to numerous areas worldwide, including Hawaii, Africa, and the Caribbean. Though it can be invasive, it is often prized for its aesthetic and medicinal value. Common names include elephant creeper, woolly morning glory and Hawaiian baby woodrose. Its seeds are known for their powerful entheogenic properties, greater or similar to those of Ipomoea species, with users reporting significant psychedelic and spiritual experiences. The two botanical varieties are Argyreia nervosa var. nervosa described here, and Argyreia nervosa var. speciosa, the roots of which are used in Ayurvedic medicine.

Argyreia nervosa contains various ergoline alkaloids such as ergine (lysergic acid amide; LSA) and isoergine (isolysergic acid amide; iso-LSA). A study reported stereoisomers of ergine to be found in the seeds at a concentration of 0.325% of dry weight. Two modern studies from a team of researchers also revealed lysergic acid, methylergometrine (syn. lysergic acid butanolamide), methysergide, lysergylalanine, and suspected, unidentified ergopeptines. A study of the related Ipomoea tricolor showed that ergoline concentrations in the leaves are 12-fold lower than that of the seeds.