Good Vibrations Trivia Quiz

Answer: altitude sickness

The name coca refers to two plant species - Erythroxylum coca and Erythroxylum novogratanatense - in the family Erythroxylaceae. They are native to western South America, where they are still widely cultivated. These shrub-like plants thrive in the hot, humid climate of the tropical regions of the continent, and their leaves can be harvested at least three times a year. After harvesting, the leaves are spread out to dry on coarse woollen cloths.

Coca leaves contain the alkaloid cocaine, which has stimulant properties. They have been used by the indigenous peoples of the Andes region for over 8,000 years, and were one of the staple crops grown in the Inca Empire. Traditionally, coca leaves are chewed (sometimes with the addition of a small quantity of an alkaline substance), or brewed into a tea known as "mate de coca". This habit is common in indigenous communities throughout the region, where it is also a powerful cultural symbol. In particular, coca leaves help to overcome the effects of altitude sickness, as well as suppressing hunger, thirst and fatigue. It is believed that the remarkable achievements of the Inca civilization - such as the construction of imposing structures without the use of the wheel - were made possible by the widespread use of coca.

The ingestion of naturally-occurring cocaine through chewing or drinking tea does not have the detrimental effects of regular use of purified cocaine - the infamous "white powder". Many of the coca-based products that are available in the Andes region (such as soft drinks and candy) contain decocainized coca extract. Though cultivation of the coca plant is generally legal in that part of South America, the use of coca leaves for purposes other than medicinal or scientific is internationally prohibited or very strictly controlled.

Answer: True

A member of the family Sapindaceae (the soapberry family), and thus related to maples and horse chestnuts, guaraná (Paullinia cupana) owes its name to the indigenous Mawé people of the Brazilian state of Amazonas. Guaraná is a climbing plant with large leaves and brown to red fruits with black seeds partly covered by white arils, which look, rather creepily, like eyeballs when the fruits split open. The specific name "cupana" refers to a tonic drink traditionally prepared by the Guaraní people of the Amazon basin by pounding the dried seeds into a powder and making a dough out of this powder. The resulting "bread" is grated and mixed with hot water and sugar.

Introduced to European colonizers in the 16th century, guaraná is very popular in South America, where is widely used in soft drinks - much in the way kola nuts (which are originally from West Africa) are used in Europe, Asia and North America. Guaraná seeds are rich in chemicals, the most prominent of which is caffeine: one seed can contain up to 6% caffeine, compared with the 1-3% content of a similarly-sized coffee bean. A common ingredient of energy drinks, guaraná does give you a buzz, but can have adverse effects if consumed in large quantities.

Answer: root

Native to Europe and southwestern Asia, valerian (Valeriana officinalis) belongs to the honeysuckle family (Caprifoliaceae). It is a perennial flowering plant that grows in meadows, wet woodlands and marshes; its flowers, grouped in clusters, are pink or white, and sweetly scented. In some parts of North America valerian is regarded as an invasive species. The plant's name comes from the Latin verb "valere" (to be in good health) - a likely reference to its medicinal properties, or else to its hardy nature.

Valerian root contains a number of organic compounds, one of which, actinidine, is known as a cat attractant - with effects similar to those of catnip. The essential oil extracted from valerian root has been long used as a natural sedative to relieve nervous tension and facilitate sleep. However, there is still disagreement in the scientific community regarding the plant's actual effectiveness. Valerian is usually available in capsules or in tea bags, often mixed with other herbs believed to have calming properties. Because of its effects on the central nervous system, valerian should not be taken with other depressants such as alcohol, tranquillizers or antihistamines.

Answer: Yemen

Known as Bushman's tea in South Africa, and spelled in a variety of ways (such as qat, quite familiar to Scrabble players), khat (Catha edulis) is a flowering plant in the family Celastraceae. It is native to the Ethiopian region of Harar, from which it was introduced to other parts of East and Southern Africa, as well as South Arabia - in particular Yemen. Khat is an evergreen shrub that grows mainly in arid environments and needs very little attention. As its leaves can be harvested up to four times a year, the cultivation of this plant is quite profitable for farmers. Indeed, according to some estimates, nearly one-third of Yemen's economy comes from the cultivation of khat - to the detriment of other crops, essential for feeding the population of a country that has been ravaged by civil war since 2014.

While the countries where chewing khat leaves is a widespread social practice (particularly among men) are also known as producers of coffee, khat use is believed to be older than that of coffee in social situations. Khat contains the alkaloid cathinone, a stimulant whose effects have been compared to those of amphetamines, inducing a state of euphoria and excitement. However, regular khat consumption can have some rather worrying long-term effects, and may have a negative impact on a person's mental health. For this reason, khat is a controlled or illegal substance in many countries, and in 1980 was classified as a drug of abuse by the World Health Organization. On the other hand, it is legal in Ethiopia, Somalia, Sudan Djibouti, Kenya, Yemen and Israel.

Answer: hops

Hops are the flowers of Humulus lupulus, a perennial climbing plant in the hemp family (Cannabaceae). Native to Europe, West Asia and North America, the hop plant is widely cultivated for its female cone-shaped flowers, which are used as a bittering agent and preservative in the brewing of beer. However, the traditional uses of this plant also include herbal medicine, as hops have long been known for their soothing and relaxing effects, similar to those of valerian - as well as an aid to digestion and a remedy for a number of conditions. Pillows stuffed with dried hops are a popular remedy against insomnia: the plant's volatile oils are released by the weight of a person's head. Research has also shown that non-alcoholic beer brewed with hops can reduce anxiety and improve the quality of sleep.

Like other plants with medicinal properties, hops can also have adverse effects. Dermatitis is relatively common in workers who gather the flowers, while the plant's sedative effects may worsen depression. However, though closely related to cannabis and containing similar terpenes and terpenoids, hops lack the enzymes that can convert those compounds into THC (tetrahydrocannabinol) or CBD (cannabidiol).

Answer: pepper

While the common name kava comes from the Tongan language and means "bitter", its binomial name, Piper methysticum, means "intoxicating pepper" - hinting at the psychoactive properties of this plant endemic to Oceania, where hundreds of different cultivars are grown. This small tree or shrub of the family Piperaceae (the pepper family) is believed to have been first domesticated in Vanuatu, around 3,000 years ago. Its wild ancestor, Piper wichmannii, reproduces via seeds, while cultivated kava is sterile and is grown through cuttings. Cultivated kava, also known as "noble" kava, has a higher concentration of kavalactones, the active principles responsible for kava's psychoactive effects.

Kava also refers to the beverage prepared from the plant's fresh or dried root, a key element of the culture of the Pacific Island, where it is consumed as a recreational drink either in bars or in dedicated buildings known a "nakamals", which are also used for ceremonies and official gatherings The kava root is ground to a powder and mixed with water or coconut milk; the resulting liquid is strained into a communal bowl. The calming, relaxing effects of kava are said to be similar to those of alcohol, but without the risks of addiction or cognitive impairment caused by heavy drinking. Excessive use of kava, however, can result in liver damage: in fact, in many countries the sale of the plant or goods containing it is prohibited.

A related plant, Piper excelsum, known as kawakawa, is endemic to New Zealand, where kava cannot grow because the climate is too cold. Traditionally used by the Māori as a medicinal plant, it has no psychoactive properties.

Answer: St John's wort

Native to Europe, Asia and Africa, St John's wort is a flowering plant in the family Hypericaceae; it has also been introduced to the Americas, Australia and New Zealand. Due to its resilience and toxicity to domestic animals, it is considered an invasive and noxious weed in a number of countries. Its generic name, perforatum, refers to the translucent glands that dot its leaves, looking like tiny holes. As the photo shows, St John's wort has showy, bright yellow flowers whose petals are edged with black dots. The plant's common name stems from the fact that its flowers were usually harvested around Midsummer, which in Christianity coincides with the feast of St John the Baptist (24 June): it was believed that harvesting the flowers at that time increased their healing and magical powers.

St John's wort contains many active chemicals and essential oils, the most common of which are hypericin and hyperforin: both of these compounds have antidepressant properties. The plant has been used since antiquity to treat depression, as well as an antiseptic. In the European Union, St John's wort has been approved as a herbal product for the treatment of mild to moderate depressive episodes. However, though various studies have shown its beneficial effects, its use is discouraged in the US, as it may interact with other prescription drugs and lead to serious side effects.

Some species of Passion flower (Passiflora sp.) have hallucinogenic properties, while the Star-of-Bethlehem is toxic like its close relative, the lily of the valley. The Madonna lily, on the other hand, is toxic to cats but not to people.

Answer: wrapped in betel leaf and chewed

The areca nut palm (Areca catechu) is a medium-sized tree in the family Arecaceae (the palm family), which includes a number of economically significant species. Native to the Philippines, this palm is widely cultivated for its nuts in much of tropical Asia, and has also been introduced to Madagascar, the Pacific Islands and the Caribbean region. Areca nuts (which are seeds rather than true nuts) are often improperly referred to as betel nuts, as they are wrapped in the leaves of the betel plant (Piper betle) before being chewed

Believed to have originated in prehistoric times, betel nut chewing is a very popular recreational practice in South and Southeast Asia and parts of East Asia (namely Taiwan) and Oceania. Areca nuts, which have a bitter, tangy taste, are wrapped in a betel leaf along with slaked lime (calcium hydroxide) and occasionally other herbs and spices meant to freshen the breath: this preparation, known as betel quid, is chewed for some time and then spat out.

While betel leaves have no psychoactive properties, and are used mainly for their flavour, areca nuts contains a large variety of alkaloids and other chemical compounds, in particular arecoline, a powerful stimulant that is not only quite addictive, but also provenly carcinogenic. In spite of this, areca nuts are not considered a controlled substance in most parts of the world - notable exceptions being Australia and the United Arab Emirates. In fact, arecoline is the world's fourth most commonly used psychoactive drug (after alcohol, nicotine and caffeine), as areca nuts are used by over 600 million people worldwide.

Answer: rhododendron

Rhododendron (Greek for "rose tree") is a genus in the family Ericaceae (the heath family) that comprises over 1,000 species, most of them native to the Himalayan region and eastern Asia. These shrubs, which can be evergreen or deciduous, are characterized by clusters of large, brightly coloured flowers. Because of that, many species of rhododendron are cultivated as ornamental plants, and usually known by the common name of azaleas.

Nearly all species of Rhododendron contain grayanotoxin, a neurotoxin that is poisonous to grazing animals. However, only a few species contain significant levels of this toxin. Among them there are the yellow, or honeysuckle azalea (Rhododendrum luteum) and the common or pontic rhododendron (Rhododendron ponticum) - both of them native to the Caucasus region and parts of West Asia and Southern Europe. The honey produced by bees feeding on the nectar and pollen of these plants, known as mad honey for its intoxicating effects, is used in traditional medicine and as a recreational drug in some parts of Turkey. In the Himalayan region, mad honey is produced by the huge Himalayan giant honey bees, and gathered by the locals twice a year from hives perched on top of high cliffs.

Mad honey is reddish in colour, with a slight bitter taste. Mentioned several times in classical sources (including Xenophon's "Anabasis"), it was also used as an early biological weapon in the Black Sea region.

Answer: fly agaric

The common name fly agaric for the mushroom also known as spotted toadstool is a nearly literal translation of its binomial name, Amanita muscaria ("musca" meaning fly in Latin). The name is believed to be derived from the old custom (mentioned, among others, by Carl Linnaeus) of sprinkling the powdered mushroom in milk in order to kill flies. The fly agaric is native to the temperate and boreal forests of the Northern Hemisphere, where it is quite common. It is characterized by a bright red cap (which spreads out as the fungus matures) dotted with small white or yellow warts, remnants of the membrane that encloses the young fungus.

Fly agaric contains a number of biologically active compounds, one of which, muscimol, is known for having psychoactive properties - both sedative and hallucinogenic. The effects of ingesting the mushroom are notoriously unpredictable, ranging from mild nausea and drowsiness to hallucinations and delirium. According to various reliable sources, fly agaric was widely uses by shamans in Lapland and Siberia, both in rituals and for recreational purposes. Though the mushroom is still used in modern times as a legal alternative to other psychedelic substances, its consumption is not safe and can lead to poisoning. On the other hand, fly agaric does not contain the deadly toxin α-Amanitin present in the destroying angel (Amanita virosa) and the death cap (Amanita phalloides). In some parts of Europe and Siberia, fly agaric is eaten after being partly detoxified by parboiling, as its active chemicals are water-soluble.

The honey fungus (Armillaria mellea) is an edible mushroom that is occasionally mistaken for Amanita muscaria because of its reddish-yellow cap.