Content
# 🌿 Herbolaria Sagrada MCP
> A Model Context Protocol server exposing the complete ethnobotanical
> knowledge of **97 psychoactive plants** documented in
> *Plants of the Gods* — Schultes, Hofmann & Rätsch (2001).
[](https://nodejs.org)
[](https://github.com/modelcontextprotocol/typescript-sdk)
[](LICENSE)
---
## Table of Contents
- [Overview](#overview)
- [Tools](#tools)
- [Installation](#installation)
- [Configuration](#configuration)
- [Claude Desktop](#claude-desktop)
- [Cursor](#cursor)
- [Other MCP clients](#other-mcp-clients)
- [Development](#development)
- [Project Structure](#project-structure)
- [Data Sources](#data-sources)
- [License](#license)
---
## Overview
This server brings the complete plant lexicon of Schultes, Hofmann & Rätsch into any
MCP-compatible AI assistant. It covers:
- **97 plants** — full profiles: scientific name, family, region, active compounds, ritual
use, cultures, chemistry notes and research level.
- **7 compound families** — in-depth pharmacology for triptaminas, β-carbolinas,
feniletilaminas, tropánicos, ergolínicos, ibogaína and muscimol.
- **8 cultural traditions** — ethnological context for Mesoamérica, Amazonia, Andes,
North America, Africa, Europe, Siberia and Australia.
- **Pharmacological interactions** — safety-critical drug–plant interaction checker.
- **Research history** — chronological timeline from 1799 to the present psychedelic renaissance.
- **Specialised glossary** — 20+ terms from ethnobotany and ethnopharmacology.
---
## Tools
| Tool | Description |
|------|-------------|
| `buscar_planta` | Free-text search across all 97 plants (name, compound, culture, region) |
| `planta_por_numero` | Full profile by lexicon number (1–97) |
| `listar_plantas` | Full catalogue, optionally filtered by documentation level |
| `plantas_con_compuesto` | Find all plants containing a specific compound (DMT, mescalina, …) |
| `plantas_por_cultura` | Plants used by a specific culture or people |
| `plantas_por_region` | Plants native to or used in a geographic region |
| `quimica` | Deep-dive chemistry for a compound family |
| `interacciones` | Critical pharmacological interaction checker |
| `contexto_cultural` | Ritual and ethnological context for a tradition |
| `historia_investigacion` | Research history timeline (1799 → present) |
| `glosario` | Look up specialised ethnobotanical terms |
---
## Installation
### Prerequisites
- **Node.js ≥ 18** — [download](https://nodejs.org)
- An MCP-compatible client (Claude Desktop, Cursor, etc.)
### Steps
```bash
# 1. Clone the repository
git clone https://github.com/YOUR_USERNAME/herbolaria-sagrada-mcp.git
cd herbolaria-sagrada-mcp
# 2. Install dependencies
npm install
# 3. (Optional) copy and edit environment variables
cp .env.example .env
# 4. Validate the plant database
npm run validate
# 5. Run the server manually to confirm it starts
npm start
# Expected stderr output:
# {"level":"info","msg":"Starting Herbolaria Sagrada MCP","meta":{"plants":97}}
# {"level":"info","msg":"Server ready — listening via stdio"}
```
---
## Configuration
### Claude Desktop
Add the following block to your Claude Desktop config file.
**macOS**: `~/Library/Application Support/Claude/claude_desktop_config.json`
**Windows**: `%APPDATA%\Claude\claude_desktop_config.json`
```json
{
"mcpServers": {
"herbolaria-sagrada": {
"command": "node",
"args": ["/ABSOLUTE/PATH/TO/herbolaria-sagrada-mcp/src/server.js"],
"env": {
"LOG_LEVEL": "warn"
}
}
}
}
```
> Replace `/ABSOLUTE/PATH/TO/` with the actual path on your machine.
> Relative paths do **not** work in Claude Desktop.
### Cursor
In `.cursor/mcp.json` (workspace) or `~/.cursor/mcp.json` (global):
```json
{
"mcpServers": {
"herbolaria-sagrada": {
"command": "node",
"args": ["/ABSOLUTE/PATH/TO/herbolaria-sagrada-mcp/src/server.js"]
}
}
}
```
### Other MCP clients
The server speaks the standard MCP protocol over **stdio**.
Point any compatible client to:
```
node /path/to/herbolaria-sagrada-mcp/src/server.js
```
---
## Development
```bash
# Watch mode — restarts on file changes (Node 18+)
npm run dev
# Launch the MCP Inspector (interactive tool tester in the browser)
npm run inspector
# Validate the plant database
npm run validate
```
### Environment variables
Copy `.env.example` to `.env` and adjust as needed:
| Variable | Default | Description |
|----------|---------|-------------|
| `MCP_SERVER_NAME` | `herbolaria-sagrada` | Server name reported to clients |
| `MCP_SERVER_VERSION` | `2.0.0` | Server version |
| `LOG_LEVEL` | `info` | `error` \| `warn` \| `info` \| `debug` |
| `LOG_DEST` | `stderr` | `stderr` \| `file` |
| `LOG_FILE` | — | Path when `LOG_DEST=file` |
| `TRACE_TOOLS` | `false` | Log every tool call with parameters |
| `PLANTAS_DB_PATH` | `./data/plantas97.js` | Path to an alternative plant database |
---
## Project Structure
```
herbolaria-sagrada-mcp/
├── src/
│ ├── server.js # Main entry point — MCP server + all tool registrations
│ ├── logger.js # Structured JSON logger (stderr, never pollutes stdio)
│ └── knowledge/
│ ├── chemistry.js # 7 compound-family deep-dives
│ ├── cultures.js # 8 cultural/ritual tradition profiles
│ ├── interactions.js # Pharmacological interaction database + matcher
│ ├── glossary.js # 20+ specialised term definitions + fuzzy lookup
│ └── history.js # Research history timeline (1799 → present)
├── data/
│ └── plantas97.js # 97-plant database + search utilities
├── .env.example # Environment variable template
├── .gitignore
├── package.json
└── README.md
```
---
## Data Sources
All plant data is sourced from:
> Schultes, R.E., Hofmann, A. & Rätsch, C. (2001).
> ***Plants of the Gods: Their Sacred, Healing, and Hallucinogenic Powers*** (Revised & Expanded Edition).
> Healing Arts Press.
Supplementary scientific detail drawn from primary literature cited in that work,
including the research of Albert Hofmann (psilocybin, LSD, LSA isolation),
R. Gordon Wasson (ethnomycology) and Alexander Shulgin (PIHKAL / TIHKAL).
---
## Disclaimer
This server is an **educational and research tool**. The information it provides is
ethnobotanical, historical and pharmacological in nature — intended for scholars,
researchers, writers and curious minds.
Many of the plants described are regulated or illegal substances in various jurisdictions.
Nothing in this server constitutes medical advice, encouragement to break the law,
or guidance for personal use. Always consult qualified professionals.
---
## License
[MIT](LICENSE) © 2024
