Abstract
Ayahuasca is a psychoactive infusion with a large pharmacological application normally prepared with Banisteriopsis caapi, which contains the monoamine oxidase inhibitors β-carbolines, and Psichotria virids, which contains the serotonin receptor agonist N,N dimethyltryptamine (DMT). The objectives of this study were to investigate the chemical profile of B. caapi and of ayahuasca collected in various Brazilian regions. In total, 176 plant lianas, of which 159 B. caapi and 33 ayahuasca samples were analyzed. Dried liana samples were powdered, extracted with methanol, diluted, and analyzed by LC-MS/MS. Ayahuasca samples were diluted and analyzed. Mean concentrations in B. caapi were 4.79 mg/g harmine, 0.451 mg/g harmaline, and 2.18 mg/g tetrahydroharmine (THH), with a high variability among the samples (RSD from 78.9 to 170%). Native B. caapi samples showed significantly higher harmine concentrations than cultivated ones, and samples from the Federal District/Goiás had higher THH content than those collected in the State of Acre. The other Malpighiaceae samples did not contain β-carbolines, except for one D. pubipetala sample. Concentrations in ayahuasca samples ranged from 0.109 to 7.11 mg/mL harmine, 0.012 to 0.945 mg/mL harmaline, 0.09 to 3.05 mg/mL THH, and 0.10 to 3.12 mg/mL DMT. The analysis of paired ayahuasca/B. caapi confirmed that harmine is reduced to harmaline and to THH during the brew preparation. This is the largest study conducted with Malpighiaceae samples and showed a large variability in the main β-carbolines present in B. caapi. This biodiversity is a challenge for standardization of the material used in ethnopharmacological studies of B. caapi and ayahuasca.
Highlights
Ayahuasca is a psychotropic beverage traditionally used in religious rituals and as medicine among indigenous communities from the Amazonian region, a use that has expanded since the 1970s to all Brazilian regions and more recently to other countries [1,2]
Nine B. caapi samples (5.7%) did not contain any of the investigated β-carbolines (
The highest ratios between the β-carbolines in the 141 B. caapi samples that contained all compounds (>LOD) were found for THH/harmaline, and the highest variability among the ratios was found for THH/harmine (RSD of 331%)
Summary
Ayahuasca is a psychotropic beverage traditionally used in religious rituals and as medicine among indigenous communities from the Amazonian region, a use that has expanded since the 1970s to all Brazilian regions and more recently to other countries [1,2]. The beverage is usually prepared by the decoction of the liana Banisteriopsis caapi (Spruce ex Griseb.) C.V. Morton and Psychotria viridis Ruiz. Banisteriopsis caapi contains β-carboline alkaloids, mainly harmine, harmaline, Plants 2020, 9, x FOR(THH). PEER REVIEW of 15 and tetrahydroharmine (Figure 1), which are inhibitors of monoamine oxidases 2(MAO) [5,6]. Figure 1),and a serotonin caapi containsindole β-carboline alkaloids, mainly harmine, agonist thattetrahydroharmine causes intense (THH). Cognitive and1),perceptive modifications when oxidases administered parenterally (Figure which are inhibitors of monoamine (MAO) [5,6].
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