Toxicological Aspects and Determination of the Main Components of Ayahuasca: A Critical Review.

Barroso Barroso,Gonçalves Gonçalves,Cristóvão Cristóvão,Gallardo Gallardo,Duarte Duarte,Simão Simão

doi:10.3390/medicines6040106

Barroso Barroso, Gonçalves Gonçalves + Show 4 more

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https://doi.org/10.3390/medicines6040106

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Abstract

Ayahuasca is a psychoactive beverage prepared traditionally from a mixture of the leaves and stems of Psychotria viridis and Banisteriopsis caapi, respectively, being originally consumed by indigenous Amazonian tribes for ritual and medicinal purposes. Over the years, its use has spread to other populations as a means to personal growth and spiritual connection. Also, the recreational use of its isolated compounds has become prominent. The main compounds of this tea-like preparation are N,N-dimethyltryptamine (DMT), β-Carbolines, and harmala alkaloids, such as harmine, tetrahydroharmine, and harmaline. The latter are monoamine-oxidase inhibitors and are responsible for DMT psychoactive and hallucinogenic effects on the central nervous system. Although consumers defend its use, its metabolic effects and those on the central nervous system are not fully understood yet. The majority of studies regarding the effects of this beverage and of its individual compounds are based on in vivo experiments, clinical trials, and even surveys. This paper will not only address the toxicological aspects of the ayahuasca compounds but also perform a comprehensive and critical review on the analytical methods available for their determination in biological and non-biological specimens, with special focus on instrumental developments and sample preparation approaches.

Highlights

Ayahuasca is an entheogenic beverage that has been consumed for centuries, originally by SouthAmerican populations, by Amazonian indigenous groups, in spiritual rituals and ceremonies in the hope of obtaining further knowledge and divine invigoration [1,2,3].The term “Ayahuasca” has a Quechua origin; “aya” means “spirit”, and “waska” means “vine”, that is to say, “vine of the souls” [4]
This review reports the analysis on biological specimens such as urine and plasma, after consumption of ayahuasca teas or preparations
The first work developed for the quantification of DMT and B-CA was performed by Yritia and coworkers

Summary

Introduction

Ayahuasca is an entheogenic beverage that has been consumed for centuries, originally by SouthAmerican populations, by Amazonian indigenous groups, in spiritual rituals and ceremonies in the hope of obtaining further knowledge and divine invigoration [1,2,3].The term “Ayahuasca” has a Quechua origin; “aya” means “spirit”, and “waska” means “vine”, that is to say, “vine of the souls” [4]. Ayahuasca is an entheogenic beverage that has been consumed for centuries, originally by South. By Amazonian indigenous groups, in spiritual rituals and ceremonies in the hope of obtaining further knowledge and divine invigoration [1,2,3]. The term “Ayahuasca” has a Quechua origin; “aya” means “spirit”, and “waska” means “vine”, that is to say, “vine of the souls” [4]. Sometimes known as ayahuasca, it can be referred as hoasca, caapi, daime, yagé, natema and several other local names in Brazil, Bolivia, Equator, and. Specific churches devoted to the consumption of ayahuasca were created in order to hold shamanic ceremonies to non-indigenous Amazonian populations.

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