Ayahuasca is a type of South American tea, usually brewed from the stem of the Banisteriopsis caapi vine (B. caapi) and leaves from the Psychotria viridis bush and water. Ayahuasca has hallucinogenic properties and has been used in spiritual ceremonies by indigenous peoples in the Amazon region throughout history.

In parts of South America, ayahuasca may be prepared differently depending on region. Some cultures use a cold brewing method, others boil the tea for several hours, and some utilize additional psychoactive ingredients in their recipe.

While Ayahuasca has been a part of some South American cultures for centuries, it has become popular recently as its spiritual and mind-opening reputation has grown. Thousands of people travel to South America every year to partake in ayahuasca ceremonies.

Benefits Of Ayahuasca

Ayahuasca is typically brewed from two plants, each with psychoactive properties. The active ingredient in Psychotria viridis is N,N-dimethyltryptamine (DMT). The active ingredients in Banisteriopsis caapi are beta-carbolines, which are monoamine oxidase (MAO) inhibitors. When DMT and beta-carbolines are combined in ayahuasca, they work together to produce a psychoactive experience for the user.

Many people anecdotally report significant personal and spiritual breakthroughs during ayahuasca ceremonies.

But recently, scientists are studying the therapeutic benefits of ayahuasca in more controlled, medical settings. The potential for ayahuasca as a treatment for mood disorders and addiction has many researchers excited about the possibilities.

Since ayahuasca users report feelings of psychological well-being, fewer substance abuse problems, and little desire to continue using it—abuse potential appears low. Which certainly lends hope for its safety as an emerging treatment.

References

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– Callon C, Williams M, Lafrance A. “Meeting the Medicine Halfway”: Ayahuasca Ceremony Leaders’ Perspectives on Preparation and Integration Practices for Participants. Journal of Humanistic Psychology. September 2021. doi:10.1177/00221678211043300 https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/10.1177/00221678211043300

– McKenna DJ, Towers GH, Abbott F. Monoamine oxidase inhibitors in South American hallucinogenic plants: tryptamine and beta-carboline constituents of ayahuasca. J Ethnopharmacol. 1984;10(2):195-223. doi:10.1016/0378-8741(84)90003-5 https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/6587171/

– Weiss, B., Miller, J.D., Carter, N.T. et al. Examining changes in personality following shamanic ceremonial use of ayahuasca. Sci Rep 11, 6653 (2021). https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-021-84746-0 https://www.nature.com/articles/s41598-021-84746-0

– Ruffell SGD, Netzband N, Tsang W, Davies M, Butler M, Rucker JJH, Tófoli LF, Dempster EL, Young AH and Morgan CJA (2021) Ceremonial Ayahuasca in Amazonian Retreats—Mental Health and Epigenetic Outcomes From a Six-Month Naturalistic Study. Front. Psychiatry 12:687615. doi: 10.3389/fpsyt.2021.687615 https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fpsyt.2021.687615/full

– Hamill J, Hallak J, Dursun SM, Baker G. Ayahuasca: Psychological and Physiologic Effects, Pharmacology and Potential Uses in Addiction and Mental Illness. Curr Neuropharmacol. 2019;17(2):108-128. doi:10.2174/1570159X16666180125095902 https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6343205/,

– BOUSO, J. C., & SÁNCHEZ-AVILÉS, C. (2020). Traditional Healing Practices Involving Psychoactive Plants and the Global Mental Health Agenda: Opportunities, Pitfalls, and Challenges in the “Right to Science” Framework. Health and Human Rights, 22(1), 145–150. https://www.jstor.org/stable/26923481

– Malcolm BJ, Lee KC. Ayahuasca: An ancient sacrament for treatment of contemporary psychiatric illness?. Ment Health Clin. 2018;7(1):39-45. Published 2018 Mar 23. doi:10.9740/mhc.2017.01.039 https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6007657/

– Lawn, W., Hallak, J.E., Crippa, J.A. et al. Well-being, problematic alcohol consumption and acute subjective drug effects in past-year ayahuasca users: a large, international, self-selecting online survey. Sci Rep 7, 15201 (2017). https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-017-14700-6 https://www.nature.com/articles/s41598-017-14700-6#Sec25