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Ayahuasca

Updated: Wikipedia source

Ayahuasca

Ayahuasca is a South American psychoactive decoction prepared from Banisteriopsis caapi vine and a dimethyltryptamine (DMT)-containing plant, used by Indigenous cultures in the Amazon and Orinoco basins as part of traditional medicine and shamanism. The word ayahuasca, originating from Quechuan languages spoken in the Andes, refers both to the B. caapi vine and the psychoactive brew made from it, with its name meaning "spirit rope" or "liana of the soul." The specific ritual use of ayahuasca was widespread among Indigenous groups by the 19th century, though its precise origin is uncertain. Ayahuasca is traditionally prepared by macerating and boiling B. caapi with other plants like Psychotria viridis during a ritualistic, multi-day process. Ayahuasca has been used in diverse South American cultures for spiritual, social, and medicinal purposes, often guided by shamans in ceremonial contexts involving specific dietary and ritual practices, with the Shipibo-Konibo people playing a significant historical and cultural role in its use. It spread widely by the mid-20th century through syncretic religions in Brazil. In the late 20th century, ayahuasca use expanded beyond South America to Europe, North America, and elsewhere, leading to legal cases, non-religious adaptations, and the development of ayahuasca analogues (i.e., variants) using local or synthetic ingredients. While DMT is internationally classified as a controlled substance, the plants containing it—including those used to make ayahuasca—are not regulated under international law, leading to varied national policies that range from permitting religious use to imposing bans or decriminalization. The United States patent office controversially granted, challenged, revoked, reinstated, and ultimately allowed to expire a patent on the ayahuasca vine, sparking disputes over intellectual property rights and the cultural and religious significance of traditional Indigenous knowledge. Ayahuasca produces intense psychological and spiritual experiences with potential therapeutic effects. Ayahuasca's psychoactive effects primarily result from DMT, rendered orally active by harmala alkaloids in B. caapi, which act as reversible inhibitors of monamine oxidase; B. caapi and its β-carbolines also exhibit independent contributions to ayahuasca's effects, acting on serotonin and benzodiazepine receptors. Systematic reviews show ayahuasca has strong antidepressant and anxiolytic effects with generally safe traditional use, though higher doses of ayahuasca or harmala alkaloids may increase risks.

Infobox

Source plant(s)
mw- LianaBanisteriopsis caapi
Part(s) of plant
Stems of the Banisteriopsis caapiLeaves of the Psychotria viridis
Geographic origin
South America
Active ingredients
Dimethyltryptamine (DMT)Harmala alkaloids like harmine and harmaline as MAOI
Uses
Polysubstance indigenous drink

Tables

mw- hlist.inline,.mw-parser-output inline dl,.mw-parser-output inline ol,.mw-parser-output inline ul,.mw-parser-output dl dl,.mw-parser-output dl ol,.mw-parser-output dl ul,.mw-parser-output ol dl,.mw-parser-output ol ol,.mw- .mw- hlist dd:last-child ,.mw- hlist dd dd:first-child ,.mw-parser-output dd dt:first-child ,.mw-parser-output dd li:first-child ,.mw-parser-output dt dd:first-child ,.mw-parser-output dt dt:first-child ,.mw-parser-output dt li:first-child ,.mw-parser-output li dd:first-child ,.mw- hlist dd dd:last-child ,.mw-parser-output dd dt:last-child ,.mw-parser-output dd li:last-child ,.mw-parser-output dt dd:last-child ,.mw-parser-output dt dt:last-child ,.mw-parser-output dt li:last-child ,.mw-parser-output li dd:last-child ,.mw- .mw- hlist dd ol>li:first-child ,.mw- .mw- .mw- .mw- .mw- .mw- } }vte Oral doses and durations of β-carbolines or harmala alkaloids · Pharmacology › Pharmacodynamics › Harmala alkaloids
1-Methyl-β-carboline
1-Methyl-β-carboline
Compound
Harman
Chemical name
1-Methyl-β-carboline
Dose (hallucinogen)
>250 mg
Potency
Unknown
Dose (MAOI)
>250 mg
Duration
Unknown
7-Methoxyharman
7-Methoxyharman
Compound
Harmine
Chemical name
7-Methoxyharman
Dose (hallucinogen)
>300 mg
Potency
≤50%
Dose (MAOI)
140–250 mg
Duration
6–8 hours
7-Methoxy-3,4-dihydroharman
7-Methoxy-3,4-dihydroharman
Compound
Harmaline
Chemical name
7-Methoxy-3,4-dihydroharman
Dose (hallucinogen)
150–400 mg
Potency
100%
Dose (MAOI)
70–150 mg
Duration
5–8 hours
7-Methoxy-1,2,3,4-tetrahydroharman
7-Methoxy-1,2,3,4-tetrahydroharman
Compound
Tetrahydroharmine
Chemical name
7-Methoxy-1,2,3,4-tetrahydroharman
Dose (hallucinogen)
≥300 mg
Potency
~33%
Dose (MAOI)
Unknown
Duration
Unknown
6-Methoxy-3,4-dihydroharman
6-Methoxy-3,4-dihydroharman
Compound
6-Methoxyharmalan
Chemical name
6-Methoxy-3,4-dihydroharman
Dose (hallucinogen)
~100 mg
Potency
~150%
Dose (MAOI)
Unknown
Duration
Unknown
6-Methoxy-1,2,3,4-tetrahydroharman
6-Methoxy-1,2,3,4-tetrahydroharman
Compound
6-MeO-THH
Chemical name
6-Methoxy-1,2,3,4-tetrahydroharman
Dose (hallucinogen)
≥100 mg
Potency
~50%
Dose (MAOI)
Unknown
Duration
Unknown
–
–
Compound
P. harmala seeds
Chemical name
–
Dose (hallucinogen)
≥5–28 ga
Potency
–
Dose (MAOI)
3–5 ga
Duration
Unknown
Compound
Chemical name
Dose (hallucinogen)
Potency
Dose (MAOI)
Duration
Harman
1-Methyl-β-carboline
>250 mg
Unknown
>250 mg
Unknown
Harmine
7-Methoxyharman
>300 mg
≤50%
140–250 mg
6–8 hours
Harmaline
7-Methoxy-3,4-dihydroharman
150–400 mg
100%
70–150 mg
5–8 hours
Tetrahydroharmine
7-Methoxy-1,2,3,4-tetrahydroharman
≥300 mg
~33%
Unknown
Unknown
6-Methoxyharmalan
6-Methoxy-3,4-dihydroharman
~100 mg
~150%
Unknown
Unknown
6-MeO-THH
6-Methoxy-1,2,3,4-tetrahydroharman
≥100 mg
~50%
Unknown
Unknown
P. harmala seeds
–
≥5–28 ga
–
3–5 ga
Unknown
Footnotes: a = P. harmala seeds in ground form. They contain 2–7% harmala alkaloids, with 1 teaspoon ≈ 3 g ≈ 60–180 mg alkaloids; 1 tablespoon ≈ 9 g ≈ 200–600 mg alkaloids; and 1 large (OO) gelatin capsule ≈ 0.7 g ≈ 15–45 mg alkaloids. For comparison, B. caapi contains 0.05–1.95% (average 0.45%) harmala alkaloids. Note: Harmine and other β-carbolines have also been tested by non-oral routes such as sublingual, subcutaneous injection, intramuscular injection, and intravenous injection. Refs: See template page.

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