Frontiers in Psychiatry
January 1, 2023
Helena Aicher, Michael J Mueller, Dario Dornbierer et al.
34 citations
A standardized formulation combining the monoamine oxidase inhibitor harmine (100 mg orodispersible tablet) with incremental intranasal N,N-dimethyltryptamine (DMT, up to 100 mg) produced a psychedelic experience in 31 healthy male subjects, as measured by the 5D-ASC rating scale. The experience was characterized by psychological insights, emotional breakthroughs, and low scores on challenging experiences. Participants reported personal and spiritual significance and mainly positive persisting effects at 1- and 4-month follow-ups. No changes in trait personality, psychological flexibility, general well-being, or increases in psychopathology were observed. The formulation appears well tolerated and may support psychotherapy, but further studies in patients are needed.
The International Journal of Neuropsychopharmacology
December 28, 2024
Michael J Mueller, Helena Aicher, Dario Dornbierer et al.
10 citations
A new pharmaceutical formulation combining pure DMT and harmine produced ayahuasca-like psychological effects lasting 2-3 hours in 31 healthy male volunteers, with consistent drug levels and no serious adverse events. DMT reached peak plasma concentrations of 22.1 ng/mL, while buccal harmine reached 32.5 ng/mL in a sustained-release profile but caused no distinguishable subjective effects on its own. All drug conditions were safe and well tolerated, suggesting the formulation could reduce risks and improve therapeutic outcomes for mental health disorders.
Neuroimage
June 1, 2025
Dila Suay, Helena Aicher, Micheal Kometer et al.
4 citations
A psychedelic formulation combining DMT and harmine, inspired by ayahuasca, altered brain responses to faces in 30 healthy men. It increased early visual reactivity (P1 wave) and disrupted face-structural encoding (N170 wave) for all face types. Crucially, it reduced the neural distinction between self and other faces in the P300 wave, while familiar-face processing remained stable. Harmine alone did not produce these effects. The findings suggest psychedelics can reorganize self-related neural dynamics, potentially promoting cognitive flexibility and offering therapeutic benefits for conditions involving rigid self-focus, such as depression and social anxiety.
Journal of psychopharmacology (Oxford, England)
June 19, 2025
Helena Aicher, Ilhui A Wicki, Daniel Meling et al.
2 citations
A single dose of an ayahuasca-inspired DMT/harmine formulation increased mindfulness and compassion in 31 healthy participants one day after administration. The randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial found significant effects on mindfulness, self-compassion, and compassion with others, with larger effects in participants who reported higher sensitivity to the drug. These results suggest the formulation may have therapeutic potential for enhancing traits relevant to mood disorders, though further research in clinical settings is needed.
medRxiv
November 1, 2024
Dila Suay, Helena Aicher, Micheal Kometer et al.
1 citation
preprint
A psychedelic formulation combining DMT and harmine, inspired by ayahuasca, blurs the brain's distinction between self and other faces. In a double-blind, placebo-controlled experiment with 31 healthy men, the DMT/harmine combination increased early visual brain responses (P1 amplitude) and disrupted the structural encoding of faces (reduced N170 amplitude) for all face types. It also specifically reduced the brain's later response (P300) to one's own face, making the neural reaction to self-faces more similar to that for familiar or unknown faces. Harmine alone did not produce these effects. The findings suggest psychedelics may reduce attentional focus on self-referential information, potentially explaining feelings of unity and enhanced empathy.
Universität Zürich, ZORA
June 19, 2025
Helena Dorothea Aicher, Ilhui A Wicki, Daniel Meling et al.
A single dose of an ayahuasca-inspired DMT/harmine formulation increased mindfulness, self-compassion, and compassion toward others in 31 healthy participants one day after treatment, compared with placebo. The effects were larger in participants who reported higher sensitivity to the drug. The findings suggest that such formulations may have therapeutic potential for mood disorders by enhancing mindfulness and compassion, though further studies in clinical settings are needed.