ABSTRACT Ayahuasca is a beverage with psychoactive properties used in religious and ceremonial rituals by some religious groups. The main active components of ayahuasca are dimethyltryptamine and the harmala alkaloids with β-carboline structure acting as monoamine oxidase A inhibitors. This combination produces a pronounced activation of serotonergic pathways and presents potential interaction...
\n O uso de substâncias alucinógenas há muito tempo é alvo de discussões, em virtude do grande número de adeptos que possui e das conseqüências que pode acarretar ao indivíduo e ao complexo contexto social no qual ele se enquadra na sociedade. Dentro desse panorama vem se destacando à utilização de uma bebida denominada ayahuasca, preparada pela infusão de plantas nativas da região da Bacia...
Abstract Introduction Ayahuasca is obtained by infusing the pounded stems of Banisteriopsis caapi in combination with the leaves of Psychotria viridis . P . viridis is rich in the psychedelic indole N , N ‐dimethyltryptamine, whereas B . caapi contains substantial amounts of β ‐carboline alkaloids, mainly harmine, harmaline and tetrahydroharmine, which are monoamine‐oxidase inhibitors. Because...