Frontiers in Pharmacology
May 29, 2018
Elisangela Gouveia Cata-Preta, Yasmim A. Serra, Eliseu Da Cruz Moreira-Junior et al.
50 citations
Ayahuasca, a hallucinogenic beverage containing DMT and β-carbolines, can reduce ethanol reward in male mice without itself being rewarding at certain doses. An intermediate dose of ayahuasca induced conditioned place preference (CPP), while higher doses and its plant components Banisteriopsis caapi (Bc) and Psychotria viridis (Pv) did not. Pretreatment with ayahuasca blocked the development of ethanol-induced CPP, whereas Bc and Pv alone had no effect. Post-conditioning treatment with ayahuasca, Bc, or Pv in the ethanol-paired environment blocked expression of ethanol-induced CPP; treatment in the saline-paired compartment also blocked expression for intermediate ayahuasca and Bc doses, and for Pv. The environment influences these therapeutic effects.
Psychopharmacology
March 7, 2022
Yasmim A. Serra, Thaísa Barros-Santos, Alexia Anjos-Santos et al.
28 citations
In mice undergoing alcohol abstinence, treatment with ayahuasca blocked the return of alcohol self-administration. The effects depended on activation of the 5-HT2A receptor. The findings suggest that ayahuasca and other 5-HT2A receptor agonists could serve as adjunctive pharmacotherapies for alcohol use disorder.
Psychopharmacology
July 16, 2020
Henrique Sousa Reis, Isa R S Rodrigues, Alexia Anjos-Santos et al.
21 citations
Ayahuasca, a hallucinogenic beverage used in traditional Amazonian rituals, blocked the reinstatement of methylphenidate-induced conditioned place preference in mice, indicating reduced drug-seeking behavior. Both ayahuasca (100 mg/kg, orally) and methylphenidate (10 mg/kg, i.p.) separately induced conditioned place preference. However, methylphenidate altered Fos expression in several limbic brain regions associated with drug abuse, while ayahuasca had limited effects on Fos expression. Treatment with ayahuasca after conditioning with methylphenidate prevented reinstatement of the conditioned place preference and generally blocked the changes in Fos expression induced by methylphenidate conditioning or reexposure. These findings suggest ayahuasca restored normal brain function in areas linked to long-term drug wanting or seeking.
International review of neurobiology
January 1, 2024
Eduardo A V Marinho, Yasmim A. Serra, Alexandre J. Oliveira-Lima et al.
6 citations
Psychedelics such as LSD and psilocybin have shown promise for treating alcohol use disorder by reducing drinking and promoting abstinence. Ayahuasca, an Amazonian brew containing β-carbolines and DMT, has also emerged as a potential treatment. Clinical studies, mostly retrospective, report significant decreases in alcohol use among ayahuasca users. Pre-clinical evidence indicates ayahuasca blocks abuse-related effects of alcohol. The chapter reviews clinical and pre-clinical evidence suggesting ayahuasca may be a promising new pharmacotherapy for alcohol use disorder and discusses potential mechanisms.
Scientific Reports
October 23, 2024
Natali D. Kisaki, Yasmim A. Serra, Isa R S Rodrigues et al.
Male mice voluntarily drank ayahuasca over water when offered every other day, regardless of concentration. Extending the interval between exposures to every five days reversed this preference, producing aversion to ayahuasca, especially at higher concentrations. Frequency of exposure and concentration together influenced total ayahuasca intake during later re-exposure. These results indicate that both how often and how much ayahuasca is available determine preference in mice, which may inform therapeutic or ritualistic use.