Plant based assisted therapy for the treatment of substance use disorders - part 1. The case of takiwasi center and other similar experiences
Matteo Politi, Fabio Friso, Jacques Mabit
Cultura y Droga July 3, 2018 DOI: 10.17151/culdr.2018.23.26.6 (opens in new tab)
Study at a glance
AI-extracted from the abstract| Characteristics | Review Peer reviewed |
|---|---|
| Topics | Addiction |
| Keywords | Substance use Coca Traditional medicine Alternative medicine Relevance law Consciousness Psychotherapist |
| Citations | 19 |
| Key findings | Plant-based assisted therapy for substance use disorders appears promising, but clinical outcome validation requires improvement for most analyzed cases. |
Abstract
Objective. This article aims to give an overview of the major American centers using traditional herbal medicine or their derivatives in the treatment of substance dependence. Methodology. For the purpose of this article we have considered a small number of plants hailing from South, Central and North America. The research has been based on scientific literature, information exchange with treatment centers, internet searches and the personal experience of the authors. Results and discussion. Results show the relevance of certain psychoactive plants well known also for inducing modified states of consciousness (MSCs) including Ayahuasca, Coca, Wachuma, Tobacco, Psilocybe mushrooms, Salvia divinorum and Peyote. Conclusions. Plant based assisted therapy for the treatment of substance use disorders appear to be a promising field of research, although validation of the clinical outcomes need to be improved for the majority of the analyzed cases.
Comparable studies
Other narrative reviews on addiction, most cited first.
| Study | Year | Design | Participants |
|---|---|---|---|
| Classic psychedelics: An integrative review of epidemiology, therapeutics, mystical experience, and brain network function. General population | 2019 | Integrative review | |
| Mindfulness meditation–based pain relief: a mechanistic account | 2016 | Review | |
| Psychedelics as anti-inflammatory agents Animal models and cellular studies | 2018 | Review | |
| A narrative review of yoga and mindfulness as complementary therapies for addiction. | 2013 | Review | |
| The neuropsychopharmacology of cannabis: A review of human imaging studies | 2018 | Review |
Citations in the library
Cited by 7
- Amazonian Medicine and the Psychedelic Revival: Considering the “Dieta” Frontiers in Pharmacology May 28, 2021
- Beyond the Psychoactive Effects of Ayahuasca: Cultural and Pharmacological Relevance of Its Emetic and Purging Properties. Planta Medica November 1, 2022
- Experiences of Listening to Icaros during Ayahuasca Ceremonies at Centro Takiwasi:An Interpretive Phenomenological Analysis Anthropology of Consciousness September 26, 2022
- Efficacy of N, N-dimethyltryptamine (DMT) psychedelic therapy for substance misuse: A systematic review and meta-analysis Journal of Psychopharmacology April 12, 2026
- Traditional Knowledge and Therapeutic Application of Chiric Sanango (Brunfelsia grandiflora) in an Amazonian Rehabilitation Center. Journal of Psychoactive Drugs January 15, 2026
and 2 more in the library
Cites 20
- Psilocybin-assisted treatment for alcohol dependence: A proof-of-concept study Journal of Psychopharmacology January 13, 2015
- Psychedelics as Medicines: An Emerging New Paradigm Clinical Pharmacology & Therapeutics November 4, 2016
- Human Psychopharmacology of Hoasca, A Plant Hallucinogen Used in Ritual Context in Brazil The Journal of Nervous and Mental Disease February 1, 1996
- Ayahuasca: Psychological and Physiologic Effects, Pharmacology and Potential Uses in Addiction and Mental Illness Current Neuropharmacology March 2, 2018
- Treatment of opioid use disorder with ibogaine: detoxification and drug use outcomes. The American Journal of Drug and Alcohol Abuse 2018
and 15 more in the library