Skip to content

Effects of ayahuasca on psychometric measures of anxiety, panic-like and hopelessness in Santo Daime members

Rafael G. Dos Santos, J. Landeira-Fernández, Rick J. Strassman, V. Motta, Antônio Pedro de Mello Cruz

Journal of Ethnopharmacology April 26, 2007 DOI: 10.1016/j.jep.2007.04.012 (opens in new tab)

Relevant Not relevant

Study at a glance

AI-extracted from the abstract
Characteristics Double-blind, placebo-controlled study Peer reviewed
Population Members of the Santo Daime religion who ingested ayahuasca for at least 10 consecutive years
Intervention Ayahuasca
Topics Anxiety Ayahuasca
Keywords Panic Religiosity Clinical psychology
Citations 206
Key points Under the acute effects of ayahuasca, participants scored lower on panic and hopelessness scales, while state- and trait-anxiety were not modified.

Abstract

The use of the hallucinogenic brew ayahuasca, obtained from infusing the shredded stalk of the malpighiaceous plant Banisteriopsis caapi with the leaves of other plants such as Psychotria viridis, is growing in urban centers of Europe, South and North America in the last several decades. Despite this diffusion, little is known about its effects on emotional states. The present study investigated the effects of ayahuasca on psychometric measures of anxiety, panic-like and hopelessness in members of the Santo Daime, an ayahuasca-using religion. Standard questionnaires were used to evaluate state-anxiety (STAI-state), trait-anxiety (STAI-trait), panic-like (ASI-R) and hopelessness (BHS) in participants that ingested ayahuasca for at least 10 consecutive years. The study was done in the Santo Daime church, where the questionnaires were administered 1h after the ingestion of the brew, in a double-blind, placebo-controlled procedure. While under the acute effects of ayahuasca, participants scored lower on the scales for panic and hopelessness related states. Ayahuasca ingestion did not modify state- or trait-anxiety. The results are discussed in terms of the possible use of ayahuasca in alleviating signs of hopelessness and panic-like related symptoms.

In the evidence

This study is part of the evidence base for a synthesis in the library. Here is how each one recorded it.

  • State of the evidence: Ayahuasca for anxiety Mixed

    Under acute ayahuasca effects, participants scored lower on panic and hopelessness scales, but state- and trait-anxiety were not modified.

    Synthesized

Comparable studies

Other randomized controlled trials on ayahuasca for anxiety, most cited first.

Study Year Design Participants
Rapid antidepressant effects of the psychedelic ayahuasca in treatment-resistant depression: a randomized placebo-controlled trial Patients with treatment-resistant depression 2018 Randomized controlled trial n = 29
Subjective effects and tolerability of the South American psychoactive beverage Ayahuasca in healthy volunteers Healthy male volunteers with prior experience using ayahuasca 2001 Single-blind crossover placebo-controlled clinical trial n = 6
Ayahuasca Improves Self-perception of Speech Performance in Subjects With Social Anxiety Disorder Volunteers with social anxiety disorder 2021 Randomized controlled trial n = 17
Effects of Ayahuasca on the Recognition of Facial Expressions of Emotions in Naive Healthy Volunteers Healthy volunteers 2021 Randomized controlled trial n = 22
A randomized placebo-controlled trial on the antidepressant effects of the psychedelic ayahuasca in treatment-resistant depression Patients with treatment-resistant depression 2017 Parallel-arm, double-blind randomized placebo-controlled trial n = 29

Related reading

Explore topics

Anxiety Ayahuasca

By condition and practice

Ayahuasca for anxiety