Hypotheses Regarding the Mechanisms of Ayahuasca in the Treatment of Addictions
Mitchell B. Liester, James I. Prickett
Journal of Psychoactive Drugs July 1, 2012 DOI: 10.1080/02791072.2012.704590 (opens in new tab)
Study at a glance
AI-extracted from the abstract| Characteristics | Theoretical or philosophical paper Peer reviewed |
|---|---|
| Intervention | Ayahuasca |
| Topics | Addiction Ayahuasca |
| Keywords | Consciousness Hallucinogen Indigenous Traditional medicine Psychotherapist Pharmacology |
| Citations | 78 |
| Key points | Proposes four hypotheses—biochemical, physiological, psychological, and transcendent—to explain how ayahuasca may exert anti-addiction effects. |
Abstract
Ayahuasca is a medicinal plant mixture utilized by indigenous peoples throughout the Amazon River basin for healing purposes. The "vine of the soul" or "vine of death," as it is known in South America, contains a combination of monoamine oxidase inhibitors and N,N-dimethyltryptamine (DMT). When ingested together, these medicines produce profound alterations in consciousness. Increasingly, ayahuasca is being utilized to treat addictions. However, the mechanism of action by which ayahuasca treats addictions remains unclear. We offer four hypotheses to explain possible biochemical, physiological, psychological, and transcendent mechanisms by which ayahuasca may exert its anti-addiction effects.
In the evidence
This study is part of the evidence base for a synthesis in the library. Here is how each one recorded it.
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Proposes four hypotheses (biochemical, physiological, psychological, transcendent) to explain how ayahuasca may exert anti-addiction effects, noting the mechanism remains unclear.
Synthesized
Comparable studies
Other theoretical and historical papers on ayahuasca for addiction, most cited first.
| Study | Year | Design | Participants |
|---|---|---|---|
| Ayahuasca’s entwined efficacy: An ethnographic study of ritual healing from ‘addiction’ | 2017 | Theoretical or philosophical paper | |
| Indigenous Healing Practice: Ayahuasca. Opening a Discussion | 2014 | Theoretical or philosophical paper |
Citations in the library
Cited by 60
- Ayahuasca-Assisted Therapy for Addiction: Results from a Preliminary Observational Study in Canada Current Drug Abuse Reviews June 1, 2013
- Antidepressive, anxiolytic, and antiaddictive effects of ayahuasca, psilocybin and lysergic acid diethylamide (LSD): a systematic review of clinical trials published in the last 25 years Therapeutic Advances in Psychopharmacology March 18, 2016
- The Therapeutic Potentials of Ayahuasca: Possible Effects against Various Diseases of Civilization. Frontiers in Pharmacology March 2, 2016
- Psychedelics in Psychiatry: Neuroplastic, Immunomodulatory, and Neurotransmitter Mechanisms Pharmacological Reviews December 16, 2020
- Ayahuasca: Pharmacology, neuroscience and therapeutic potential Brain Research Bulletin March 11, 2016
and 55 more in the library
Cites 8
- Monoamine oxidase inhibitors in South American hallucinogenic plants: Tryptamine and β-carboline constituents of Ayahuasca Journal of Ethnopharmacology April 1, 1984
- Subjective effects and tolerability of the South American psychoactive beverage Ayahuasca in healthy volunteers Psychopharmacology February 22, 2001
- LSD: My Problem Child The Antioch Review 1981
- Autonomic, Neuroendocrine, and Immunological Effects of Ayahuasca Journal of Clinical Psychopharmacology October 15, 2011
- Treatment of alcoholism using psychedelic drugs: a review of the program of research. Journal of Psychoactive Drugs 1998
and 3 more in the library