Bringing Ayahuasca to the Clinical Research Laboratory
Journal of Psychoactive Drugs June 1, 2005 DOI: 10.1080/02791072.2005.10399804 (opens in new tab)
Study at a glance
AI-extracted from the abstract| Characteristics | Review Peer reviewed |
|---|---|
| Population | Healthy volunteers |
| Intervention | Ayahuasca |
| Topics | Ayahuasca |
| Keywords | Translational research |
| Citations | 58 |
| Key findings | The article describes the development of clinical research on ayahuasca at the Autonomous University of Barcelona, reviewing methodological aspects and basic clinical findings. |
Abstract
Since the winter of 1999, the authors and their research team have been conducting clinical studies involving the administration of ayahuasca to healthy volunteers. The rationale for conducting this kind of research is twofold. First, the growing interest of many individuals for traditional indigenous practices involving the ingestion of natural psychotropic drugs such as ayahuasca demands the systematic study of their pharmacological profiles in the target species, i.e., human beings. The complex nature of ayahuasca brews combining a large number of pharmacologically active compounds requires that research be carried out to establish the safety and overall pharmacological profile of these products. Second, the authors believe that the study of psychedelics in general calls for renewed attention. Although the molecular and electrophysiological level effects of these drugs are relatively well characterized, current knowledge of the mechanisms by which these compounds modify the higher order cognitive processes in the way they do is still incomplete, to say the least. The present article describes the development of the research effort carried out at the Autonomous University of Barcelona, commenting on several methodological aspects and reviewing the basic clinical findings. It also describes the research currently underway in our laboratory, and briefly comments on two new studies we plan to undertake in order to further our knowledge of the pharmacology of ayahuasca.
Comparable studies
Other narrative reviews on ayahuasca, most cited first.
Citations in the library
Cited by 46
- Antidepressant effects of a single dose of ayahuasca in patients with recurrent depression: a preliminary report Brazilian Journal of Psychiatry March 1, 2015
- Adverse effects of psychedelics: From anecdotes and misinformation to systematic science. Journal of Psychopharmacology February 2, 2022
- Risk assessment of ritual use of oral dimethyltryptamine (DMT) and harmala alkaloids Addiction December 20, 2006
- The globalization of ayahuasca: Harm reduction or benefit maximization? International Journal of Drug Policy December 5, 2006
- Clinical applications of hallucinogens: A review. Experimental and Clinical Psychopharmacology August 1, 2016
and 41 more in the library
Cites 13
- The Standardized Psychometric Assessment of Altered States of Consciousness (ASCs) in Humans Pharmacopsychiatry July 1, 1998
- Dose-Response Study of N,N-Dimethyltryptamine in Humans Archives of General Psychiatry February 1, 1994
- Human Pharmacology of Ayahuasca: Subjective and Cardiovascular Effects, Monoamine Metabolite Excretion, and Pharmacokinetics Journal of Pharmacology and Experimental Therapeutics June 18, 2003
- Subjective effects and tolerability of the South American psychoactive beverage Ayahuasca in healthy volunteers Psychopharmacology February 22, 2001
- Psychopathological, neuroendocrine and autonomic effects of 3,4-methylenedioxyethylamphetamine (MDE), psilocybin and d -methamphetamine in healthy volunteers Psychopharmacology February 18, 1999
and 8 more in the library