Ayahuasca: An ancient sacrament for treatment of contemporary psychiatric illness?
Benjamin Malcolm, Kelly C. Lee
Mental Health Clinician 2017 DOI: 10.9740/mhc.2017.01.039 (opens in new tab)
Study at a glance
AI-extracted from the abstract| Characteristics | Review Peer reviewed |
|---|---|
| Topics | Ayahuasca |
| Keywords | Hallucinogen Mental illness Psychoactive substance Pharmacology |
| Citations | 26 |
| Key findings | Ayahuasca's MAOI properties cause serious drug interactions, while its psychedelic effects show potential for treating substance use and depressive disorders. |
Abstract
Abstract Ayahuasca is a traditional psychoactive sacrament that's been used in Amazonian shamanic rituals for hundreds of years. Ayahuasca is notorious for its psychedelic properties produced from the combination of monoamine oxidase inhibitors (MAOIs) found in the Banisteriopsis caapi vine and N-N-dimethyltryptamine from Psychotria viridis or Diplopterys cabrerana. Recently, ritual use of ayahuasca has increased and garnered attention for its potential in treating mental illnesses, such as substance use and depressive disorders. Due to its MAOI properties, there are serious drug interactions that may be of concern among patients who participate in ayahuasca use. The objectives of this paper are to describe ayahuasca's pharmacology, potential drug interactions, and clinical data for its treatment potential in psychiatric illness.
Comparable studies
Other narrative reviews on ayahuasca, most cited first.
Citations in the library
Cited by 23
- Serotonin toxicity of serotonergic psychedelics Psychopharmacology July 12, 2021
- Molecular Mechanisms of Psilocybin and Implications for the Treatment of Depression CNS Drugs November 17, 2021
- Ayahuasca and Public Health: Health Status, Psychosocial Well-Being, Lifestyle, and Coping Strategies in a Large Sample of Ritual Ayahuasca Users Journal of Psychoactive Drugs February 7, 2019
- Psychedelics: Alternative and Potential Therapeutic Options for Treating Mood and Anxiety Disorders Molecules April 13, 2022
- Toxicological Aspects and Determination of the Main Components of Ayahuasca: A Critical Review Medicines October 18, 2019
and 18 more in the library
Cites 54
- Default Mode Network Activity and Connectivity in Psychopathology Annual Review of Clinical Psychology March 29, 2012
- Amphetamine, 3,4-Methylenedioxymethamphetamine, Lysergic Acid Diethylamide, and Metabolites of the Catecholamine Neurotransmitters Are Agonists of a Rat Trace Amine Receptor Molecular Pharmacology December 1, 2001
- Broadband Cortical Desynchronization Underlies the Human Psychedelic State Journal of Neuroscience September 18, 2013
- Antidepressant effects of a single dose of ayahuasca in patients with recurrent depression: a preliminary report Brazilian Journal of Psychiatry March 1, 2015
- Antidepressant Effects of a Single Dose of Ayahuasca in Patients With Recurrent Depression Journal of Clinical Psychopharmacology December 11, 2015
and 49 more in the library