Ayahuasca blocks ethanol preference in an animal model of dependence and shows no acute toxicity
Bruno Gianfratti, Ricardo Tabach, Marna Eliana Sakalem, Talita Stessuk, Lucas Oliveira Maia, E.a. Carlini
Journal of Ethnopharmacology November 22, 2021 DOI: 10.1016/j.jep.2021.114865 (opens in new tab)
Study at a glance
AI-extracted from the abstract| Characteristics | Preclinical study Peer reviewed |
|---|---|
| Population | Mice |
| Interventions | Ayahuasca Ethanol |
| Dose | 500 mg/kg ayahuasca, 1.8 g/kg ethanol |
| Topics | Ayahuasca Addiction |
| Keywords | Acute toxicity Pharmacology Ethanol Conditioned place preference |
| Citations | 23 |
| Key points | Ayahuasca pre-treatment inhibited ethanol-induced conditioned place preference and induced conditioned place preference when administered alone, with no severe acute toxicity at high oral doses. |
Abstract
Ethnopharmacological relevanceAyahuasca, a psychoactive beverage prepared from Banisteriopsis caapi and Psychotria viridis, is originally used by Amazon-based indigenous and mestizo groups for medicinal and ritualistic purposes. Nowadays, ayahuasca is used in religious and shamanic contexts worldwide, and preliminary evidence from preclinical and observational studies suggests therapeutic effects of ayahuasca for the treatment of substance (including alcohol) use disorders.Aim of the studyTo investigate the initial pharmacological profile of ayahuasca and its effects on ethanol rewarding effect using the conditioned place preference (CPP) paradigm in mice.Materials and methodsAyahuasca beverage was prepared using extracts of B. caapi and P. viridis, and the concentration of active compounds was assessed through high performance liquid chromatography (HPLC). The following behavioral tests were performed after ayahuasca administration: general pharmacological screening (13, 130, or 1300 mg/kg - intraperitoneally - i.p., and 65, 130, 1300, or 2600 mg/kg - via oral - v.o.); acute toxicity test with elevated doses (2600 mg/kg - i.p., and 5000 mg/kg - v.o.); motor activity, motor coordination, and hexobarbital-induced sleeping time potentiation (250, 500, or 750 mg/kg ayahuasca or vehicle - v.o.). For the CPP test, the animals received ayahuasca (500 mg/kg - v.o.) prior to ethanol (1.8 g/kg - i.p.) or vehicle (control group - i.p.) during conditioning sessions.ResultsAyahuasca treatment presented no significant effect on motor activity, motor coordination, hexobarbital-induced sleeping latency or total sleeping time, and did not evoke signs of severe acute toxicity at elevated oral doses. Ayahuasca pre-treatment successfully inhibited the ethanol-induced CPP and induced CPP when administered alone.ConclusionsOur results indicate that ayahuasca presents a low-risk acute toxicological profile when administered orally, and presents potential pharmacological properties that could contribute to the treatment of alcohol use disorders.
Comparable studies
Other preclinical and animal studies on ayahuasca for addiction, most cited first.
| Study | Year | Design | Participants |
|---|---|---|---|
| Effects of ayahuasca on the development of ethanol-induced behavioral sensitization and on a post-sensitization treatment in mice Mice | 2015 | Experimental study | |
| Effects of the hallucinogenic beverage ayahuasca on voluntary ethanol intake by rats and on cFos expression in brain areas relevant to drug addiction Wistar rats | 2019 | Animal experiment | |
| Phytochemical and Neuropharmacological Evaluation of Banisteriopsis caapi, Paullinia cupana, and Turnera diffusa for Potential Anti-Addiction Activity | 2026 | Computational and in vitro study | |
| Ayahuasca prevents the reinstatement of cocaine-induced rewarding effects in C57Bl/6 mice. C57Bl/6 mice | 2025 | Experimental study | |
| Ayahuasca treatment reduces 50-kHz ultrasonic vocalizations and modifies mesocorticolimbic monoamine neurochemistry in rats. Adult male Wistar rats | 2026 | Randomized controlled trial |
Citations in the library
Cited by 21
- Therapeutic mechanisms of psychedelics and entactogens. Neuropsychopharmacology July 24, 2023
- Classic and non‐classic psychedelics for substance use disorder: A review of their historic, past and current research Addiction Neuroscience June 22, 2022
- Ayahuasca's therapeutic potential: What we know - and what not. European Neuropsychopharmacology 2023
- Ayahuasca: A review of historical, pharmacological, and therapeutic aspects. Psychiatry and Clinical Neurosciences Reports December 1, 2023
- New Insights into the Chemical Composition of Ayahuasca ACS Omega April 1, 2022
and 16 more in the library
Cites 37
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- 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
- Clinical investigations of the therapeutic potential of ayahuasca: rationale and regulatory challenges. Pharmacology & Therapeutics May 1, 2004
- Risk assessment of ritual use of oral dimethyltryptamine (DMT) and harmala alkaloids Addiction December 20, 2006
and 32 more in the library