Mutagenicity of Ayahuasca and Their Constituents to the Salmonella/Microsome Assay
Fábio Kummrow, Bianca S. Maselli, Rafael Lanaro, José Luiz Costa, Gisela de Aragão Umbuzeiro, Alessandra Linardi
Environmental and Molecular Mutagenesis November 29, 2018 DOI: 10.1002/em.22263 (opens in new tab)
Study at a glance
AI-extracted from the abstract| Characteristics | Experimental study Peer reviewed |
|---|---|
| Interventions | Ayahuasca beverage harmine harmaline |
| Topics | Ayahuasca |
| Keywords | Harmaline Harmine Microsome Salmonella Traditional medicine Toxicology Pharmacology |
| Citations | 9 |
| Key findings | Ayahuasca samples are mutagenic in the Salmonella/microsome assay, an effect partially explained by harmaline, with other mutagenic compounds also present. |
Abstract
Ayahuasca is a beverage used in religious rituals of indigenous and nonindigenous groups, and its therapeutic potential has been investigated. Ayahuasca is obtained by decoction of the Banisteriopsis caapi that contains β‐carbolines (harmine, harmaline, and tetrahydroharmine) plus Psychotria viridis that contains N , N ‐dimethyltryptamine. Although plants used in folk medicine are recognized as safe, many of them have genotoxic potential. The Salmonella/microsome assay is usually the first line of the mutagenicity evaluation of products intended for therapeutic use. Our objective was to evaluate the mutagenicity of ayahuasca beverage and their constituents using the Salmonella/microsome assay with TA98 and TA100. We analyzed two ayahuasca samples, and also beverage samples prepared each individual plant P. viridis and B. caapi . Harmine and harmaline were also tested. All beverage samples were chemically characterized and both ayahuasca samples could be considered representative of the beverages consumed in religious rituals. Both ayahuasca samples were mutagenic for TA98 and TA100 with and without S9, with similar potencies. The beverage obtained from P. viridis was not mutagenic, and beverage obtained from B. caapi was mutagenic for TA98 with and without S9. Harmine was nonmutagenic and harmaline was mutagenic only for TA98 without S9. Harmaline fully explain the mutagenicity observed with TA98 without S9 of both ayahuasca samples and the B. caapi beverage samples. We conclude that the ayahuasca samples are mutagenic and this effect is partially explained by harmaline, one of the β‐carbolines present in the beverage. Other mutagenic compounds seem to be present and need to be further investigated. Environ. Mol. Mutagen. 60:269–276, 2019. © 2018 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
Comparable studies
Other experimental studies on ayahuasca, most cited first.
| Study | Year | Design | Participants |
|---|---|---|---|
| Seeing with the eyes shut: Neural basis of enhanced imagery following ayahuasca ingestion Human participants (number not stated) | 2011 | Within-subjects experimental study | |
| Ayahuasca enhances creative divergent thinking while decreasing conventional convergent thinking Participants at spiritual ayahuasca workshops | 2016 | Within-subjects experimental study | n = 26 |
| Metabolism and disposition of N,N‐dimethyltryptamine and harmala alkaloids after oral administration of ayahuasca Healthy male volunteers | 2012 | Observational pharmacokinetic study | n = 10 |
| New World Tryptamine Hallucinogens and the Neuroscience of Ayahuasca. | 2018 | Review with original neuroimaging and neurophysiological data | |
| Stability Evaluation of DMT and Harmala Alkaloids in Ayahuasca Tea Samples Ayahuasca tea samples | 2020 | Experimental study |
Citations in the library
Cited by 5
- The pharmacological interaction of compounds in ayahuasca: a systematic review Brazilian Journal of Psychiatry July 3, 2020
- A Systematic Review on the Therapeutic Effects of Ayahuasca. Plants July 7, 2023
- Ayahuasca and Dimethyltryptamine Adverse Events and Toxicity Analysis: A Systematic Thematic Review. International journal of toxicology 2024
- The changing outlook of psychedelic drugs: The importance of risk assessment and occupational exposure limits Journal of Applied Toxicology August 30, 2023
- Avaliação da variação morfológica, anatômica e fitoquímica de >i/i< (Spruce ex Griseb.) C.v. Morton e >i/i< Ruiz & Pav em diferentes ambientes, teor de alcaloides e citotoxicidade do chá Ayahuasca December 10, 2020
Cites 13
- 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
- Human Psychopharmacology of Hoasca, A Plant Hallucinogen Used in Ritual Context in Brazil The Journal of Nervous and Mental Disease February 1, 1996
- Subjective effects and tolerability of the South American psychoactive beverage Ayahuasca in healthy volunteers Psychopharmacology February 22, 2001
- Assessment of addiction severity among ritual users of ayahuasca Drug and Alcohol Dependence June 17, 2010
and 8 more in the library