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Can Ayahuasca and sleep loss change sexual performance in male rats?

Tathiana A. Alvarenga, Daniel Ninello Polesel, Gabriela Matos, Vanessa Athaíde Garcia, José Luiz Costa, Sergio Tufik, Mônica L. Andersen

Behavioural Processes September 22, 2014 DOI: 10.1016/j.beproc.2014.09.024 (opens in new tab)

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Study at a glance

AI-extracted from the abstract
Characteristics Controlled experiment Peer reviewed
Population Sexually experienced male Wistar rats
Interventions Ayahuasca paradoxical sleep deprivation
Dose 250, 500 and 1000 μg/mL
Duration 96-hour paradoxical sleep deprivation
Topics Ayahuasca
Keywords Sleep deprivation Testosterone patch Saline Endocrinology Sleep system call Corticosterone Ingestion Hormone Physiology Circadian rhythm
Citations 10
Key findings Ayahuasca alone impaired sexual performance, but combined with sleep deprivation, it had heterogeneous effects: low dose increased performance, intermediate dose decreased it.

Abstract

The ingestion of the beverage Ayahuasca usually occurs in religious ceremonies that are performed during the night leading to sleep deprivation. The purpose of the present study was to characterize the acute effects of Ayahuasca upon the sexual response of sleep deprived male rats. One group of sexually experienced male Wistar rats were submitted to a paradoxical sleep deprivation (PSD) protocol for 96h, while another group spent the same amount of time in the home cage (CTRL). After this period, either saline or Ayahuasca drink (250, 500 and 1000μgmL(-1)) was administered by gavage and sexual behavior and hormonal concentrations were measured. Ayahuasca alone significantly decreased sexual performance at all doses. However, in sleep deprived rats, the lower dose increased sexual performance while the intermediate dose produced a detrimental effect on sexual response compared to the CTRL rats at the same dose. Regarding the hormonal analyses, a lower testosterone concentration was observed in sleep-deprived saline rats in relation to the CTRL group. Progesterone was significantly lower only in PSD rats at the dose 500μgmL(-1) compared with CTRL-500μgmL(-1) group. Corticosterone was unchanged among the groups evaluated. Our results suggest that Ayahuasca intake markedly impaired sexual performance alone, but, when combined with sleep deprivation, had significant, but heterogeneous, effects on male sexual response.

Comparable studies

Other preclinical and animal studies on ayahuasca, most cited first.

Study Year Design Participants
Monoamine oxidase inhibitors in South American hallucinogenic plants: Tryptamine and β-carboline constituents of Ayahuasca Eight ayahuasca samples from Peru and several Banisteriopsis caapi cultivars 1984 Qualitative and quantitative chemical analysis with in vitro assay
The alkaloids of Banisteriopsis caapi, the plant source of the Amazonian hallucinogen Ayahuasca, stimulate adult neurogenesis in vitro Progenitor cells from subventricular and subgranular zones of adult mice brains 2017 In vitro experimental study
N,N-dimethyltryptamine compound found in the hallucinogenic tea ayahuasca, regulates adult neurogenesis in vitro and in vivo Mice 2020 In vitro and in vivo experimental study
Behavioural and neurotoxic effects of ayahuasca infusion (Banisteriopsis caapi and Psychotria viridis) in female Wistar rat Female Wistar rats 2015 Observational cohort
Effects of ayahuasca on the development of ethanol-induced behavioral sensitization and on a post-sensitization treatment in mice Mice 2015 Experimental study

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