Platelet serotonin uptake sites increased in drinkers ofayahuasca
James C. Callaway, Mauno M. Airaksinen, Dennis J. Mckenna, Glacus S. Brito, Charles S. Grob
Psychopharmacology November 1, 1994 DOI: 10.1007/bf02245347 (opens in new tab)
Study at a glance
AI-extracted from the abstract| Characteristics | Observational cohort Peer reviewed |
|---|---|
| Population | Healthy male drinkers of ayahuasca and healthy male controls |
| Intervention | Ayahuasca |
| Topics | Ayahuasca Serotonin |
| Keywords | Citalopram Serotonin transporter Platelet Extracellular Dissociation constant Endocrinology Reuptake inhibitor Pharmacology |
| Citations | 79 |
| Key findings | Ayahuasca drinkers had an increased number of platelet serotonin transporter binding sites compared to controls, with no change in dissociation constant. |
Abstract
The binding of [3H]citalopram to the platelet 5-hydroxytryptamine (5-HT) transporter was measured in a group of healthy male drinkers of ayahuasca, a psychoactive sacrament indigenous to Amazonia, and a group healthy male controls. An increased number of binding sites (Bmax) in the platelets of ayahuasca drinkers was found, while the dissociation constant (Kd) remained the same for both groups. If indicative of neuronal 5-HT uptake activity, these results would suggest a decreased concentration of extracellular 5-HT, or a response to increased production and release of 5-HT. Such changes in 5-HT synaptic activity, in this case, should not be misinterpreted as an indication of developing neurological or psychiatric illness.