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Neuronal quantification in mice cerebral cortex under use of Ayahuasca tea

Janille Santos Corrêa, Vanessa Almeida Amorin, Denismar Alves Nogueira, Evelise Aline Soares, Flávia Da Ré Guerra, Geraldo José Medeiros Fernandes, W. C. Rossi-Junior, Alessandra Esteves

Revista Neurociências September 1, 2014 DOI: 10.4181/rnc.2014.22.03.933.4p (opens in new tab)

Study at a glance

AI-extracted from the abstract
Characteristics Controlled experiment Peer reviewed
Sample size 15
Population Mice
Intervention Ayahuasca extract
Dose 30 mg/ml
Duration 15-day intervention
Topics Ayahuasca
Keywords Neuron Cerebral cortex Pharmacology Cortex anatomy
Citations 2
Key findings Ayahuasca extract, administered as a single dose or daily for 15 days, did not change the number of neuron cell bodies in the cerebral cortex of mice.

Abstract

Objective. Ayahuasca, administered as infusion (tea), is the result of Banisteriopsis caapi and Psychotria viridis boiling for religious rites, and has psychoactive action. This study aimed to quantify the num­ber of neuron cell bodies of cerebral cortex in mice under the use of Ayahuasca extract. Method. 15 mice were divided into 3 groups: G1 (control), treated with saline solution for 15 days; G2, treated with a single dose of 30mg/ml of Ayahuasca extract; and G3, treated with Ayahuasca extract during 15 days using the same dose each day. The presence of the alkaloids in the infusion was confirmed, and to quan­tify the number of neuron cell bodies we used the sample random counting method. Results. There was no difference in the neuron cell bodies number for limbic, sensory, and motor areas comparing G1 to G2 and G3. Conclusion. We concluded that the use of Ayahuasca tea in the dose and time designed for this experiment do not cause changes in neuron cell bodies number in the analyzed cerebral cortex.

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