Ayahuasca, Pain, and Inflammation: A Systematic Review of Preclinical Studies
Bianca Villanova, Giordano Novak Rossi, Lorena Terene Lopes Guerra, José Carlos Bouso, Jaime E. C. Hallak, Rafael G. Dos Santos
Psychoactives July 15, 2025 DOI: 10.3390/psychoactives4030024 (opens in new tab)
Study at a glance
AI-extracted from the abstract| Characteristics | Systematic review Peer reviewed |
|---|---|
| Topics | Ayahuasca |
| Keywords | Inflammation |
| Key findings | Ayahuasca and its alkaloids show antinociceptive and anti-inflammatory effects in preclinical models, with harmine reducing pro-inflammatory and increasing anti-inflammatory cytokines. |
Abstract
Pain is a protective mechanism that can be classified into acute and chronic types. Ayahuasca is a psychoactive brew rich in dimethyltryptamine or DMT (a 5-HT2A receptor agonist), and harmine (a monoamine-oxidase (MAO) inhibitor) used for religious and therapeutic purposes. Previous preclinical and anecdotal evidence suggests that ayahuasca and its compounds have antinociceptive and anti-inflammatory effects due to 5-HT2A agonism and MAO inhibition. Thus, the current study aims to provide a systematic review of the antinociceptive and anti-inflammatory effects of ayahuasca and its alkaloids in preclinical models. All studies published up to December 2024 were screened and evaluated for eligibility. A total of 1535 publications were identified, of which 29 adhered to the predefined criteria. Reviewed articles reported antinociceptive effects of ayahuasca, harmine, and harmaline. Regarding anti-inflammatory effects, the compounds of ayahuasca, especially harmine, have demonstrated a reduction and an increase in pro-inflammatory and anti-inflammatory cytokines, respectively. Although there are promising results regarding the antinociceptive and anti-inflammatory effects of ayahuasca and its alkaloids, further investigation is needed.