Intoxication Associated with Ayahuasca Consumption, Characterization, and Comparative Analysis of the Beverage's Components: A Case Report.

Abstract

Ayahuasca is a psychotropic beverage from South America, derived from Banisteriopsis caapi and Psychotria viridis. The beverage contains alkaloids such as β-carbolines and dimethyltryptamine (DMT), which alter the psychoactive functions associated with perception and thought processes. Its consumption in the countries of origin, such as Brazil, Colombia, and Peru, is prevalent. Its use has been popularized worldwide, especially in the European Union and North America, where the ayahuasca samples are introduced from South America. This article presents the case report of a Mexican ayahuasca user with clinical symptoms of poisoning. A 24-year-old man, habitual consumer of ayahuasca, arrived at emergency room presenting cognitive decline and a fluctuating course of delirium, stupor, and disorientation. The patient's blood samples were compared using HPLC/ESI-MS/MS with the extract consumed, with other traditional Colombian ayahuasca samples, and with standard chemicals, aiming to determine whether the components of ayahuasca were present in the patient's blood. The same blood sample was subjected to a bioinformatics analysis (KNIME 4.4.2-version, based on OpenMS) to detect other drugs probably consumed by the patient. The principal components of ayahuasca in the blood sample were identified: DMT, harmaline, harmine, harmol, bufotenine, and tetrahydro harmine. In addition, other narcotic drugs, such as 11-nor-9-carboxy-Δ(9)-tetrahydrocannabinol, amphetamine, and norcocaine, were also detected. The poisoning can be associated with ayahuasca consumption and its interaction with other drugs.