Translational reinterpretation of ancestral healing rituals: Structured physiological modulation through adaptive biological responses.
João Francisco Pollo Gaspary, Alfred Lee Edgar, Fernanda Peron Gaspary, Eduarda Grando Lopes, Luis Felipe Dias Lopes
Explore 2025 DOI: 10.1016/j.explore.2025.103274 (opens in new tab)
Study at a glance
AI-extracted from the abstract| Characteristics | Theoretical or philosophical paper with systematic review and model development Peer reviewed |
|---|---|
| Topics | DMT |
| Keywords | Ancestral healing rituals Behavioral entrainment Electrochemical microgradients Metabolic flexibility Psychoneuroendocrine-immune-metabolic integration Redox signaling Translational bioenergetics |
| Key findings | Proposes that ancestral healing rituals can be reinterpreted as biologically plausible platforms for inducing adaptive physiological states via the APEIC model. |
Abstract
Ancestral healing rituals have long been embedded in cultural traditions as symbolic practices. However, emerging evidence suggests these rituals may act as structured behavioral interventions capable of eliciting adaptive physiological responses. This study proposes a translational reinterpretation of ancestral healing rituals through the lens of contemporary redox biology, systems physiology, and bioenergetic modulation. Using a Work Breakdown Structure (WBS) and PRISMA-guided systematic reviews, the study was organized into five work packages (WP's). Historical (WP2) and physiological (WP3) systematic reviews identified Fundamental Points of View (FPV's) and Critical Success Factors (CSF's). Heuristic triangulation in WP4 led to the emergence of the APEIC model (Adaptive Psychoneuroendocrineimmunometabolic Cascade), integrating behavioral practices with bioenergetic and metabolic processes. The model was validated in WP5 using SMART and FINER criteria. Five FPV's (e.g., meditation, fasting, ritual celebration) and thirteen CSFs (e.g., redox modulation, neuroplasticity, immune adaptation) were identified. Findings suggest that rituals rhythmically modulate proton gradients, redox balance, and metabolic flexibility, contributing to systemic coherence. The APEIC model explains how ritual-induced stimuli can synchronize psychoneuroendocrine, immune, and metabolic systems via transient physiological oscillations. Endogenous DMT is proposed as a potential biomarker of integrative coherence. Ancestral healing rituals can be reinterpreted as biologically plausible platforms for inducing adaptive physiological states. The APEIC model provides a conceptual foundation for non-pharmacological health strategies rooted in ancestral behavioral intelligence. Future studies should experimentally test the model's mechanisms to inform integrative and personalized healthcare applications.
Comparable studies
Other systematic reviews and meta-analyses on DMT, most cited first.
| Study | Year | Design | Participants |
|---|---|---|---|
| Risk assessment of ritual use of oral dimethyltryptamine (DMT) and harmala alkaloids Humans (ritual ayahuasca use) | 2006 | Systematic review | |
| Ayahuasca, dimethyltryptamine, and psychosis: a systematic review of human studies | 2017 | Systematic review | |
| A critical review of reports of endogenous psychedelic N, N-dimethyltryptamines in humans: 1955-2010. | 2012 | Systematic review | |
| United States National Institutes of Health grant funding for psychedelic-assisted therapy clinical trials from 2006-2020. | 2022 | Systematic review | |
| Effects of ayahuasca and its alkaloids on substance use disorders: an updated (2016-2020) systematic review of preclinical and human studies. Rodents and humans (healthy ritual ayahuasca users and patients with substance use... | 2022 | Systematic review | n = 9 |
Citations in the library
Cites 25
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- Psilocybin: from ancient magic to modern medicine The Journal of Antibiotics May 12, 2020
- Ayahuasca: Psychological and Physiologic Effects, Pharmacology and Potential Uses in Addiction and Mental Illness Current Neuropharmacology March 2, 2018
- N, N-Dimethyltryptamine (DMT), an Endogenous Hallucinogen: Past, Present, and Future Research to Determine Its Role and Function Frontiers in Neuroscience August 6, 2018
- Distinct Neural Activity Associated with Focused-Attention Meditation and Loving-Kindness Meditation PLoS One August 15, 2012
and 20 more in the library