Skip to content

Differentiation of Ayahuasca Samples According to Preparation Mode and Botanical Varieties Using Metabolomics.

Taynara Simão Matos, Flávia Da Silva Zandonadi, Alex Aparecido Rosini Silva, Stephanie Dias Soares, Adriana de Souza Lima, Glaucia Maria Pastore, Andreia de Melo Porcari, Alessandra Sussulini

Journal of Psychoactive Drugs October 29, 2024 DOI: 10.1080/02791072.2024.2420059 (opens in new tab)

Read Full Text
Relevant Not relevant

Study at a glance

AI-extracted from the abstract
Characteristics Observational study Peer reviewed
Sample size 126
Population Ayahuasca samples from different ayahuasqueiro groups and geographic origins
Topics Ayahuasca
Keywords Banisteriopsis caapi Liquid chromatography Mass spectrometry Metabolomics Ayahuasca yage Caapi tea Daime Ethnobotany traditional medicine Medicinal plants Chemical analysis
Key findings Ayahuasca samples prepared by different religious groups differ in metabolite composition and antioxidant effects, with preparation method causing more variability than botanical variety of B. caapi.

Abstract

Ayahuasca is a brew traditionally prepared with a mixture of Psychotria viridis leaves and Banisteriopsis caapi vine and has demonstrated therapeutic properties for depression. Knowledge of the brew composition is important to improve the therapeutic potential and decrease side effects if ayahuasca becomes an option for refractory depression treatment. Ultra-high performance liquid chromatography coupled to high-resolution mass spectrometry (UHPLC-HRMS) was applied to analyze 126 ayahuasca samples collected from different ayahuasqueiro groups and geographic origins. We were able to observe a differentiation in the metabolite composition of ayahuasca samples prepared by diverse ayahuasqueiro groups. These samples presented different antioxidant effects based on FRAP and ORAC assays. Exploratory statistical analysis demonstrated a trend of separating the samples according to the religious group. The most important identified compounds for differentiation of the brew prepared by distinct religious groups are glycosylated and/or phenolic compounds. The comparison based on the mode of ayahuasca preparation presented more variability than the comparison based on the botanical variety of B. caapi used. We conclude that ayahuasca samples prepared with "caupuri" or "tucunacá" separately exhibited differences in the analysis of L-glutamate and the metabolism of arginine and proline. This suggests that a possible variation in this pathway could explain the occurrence of swollen stem nodes in "caupuri," one of the B. caapi varieties.

Comparable studies

Other observational and cohort studies on ayahuasca, most cited first.

Study Year Design Participants
Antidepressant effects of a single dose of ayahuasca in patients with recurrent depression: a preliminary report Patients with a depressive disorder 2015 Observational study
The Psychedelic State Induced by Ayahuasca Modulates the Activity and Connectivity of the Default Mode Network Experienced subjects 2015 Observational cohort n = 10
Human Psychopharmacology of Hoasca, A Plant Hallucinogen Used in Ritual Context in Brazil Long-term members of a syncretic church that uses hoasca as a psychoactive sacrament... 1996 Observational cohort with matched controls n = 30
Ayahuasca-Assisted Therapy for Addiction: Results from a Preliminary Observational Study in Canada Rural aboriginal population 2013 Observational study
Personality, Psychopathology, Life Attitudes and Neuropsychological Performance among Ritual Users of Ayahuasca: A Longitudinal Study Regular ayahuasca users and active controls in non-ayahuasca religions 2012 Observational cohort n = 242

Citations in the library

Cited by 1

Cites 22

and 17 more in the library

Related reading

Explore topics

Ayahuasca Depression