Ayahuasca for addiction

Studies whose primary subject is both Ayahuasca and Addiction, with an evidence synthesis read across the most-cited and most recent of them.

State of the evidence

Synthesized September 21, 2026

Synthesized from 25 studies in the library · AI-generated, grounded in the abstracts below

Found by searching the library for Ayahuasca, yage, hoasca, banisteriopsis, Addiction, substance use disorder, then ranked by relevance.

The research on ayahuasca for addiction is preliminary but points in a positive direction: observational, qualitative, and animal studies generally report reductions in substance use, craving, and addiction severity, and ritual ayahuasca users show lower addiction severity scores than controls. However, the human evidence comes almost entirely from small, uncontrolled observational and qualitative studies, with only one systematic review noting that four of five human studies found significant reductions. The main caveats are the absence of randomized controlled trials, small samples, reliance on self-report, and unclear durability of effects.

Evidence by study

Direction is which way each study's own result points, not our rating of the study.

What the directions mean

Supports:: the study found the intervention worked, or its hypothesis held.
Opposes:: it found the opposite, no benefit or a harm.
No effect:: no significant difference either way.
Mixed:: effects in both directions within the same study.
Unclear:: the abstract does not report a direction.

Study	Design	Sample size	Direction	Finding
Ayahuasca-Assisted Therapy for Addiction: Results from a Preliminary Observational Study in Canada 2013	observational study		Supports	Ayahuasca-assisted therapy was associated with statistically significant improvements in several factors related to problematic substance use.
Assessment of addiction severity among ritual users of ayahuasca 2010	observational cohort	127	Supports	Ayahuasca users showed significantly lower scores than controls on Addiction Severity Index Alcohol Use and Psychiatric Status subscales, with abstinence from illicit drug use maintained at one-year follow-up except for cannabis in the jungle-based group.
Exploring the therapeutic potential of Ayahuasca: acute intake increases mindfulness-related capacities 2015	exploratory study	25	Supports	Ayahuasca intake led to significant increases in mindfulness capacities, including reduced judgmental processing and increased decentering ability.
Ayahuasca: Psychological and Physiologic Effects, Pharmacology and Potential Uses in Addiction and Mental Illness 2018	review		Supports	Several studies suggest ayahuasca may be useful for treating various psychiatric disorders and addictions, with a relatively mild side effect profile.
Therapeutic Effects of Ritual Ayahuasca Use in the Treatment of Substance Dependence—Qualitative Results 2014	qualitative study	29	Supports	Findings indicate that ayahuasca can serve as a valuable therapeutic tool that, in carefully structured settings, can catalyze neurobiological and psychological processes supporting recovery from substance dependencies and relapse prevention.
Developments in harmine pharmacology — Implications for ayahuasca use and drug-dependence treatment 2012	review		Supports	Ayahuasca use appears to improve mental health and reduce recidivism to alcohol and cocaine misuse, with proposed pharmacological mechanisms including MAOI, effects at 5-HT(2A) and imidazoline receptors, and inhibition of DYRK1A and the dopamine transporter.
Psychological and neuropsychological assessment of regular hoasca users. 2016	cross-sectional study	57	Supports	Religious use of hoasca was associated with lower depression and confusion, higher agreeableness and openness, better memory, and less recent alcohol use, without adverse neuropsychological effects.
Ayahuasca’s entwined efficacy: An ethnographic study of ritual healing from ‘addiction’ 2017	theoretical or philosophical paper		Supports	Argues that fluid, adaptable forms of caregiving and community belonging are key to addiction recovery, as exemplified by ayahuasca rituals.
Exploring ayahuasca‐assisted therapy for addiction: A qualitative analysis of preliminary findings among an Indigenous community in Canada 2019	qualitative study	11	Supports	All participants reported reductions in substance use and cravings, and eight reported complete cessation of at least one substance at six-month follow-up.
Effects of Ayahuasca and its Alkaloids on Drug Dependence: A Systematic Literature Review of Quantitative Studies in Animals and Humans 2016	systematic review		Supports	Ayahuasca or its components improved addiction-related outcomes in animal studies and reduced dependence symptoms or substance use in four of five observational human studies.
Effects of ayahuasca on the development of ethanol-induced behavioral sensitization and on a post-sensitization treatment in mice 2015	experimental study		Supports	Ayahuasca prevented the development and reversed the expression of ethanol-induced behavioral sensitization in mice.
Hypotheses Regarding the Mechanisms of Ayahuasca in the Treatment of Addictions 2012	theoretical or philosophical paper		Supports	Proposes four hypotheses—biochemical, physiological, psychological, and transcendent—to explain how ayahuasca may exert anti-addiction effects.
Short-Term Treatment Effects of a Substance Use Disorder Therapy Involving Traditional Amazonian Medicine. 2019	observational cohort	36	Supports	The Amazonian medicine-based treatment program significantly reduced addiction severity, emotional distress, and substance craving while increasing quality of life in male patients with substance use disorder.
The Use of Classic Hallucinogens/Psychedelics in a Therapeutic Context: Healthcare Policy Opportunities and Challenges 2021	review		Supports	Psychedelics offer rapid and enduring therapeutic benefits for severe mental disorders, but legal restrictions and stigma pose major challenges to integration into health systems.
Can psychedelic compounds play a part in drug dependence therapy? 2015	review		Supports	Psychedelic drug therapy is being revisited in psychiatry for treating drug dependence, though clinical and legal limitations remain.
Phytochemical and Neuropharmacological Evaluation of Banisteriopsis caapi, Paullinia cupana, and Turnera diffusa for Potential Anti-Addiction Activity 2026	computational and in vitro study		Supports	Harmine, caffeine, and damianin exhibit multi-receptor neuropharmacological activity that may synergistically modulate dopaminergic, serotonergic, and GABAergic systems to mitigate addiction-related behaviors.
Ayahuasca and Its Main Component N,N-Dimethyltryptamine (DMT) for the Treatment of Mental Disorders: Mechanisms of Action, Clinical Studies, and Tools to Explore the Human Mind 2026	review		Unclear	DMT and 5-MeO-DMT show therapeutic potential for treatment-resistant depression and major depressive disorder, with several phase II studies underway.
The therapeutic potential of ayahuasca in depression, generalized anxiety, and substance use disorders: modulation of the depressive burden in a longitudinal study. 2026	longitudinal observational study	280	Supports	Ayahuasca combined with psychotherapeutic support was associated with significant reductions in depressive symptoms sustained for up to 180 days, and also shows potential in the treatment of substance dependence.
Ayahuasca prevents the reinstatement of cocaine-induced rewarding effects in C57Bl/6 mice. 2025	experimental study		Supports	Ayahuasca treatment prevented the reinstatement of cocaine-induced conditioned place preference in mice.
The therapeutic effects of psychedelics for opioid use disorder: A systematic review of clinical studies. 2025	systematic review		Unclear	Few clinical studies have been completed using serotonergic psychedelics for opioid use disorder, with most investigating ibogaine or ketamine, and the evidence is limited by weak study designs, few double-blind trials, and high risk of bias.
Long-Term Mental Health and Wellbeing Outcomes Associated with Naturalistic Ayahuasca Consumption. 2025	prospective cohort study	66	Mixed	Ayahuasca use was associated with persisting improvements in mental health and wellbeing up to 12 months, but decreases in alcohol and cannabis use were only observed at month 1.
Psychedelics and substance use disorder treatment. 2025	review		Supports	Classic psychedelics appear beneficial for alcohol, tobacco, and opioid use disorders, but no trials exist for stimulant or cannabis use disorders, suggesting potential broad transdiagnostic efficacy.
The contribution of psychotherapy in potential therapeutic effects of psychedelics for treatment of opioid use disorder. 2025	review		Unclear	There is insufficient high-quality evidence to support or oppose the necessity of concurrent psychotherapy in psychedelic trials for opioid use disorder.
Ayahuasca rituals for the treatment of substance use disorders: Three narratives of former patients of a neo‐shamanic center from Uruguay 2024	case study	3	Supports	Ayahuasca rituals, as part of a psychotherapeutic setting embedded in a social, cultural, and spiritual context, contributed to the recovery of three patients with substance use disorders.
Therapeutic Potential of Psychedelic Compounds for Substance Use Disorders. 2024	review		Supports	Psychedelics show promise as therapeutics for substance use disorders, but further research is needed.

Points of agreement

Observational and qualitative human studies consistently report reductions in substance use, craving, and addiction severity after ayahuasca-assisted therapy.
Ritual ayahuasca users show lower addiction severity and better mental health indicators than matched controls.
Animal studies support anti-addiction effects of ayahuasca, including prevention of ethanol sensitization and cocaine reward reinstatement.
Reviews and theoretical papers converge on ayahuasca having therapeutic potential for addiction, with proposed biological and psychological mechanisms.

Conflicts

One systematic review noted that one of five human observational studies did not report significant results, indicating some inconsistency.
A prospective cohort found alcohol and cannabis use reductions only at one month, while other studies report longer-lasting reductions.
The necessity of concurrent psychotherapy for psychedelic treatment of opioid use disorder is unresolved, with insufficient evidence to support or oppose it.

Gaps

No randomized controlled trials of ayahuasca for addiction were identified; most human evidence is observational or qualitative.
Durability of substance use reductions beyond one month is unclear, with mixed findings.
Small sample sizes and reliance on self-report limit generalizability.
Populations studied are mostly specific (Indigenous, religious, or treatment-seeking groups), limiting broader applicability.
Optimal dosing, blinding, and the role of psychotherapy remain unstudied.
No trials exist for stimulant or cannabis use disorders.

Browse these studies in the library

Common questions

What does the research agree on about ayahuasca for addiction?

Observational and qualitative human studies consistently report reductions in substance use, craving, and addiction severity after ayahuasca-assisted therapy.
Ritual ayahuasca users show lower addiction severity and better mental health indicators than matched controls.
Animal studies support anti-addiction effects of ayahuasca, including prevention of ethanol sensitization and cocaine reward reinstatement.
Reviews and theoretical papers converge on ayahuasca having therapeutic potential for addiction, with proposed biological and psychological mechanisms.

Where do studies on ayahuasca for addiction conflict?

One systematic review noted that one of five human observational studies did not report significant results, indicating some inconsistency.
A prospective cohort found alcohol and cannabis use reductions only at one month, while other studies report longer-lasting reductions.
The necessity of concurrent psychotherapy for psychedelic treatment of opioid use disorder is unresolved, with insufficient evidence to support or oppose it.

What is still unknown about ayahuasca for addiction?

No randomized controlled trials of ayahuasca for addiction were identified; most human evidence is observational or qualitative.
Durability of substance use reductions beyond one month is unclear, with mixed findings.
Small sample sizes and reliance on self-report limit generalizability.
Populations studied are mostly specific (Indigenous, religious, or treatment-seeking groups), limiting broader applicability.
Optimal dosing, blinding, and the role of psychotherapy remain unstudied.
No trials exist for stimulant or cannabis use disorders.

How we analyze this

This synthesis reads the 15 most-cited and 10 most recent studies whose primary subject is Ayahuasca for addiction, up to 25 in all. The most-cited set anchors the established evidence, and the recent set surfaces work that is too new to have gathered citations yet.

A study qualifies only when Ayahuasca for addiction or a known alias appears in its title or keywords, so broad reviews that mention it only in passing are left out. Each study is read from its abstract, strongest evidence first, and the summary reports the direction of the results along with any conflicts and gaps.

The full method, including what a person does and does not review, is on the methods page.

Ask your own question in the Research Synthesis Tool

58 articles · 10 from the last two years · 1,503 participants across 22 studies reporting sample size

Common study designs

review 13 qualitative study 8 systematic review 6 observational cohort 2 theoretical or philosophical paper 3

Research volume by year

Compare topics →

58 studies whose primary subject is ayahuasca for addiction since 2010

2026 is partial

Show the numbers

Studies about ayahuasca for addiction per year, 2010 to 2026, peaking at 8 in 2021
Year	Studies
2010	1
2011	0
2012	2
2013	2
2014	2
2015	3
2016	2
2017	2
2018	3
2019	6
2020	1
2021	8
2022	7
2023	7
2024	4
2025	5
2026	3

Research

Synthesize the evidence →

Phytochemical and Neuropharmacological Evaluation of Banisteriopsis caapi, Paullinia cupana, and Turnera diffusa for Potential Anti-Addiction Activity

Journal of Advances in Medicine and Pharmaceutical Sciences May 24, 2026 Fernando Benevenuto, Iscia Martha Franco, Antonio Eizirik et al.

Addiction remains a major neuropsychiatric challenge, with dopaminergic, serotonergic, and GABAergic dysregulation underlying maladaptive behaviors. Traditional Brazilian medicinal plants offer a rich source of neuroactive compounds, yet their multi-target mechanisms remain underexplored. This study aimed to evaluate the neuropharmacological potential of harmine, caffeine, and damianin through...

DOI: 10.36079/lamintang.jamaps-0501.935 Phytochemical Allosteric modulator In silico Docking animal +6

Ayahuasca and Its Main Component N,N-Dimethyltryptamine (DMT) for the Treatment of Mental Disorders: Mechanisms of Action, Clinical Studies, and Tools to Explore the Human Mind

Biomedicines February 25, 2026 Alice Melani, Giorgia Papini, Marco Bonaso et al.

In recent years, psychopharmacology has experienced a significant challenge, highlighting a renewed and strong scientific interest in psychedelics as breakthrough therapies for mental disorders. Psychedelics can influence cognitive and emotional processes, showing solid therapeutic potential, particularly in treatment-resistant psychiatric disorders. Amongst the most promising compounds,...

DOI: 10.3390/biomedicines14030506 Ayahuasca Neuroplasticity Addiction Hallucinogen +7

The therapeutic potential of ayahuasca in depression, generalized anxiety, and substance use disorders: modulation of the depressive burden in a longitudinal study.

Frontiers in Psychiatry 2026 Gláucio Silva Camargos, Geraldo Magela De Faria Júnior, Marcelo Lourenço et al.

This longitudinal observational study evaluated changes in depressive symptoms associated with ritualistic ayahuasca use in patients diagnosed with depressive disorders, as well as depressive burden in individuals with anxiety and substance use disorders. The research was conducted with 280 adults treated at clinics in the northwestern region of the state of São Paulo, under the jurisdiction of...

DOI: 10.3389/fpsyt.2026.1726909 Full text Ayahuasca Mental disorders Psychedelics Psychotherapy +1

Ayahuasca prevents the reinstatement of cocaine-induced rewarding effects in C57Bl/6 mice.

Psychopharmacology October 31, 2025 Vítor Bruno, Lídia Emmanuela Wiazowski Spelta, Matheus Lujan Pereira et al.

Ayahuasca is a brew containing the psychedelic compound N,N-dimethyltryptamine (DMT) and β-carbolines, traditionally consumed in indigenous rituals. Recent studies suggest its potential to reduce depression and anxiety and as an alternative for treating ethanol and tobacco use disorders. However, research on its impact on cocaine use disorder remains limited. To analyze the rewarding effects of...

DOI: 10.1007/s00213-025-06946-0 Full text Addiction Ayahuasca Cocaine use disorder Conditioned place preference +2

The therapeutic effects of psychedelics for opioid use disorder: A systematic review of clinical studies.

Psychiatry Research June 1, 2025 Jeremy Weleff, Alejandra Pulido-Saavedra, Ardavan Mohammad Aghaei et al. 4 citations

Opioid-related overdose deaths have reached record high levels, and novel treatments for opioid use disorder (OUD) are needed. The three United States Food and Drug Administration (FDA)-approved medications for OUD function primarily at the mu-opioid receptor. While these remain the gold-standard treatment for OUD, they have shortcomings and treatment options separate from the opioid receptor...

DOI: 10.1016/j.psychres.2025.116446 Full text Ayahuasca Ketamine LSD Noribogaine +8

Long-Term Mental Health and Wellbeing Outcomes Associated with Naturalistic Ayahuasca Consumption.

Journal of Psychoactive Drugs February 20, 2025 Broc A. Pagni, Andreas Halman, Jerome Sarris et al. 7 citations

The durability of ayahuasca's effects on mental health and the influence of clinical diagnoses on therapeutic response is unclear. Adults with no prior exposure to ayahuasca (n = 66) participating in neo-shamanic ayahuasca ceremonies completed questionnaires at baseline, 7 days, and 1, 6, and 12 months. Mixed models were used to characterize temporal trajectories in mental health, alcohol and...

DOI: 10.1080/02791072.2025.2465800 Full text DMT Anxiety Depression Addiction +10

The contribution of psychotherapy in potential therapeutic effects of psychedelics for treatment of opioid use disorder.

Current Addiction Reports 2025 Anahita Bassir Nia, Yalda Farahmand, Garret Griffith et al.

Despite national efforts to curb the opioid crisis, the clinical and societal challenges continue to grow. FDA-approved medications for opioid use disorder (OUD) are effective but are associated with high rates of treatment discontinuation and relapse. A collection of agents with acute effects on consciousness, collectively (if variably) categorized as 'psychedelics', have emerged as potential...

DOI: 10.1007/s40429-025-00638-7 Full text Ayahuasca Ketamine Lysergic acid diethylamide Noribogaine +1

Psychedelics and substance use disorder treatment.

International review of neurobiology 2025 Caitlin M. DuPont, Matthew W. Johnson 6 citations

The current chapter presents the literature evaluating the effects of classic psychedelic treatments on five substance use disorders: alcohol, tobacco, opioid, stimulant, and cannabis. Most work on psychedelics and substance use disorders was conducted for alcohol use disorder. A range of classic psychedelics (LSD, psilocybin, and ayahuasca) appear to be beneficial for facilitating both reduced...

DOI: 10.1016/bs.irn.2025.03.005 Full text Alcohol use disorder Ayahuasca LSD Psilocybin +10

Ayahuasca rituals for the treatment of substance use disorders: Three narratives of former patients of a neo‐shamanic center from Uruguay

Anthropology of Consciousness November 10, 2024 Juan Scuro, Ismael Apud, Víctor T. Pérez Martínez 3 citations

Abstract Ayahuasca is a psychedelic beverage from the Amazon rainforest, used in spiritual and religious settings for medical purposes. Since the 1990s onwards, several religious and neo‐shamanic groups have been using it in Uruguay within the psychospiritual networks. Some participants go to rituals of ayahuasca looking for therapeutic alternatives to certain ailments, such as substance use...

DOI: 10.1111/anoc.12242 Ayahuasca Narrative Center category theory Substance use +3

Therapeutic Potential of Psychedelic Compounds for Substance Use Disorders.

Pharmaceuticals (Basel, Switzerland) November 5, 2024 Tamara Valdez, Valbhi Patel, Nattaphone Senesombath et al. 4 citations

Psychedelics have recently (re)emerged as therapeutics of high potential for multiple mental health conditions, including substance use disorders (SUDs). Despite early mid-20th century anecdotal reports and pilot studies demonstrating the possibility of these substances in efficaciously treating conditions such as alcohol and opioid use disorders, legal restrictions and social stigma have...

DOI: 10.3390/ph17111484 Full text Ayahuasca Ibogaine Ketamine Lysergic acid diethylamide +10