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 October 22, 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 early-stage and mostly observational: several small studies and qualitative reports describe reduced substance use, cravings, and addiction severity after ayahuasca-assisted therapy or ritual use, and animal studies show ayahuasca can block or reverse drug-related behaviors. A systematic review found four of five observational human studies reported significant reductions in dependence symptoms or substance use, but there are no controlled clinical trials of ayahuasca for addiction, so causality, durability, and generalizability remain unestablished. The main caveats are small samples, self-report, lack of blinding and randomization, and reliance on structured ceremonial or therapeutic settings.

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	Ritual ayahuasca users showed significantly lower Addiction Severity Index Alcohol Use and Psychiatric Status scores than controls, with abstinence from illicit drugs largely maintained at one-year follow-up, though some differences were no longer significant in the urban group.
Exploring the therapeutic potential of Ayahuasca: acute intake increases mindfulness-related capacities 2015	exploratory study	25	Supports	Ayahuasca intake produced significant increases in mindfulness facets reflecting reduced judgmental processing and inner reactivity, and in decentering ability.
Ayahuasca: Psychological and Physiologic Effects, Pharmacology and Potential Uses in Addiction and Mental Illness 2018	review		Supports	Reviews ayahuasca's pharmacology and effects and concludes that several studies suggest it may be useful for treating 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	Interviewees reported that ayahuasca, in carefully structured settings, can catalyze neurobiological and psychological processes supporting recovery from substance dependence and relapse prevention, with outcomes influenced by contextual variables.
Developments in harmine pharmacology — Implications for ayahuasca use and drug-dependence treatment 2012	review		Supports	Argues that ayahuasca use appears to improve mental health and reduce recidivism to alcohol and cocaine misuse, and proposes pharmacological mechanisms involving MAOI, 5-HT2A and imidazoline receptors, DYRK1A, and the dopamine transporter.
Psychological and neuropsychological assessment of regular hoasca users. 2016	cross-sectional study	57	Supports	Regular religious hoasca users showed lower depression and confusion, higher agreeableness and openness, better memory, and less recent alcohol use than controls, without adverse neuropsychological effects.
Ayahuasca’s entwined efficacy: An ethnographic study of ritual healing from ‘addiction’ 2017	theoretical or philosophical paper		Unclear	Argues that fluid, adaptable 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, with increased connectedness described as a key element.
Effects of Ayahuasca and its Alkaloids on Drug Dependence: A Systematic Literature Review of Quantitative Studies in Animals and Humans 2016	systematic review		Supports	All five animal studies showed improvement in drug-related biochemical or behavioral parameters, and four of five observational human studies reported significant reductions in dependence symptoms or substance use, while one did not.
Effects of ayahuasca on the development of ethanol-induced behavioral sensitization and on a post-sensitization treatment in mice 2015	experimental study		Supports	Ayahuasca attenuated the development of ethanol-induced behavioral sensitization at all doses tested and blocked its subsequent expression after a counter-sensitization protocol.
Hypotheses Regarding the Mechanisms of Ayahuasca in the Treatment of Addictions 2012	theoretical or philosophical paper		Unclear	Proposes four hypotheses (biochemical, physiological, psychological, transcendent) to explain how ayahuasca may exert anti-addiction effects, noting the mechanism remains unclear.
Short-Term Treatment Effects of a Substance Use Disorder Therapy Involving Traditional Amazonian Medicine. 2019	observational cohort	36	Supports	An Amazonian medicine plus psychotherapy program significantly reduced addiction severity, emotional distress, and craving and increased quality of life from admission to treatment completion.
The Use of Classic Hallucinogens/Psychedelics in a Therapeutic Context: Healthcare Policy Opportunities and Challenges 2021	review		Supports	Argues psychedelics show promising anti-addictive and other therapeutic effects with rapid and enduring responses, while legal restrictions and stigma impede research and integration.
Can psychedelic compounds play a part in drug dependence therapy? 2015	review		Supports	Argues that psychedelic drug therapy, including ayahuasca, is being revisited for drug dependence and warrants research despite clinical and legal limitations.
Ayahuasca treatment reduces 50-kHz ultrasonic vocalizations and modifies mesocorticolimbic monoamine neurochemistry in rats. 2026	randomized controlled trial		Supports	Ayahuasca reduced 50-kHz ultrasonic vocalizations (including trill and flat calls) in vehicle- and lisdexamfetamine-pretreated rats and altered mesocorticolimbic monoamine metabolism, suggesting attenuation of drug-induced positive affective responses.
Phytochemical and Neuropharmacological Evaluation of Banisteriopsis caapi, Paullinia cupana, and Turnera diffusa for Potential Anti-Addiction Activity 2026	computational and in vitro study		Supports	Docking and network simulations suggest harmine, caffeine, and damianin may synergistically modulate dopaminergic, serotonergic, and GABAergic systems in ways relevant to addiction.
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	Reviews mechanisms and clinical studies of ayahuasca and DMT, focusing on treatment-resistant depression and noting limited clinical trials for other indications.
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 with psychotherapeutic support was associated with significant and sustained reductions in depressive symptoms up to 180 days, with potential benefit in substance dependence and variability in individual response.
Ayahuasca prevents the reinstatement of cocaine-induced rewarding effects in C57Bl/6 mice. 2025	experimental study		Supports	Ayahuasca produced weaker rewarding effects than cocaine and prevented cocaine-induced reinstatement of conditioned place preference.
The therapeutic effects of psychedelics for opioid use disorder: A systematic review of clinical studies. 2025	systematic review		Mixed	Few clinical studies exist for opioid use disorder, most involve ibogaine or ketamine, and the evidence is limited by weak designs, few double-blind or placebo-controlled 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 mental health improvements up to 12 months, but decreases in alcohol and cannabis use were observed only at month 1.
Psychedelics and substance use disorder treatment. 2025	review		Supports	Argues classic psychedelics including ayahuasca appear beneficial for alcohol, tobacco, and opioid use disorders, with no trials yet for stimulant or cannabis use disorders, and most evidence is observational.
The contribution of psychotherapy in potential therapeutic effects of psychedelics for treatment of opioid use disorder. 2025	review		Unclear	Finds 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	Three patients' narratives describe recovery attributed to ayahuasca rituals embedded in a psychotherapeutic, social, cultural, and spiritual setting rather than to ayahuasca alone.

Points of agreement

Observational and qualitative human studies consistently report reduced substance use, craving, or addiction severity after ayahuasca-assisted therapy or ritual use.
Regular ritual ayahuasca users show lower addiction severity and psychiatric symptom scores than controls without evidence of drug-abuse-related psychosocial harm.
Animal studies show ayahuasca can attenuate or reverse drug-related behaviors such as ethanol sensitization and cocaine reinstatement.
Reviewers agree the human evidence is preliminary and that controlled trials are needed.
Proposed mechanisms span pharmacology (MAOI, 5-HT2A, dopaminergic) and psychological/community factors.

Conflicts

One observational human study in the systematic review did not find significant reductions, and ASI differences in urban users were not significant at follow-up.
Alcohol and cannabis use reductions were short-lived (month 1 only) in one prospective cohort despite persisting mental health gains.
Some authors emphasize pharmacological mechanisms while others argue community and caregiving context drives recovery.

Gaps

No randomized, placebo-controlled or blinded clinical trials of ayahuasca for addiction in humans.
Durability of substance-use reductions beyond short follow-up is largely unestablished.
Small samples, self-report, and confounding by ceremonial/therapeutic setting limit causal inference.
Little evidence for stimulant and cannabis use disorders specifically.
Dose, session frequency, and the necessity of concurrent psychotherapy are unstudied.
Populations studied are narrow (Indigenous communities, religious groups, single treatment centers).

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 reduced substance use, craving, or addiction severity after ayahuasca-assisted therapy or ritual use.
Regular ritual ayahuasca users show lower addiction severity and psychiatric symptom scores than controls without evidence of drug-abuse-related psychosocial harm.
Animal studies show ayahuasca can attenuate or reverse drug-related behaviors such as ethanol sensitization and cocaine reinstatement.
Reviewers agree the human evidence is preliminary and that controlled trials are needed.
Proposed mechanisms span pharmacology (MAOI, 5-HT2A, dopaminergic) and psychological/community factors.

Where do studies on ayahuasca for addiction conflict?

One observational human study in the systematic review did not find significant reductions, and ASI differences in urban users were not significant at follow-up.
Alcohol and cannabis use reductions were short-lived (month 1 only) in one prospective cohort despite persisting mental health gains.
Some authors emphasize pharmacological mechanisms while others argue community and caregiving context drives recovery.

What is still unknown about ayahuasca for addiction?

No randomized, placebo-controlled or blinded clinical trials of ayahuasca for addiction in humans.
Durability of substance-use reductions beyond short follow-up is largely unestablished.
Small samples, self-report, and confounding by ceremonial/therapeutic setting limit causal inference.
Little evidence for stimulant and cannabis use disorders specifically.
Dose, session frequency, and the necessity of concurrent psychotherapy are unstudied.
Populations studied are narrow (Indigenous communities, religious groups, single treatment centers).

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

59 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 →

59 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	4

Research

Synthesize the evidence →

Ayahuasca treatment reduces 50-kHz ultrasonic vocalizations and modifies mesocorticolimbic monoamine neurochemistry in rats.

Pharmacology, Biochemistry, and Behavior September 30, 2026 Camila Pasquini De Souza, Vinicius Theiss De Rosso, Daiane Momo Daneluz et al.

Rats emit 50-kHz ultrasonic vocalizations (USVs), a widely used measure of drug-induced motivational and affective effects and dopaminergic activity. Although psychedelic drugs are promising for addiction treatment, the effects of ayahuasca (AYA) on 50-kHz ultrasonic vocalizations (USVs) remain unclear. We investigated whether acute AYA treatment attenuates lisdexamfetamine (LDX)-induced USVs,...

DOI: 10.1016/j.pbb.2026.174274 Full text Addiction Serotonin Amphetamine Dopamine +4

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