O uso de ayahuasca vem se expandindo no Brasil para além do contexto religioso tradicional, alcançando também padrões recreativos, com riscos psiquiátricos ainda pouco documentados na literatura nacional. Este relato descreve o caso de uma paciente de 28 anos, com Transtorno Afetivo Bipolar (CID-10 F31.2) diagnosticado havia nove anos e três internações prévias por mania psicótica, internada...
medRxivAugust 27, 2026Krista Whitley, Kai Davide Castellarin, Kumar Dave et al.
preprint
Abstract Ayahuasca use has expanded beyond its traditional Amazonian contexts, yet prospective longitudinal data examining depressive symptoms following naturalistic use in the United States remain limited. We conducted an interim analysis of an ongoing prospective observational cohort of adults participating in naturalistic ayahuasca use in Las Vegas, Nevada. Depressive symptoms were assessed...
Abstract Purpose of Review This review integrates evidence from the literature with network pharmacology tools to explore the decoction’s multitarget potential and provide multilevel insights into its therapeutic role in neuropsychiatric disorders. Recent Findings Neuropsychiatric disorders remain a significant health burden, underscoring the limitations of single-target pharmacotherapies and...
This research addresses visionary practices in contemporary Ecuadorian art, focusing on their relationship with the ritual ingestion of San Pedro (Echinopsis pachanoi) and Ayahuasca (Banisteriopsis caapi). From a perspective grounded in animist ontologies, which understand nature as a vast web of interconnected beings with interiority, the study analyzes how these master plants function as...
Ayahuasca is traditionally prepared by aqueous extraction and concentration of Banisteriopsis caapi and Psychotria viridis. The resulting beverage contains N,N-dimethyltryptamine (DMT), harmine, harmaline, tetrahydroharmine (THH), additional alkaloids, polyphenolic constituents, carbohydrates, organic acids, suspended solids, and numerous other plant-derived compounds. The source plants are...
Background: Despite the rapid growth of psychedelic research, limited attention has been given to how psychedelics are used, experienced and integrated within highly conservative religious communities, and in Jewish contexts more broadly. This study addresses this gap by examining ayahuasca use among the ultra-Orthodox (Haredi) community, a highly religious, conservative, and collectivist...
Alternative healthcare practices using psychedelic “plant medicines,” such as ayahuasca, challenge current prohibition and mainstream healthcare frameworks. Despite the criminalization of ayahuasca's active component, N,N-dimethyltryptamine (DMT), Australian ayahuasca dietero networks have developed sophisticated healthcare systems with systematic assessment processes, safety mechanisms, and...
The aim of the present work is to explore possible similarities between the subjective experience of “being dead” described by some individuals following ayahuasca use and the conviction of being dead that may occur in certain cases of Cotard syndrome. Interest in this question arises from a recurring observation, both in testimonies collected directly and in accounts publicly available on the...
Few topics in contemporary psychiatry generate as much fascination, hope, and discomfort as the therapeutic use of psychedelics.For some, they represent a long-awaited disruption in the treatment of depression, a field in which many patients still experience partial response, relapse, or treatment resistance despite decades of
ABSTRACT Posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) is a mental health condition that can develop following exposure to a traumatic event, often with persistent anxiety and depressive symptoms. Recent research suggests the microbiome-gut-brain axis may play an important role in the etiology and pathophysiology of PTSD. At the same time, retreats incorporating psychedelic-assisted therapies have...