Journal of Psychoactive Drugs
June 1, 2005
James C. Callaway
Twenty nine decoctions of Banisteriopsis caapi from four different sources and one specimen of B. caapi paste were analyzed for N,N-dimethyltryptamine (DMT), tetrahydroharmine (THH), harmaline and harmine. Other plants were also used in the preparation of these products, typically Psychotria viridis, which provides DMT. There were considerable variations in alkaloid profiles, both within and...
Journal of Psychoactive Drugs
June 1, 2005
James C. Callaway
34 citations
Harmine, a major alkaloid in ayahuasca (hoasca), is a selective and reversible inhibitor of the enzyme monoamine oxidase-A (MAO-A). It is also a selective inhibitor of the human cytochrome P450 isozyme 2D6 (CYP 2D6), which metabolizes harmine to a more hydrophilic derivative for eventual excretion. CYP 2D6 exhibits a wide range of polymorphisms in human populations, and variations in this...
Journal of Psychoactive Drugs
June 1, 2005
David E. Stuckey, Robert F. Lawson, Luís Eduardo Luna
43 citations
The current study examined QEEG power and coherence of ayahuasca experiences with two experienced participants in a Brazilian jungle setting. An exploratory case series design was adopted for naturalistic field research. EEGs recorded during visual imagery was compared to eyes-closed baselines. The most important findings were increases in global EEG coherence in the 36-44 Hz and 50-64 Hz...
Journal of Psychoactive Drugs
June 1, 2005
Jordi Riba, Manel J. Barbanoj
58 citations
Since the winter of 1999, the authors and their research team have been conducting clinical studies involving the administration of ayahuasca to healthy volunteers. The rationale for conducting this kind of research is twofold. First, the growing interest of many individuals for traditional indigenous practices involving the ingestion of natural psychotropic drugs such as ayahuasca demands the...
Journal of Psychoactive Drugs
June 1, 2005
Paulo César Ribeiro Barbosa, Joel Sales Giglio, Paulo Dalgalarrondo
121 citations
This report describes psychological assessments of the first time ritual use of ayahuasca in the religious groups União do Vegetal and Santo Daime. Nineteen subjects who tried the beverage in Santo Daime rituals and nine subjects who tried it in União do Vegetal rituals were evaluated one to four days before their first ayahuasca experience in life and one to two weeks after this experience....
Journal of Psychoactive Drugs
June 1, 2005
Michael Winkelman
156 citations
This research addresses the question of whether Westerners who seek traditional spiritual medicine known as ayahuasca can be best characterized as "drug tourists" or as people pursuing spiritual and therapeutic opportunities. Participants in an ayahuasca retreat in Amazonia were interviewed regarding their motivations for participation and the benefits they felt that they received. These...
Journal of Psychoactive Drugs
June 1, 2005
Marlene Dobkin De Rios, Charles S. Grob
22 citations
(2005). Editors' Introduction: Ayahuasca Use in Cross-Cultural Perspective. Journal of Psychoactive Drugs: Vol. 37, Ayahuasca Use In Cross-Cultural Perspective, pp. 119-121.
Journal of Psychoactive Drugs
June 1, 2005
Evelyn Doering-Silveira, Enrique Lopez, Charles S. Grob et al.
70 citations
The purpose of the study was to evaluate neuropsychologically adolescents who use ayahuasca in a religious context. A battery of neuropsychological tests was administered to adolescents who use ayahuasca. These subjects were compared to a matched control group of adolescents who did not use ayahuasca. The controls were matched with regards to sex, age, and education. The neuropsychological...
Journal of Psychoactive Drugs
June 1, 2005
Dartiu Xavier Da Silveira, Charles S. Grob, Marlene Dobkin De Rios et al.
111 citations
Ayahuasca is believed to be harmless for those (including adolescents) drinking it within a religious setting. Nevertheless controlled studies on the mental/ psychiatric status of ritual hallucinogenic ayahuasca concoction consumers are still lacking. In this study, 40 adolescents from a Brazilian ayahuasca sect were compared with 40 controls matched on sex, age, and educational background for...
Journal of Psychoactive Drugs
June 1, 2005
Marlene Dobkin De Rios, Charles S. Grob, Enrique Lopez et al.
34 citations
Qualitative research was conducted in Brazil among 28 ayahuasca-consuming adolescents members of the União do Vegetal Church, and 28 adolescents who never used ayahuasca. They were compared on a number of qualitative variables, including vignettes measuring moral and ethical concerns. Psychocultural studies utilizing co-occurences of variables in the realm of qualitative studies are useful in...