The pharmacological interaction of compounds in ayahuasca: a systematic review
Brazilian Journal of Psychiatry – July 03, 2020
Source: OpenAlex
Summary
Despite its long history as a traditional medicine, the complex pharmacology of Ayahuasca remains largely a mystery. A review of 16 papers in Psychedelics and Drug Studies reveals limited understanding of how its compounds, like DMT (a tryptamine derivative related to brain chemistry), interact. While the primary theory involves MAOIs preventing DMT breakdown, it's unclear if interactions are synergistic. Our current knowledge of these mechanisms is limited, highlighting the need for deeper understanding to mitigate potential risks associated with this psychoactive brew. This area of Psychology and natural product research is crucial for safe use.
Abstract
Ayahuasca is a South American psychoactive plant brew used as traditional medicine in spiritual and in cultural rituals. This is a review of the current understanding about the pharmacological mechanisms that may be interacting in ayahuasca. Searches were performed using PubMed, PsycINFO, and Web of Science databases and 16 papers were selected. As hypothesized, the primary narrative in existing research revolved around prevention of deamination of N,N-dimethyltryptamine (N,N-DMT, also referred to as DMT) by monoamine oxidase inhibitors (MAOIs) in ayahuasca. Two of the constituents, DMT and harmine, have been studied more than the secondary harmala alkaloids. At present, it is unclear whether the pharmacological interactions in ayahuasca act synergistically or additively to produce psychoactive drug effects. The included studies suggest that our current understanding of the preparation's synergistic mechanisms is limited and that more complex processes may be involved; there is not yet enough data to determine any potential synergistic interaction between the known compounds in ayahuasca. Our pharmacological understanding of its compounds must be increased to avoid the potential risks of ayahuasca use.