Psychoactives
December 11, 2023
Juliana Mendes Rocha, José Augusto Silva Reis, Giordano Novak Rossi et al.
3 citations
As psychedelic research expands to include more diverse participants with varied medical conditions, the risk of adverse events increases, yet specialized safety protocols for such trials are scarce. The LEAPS research group at the University of São Paulo developed standardized guidelines for managing adverse scenarios in clinical trials with ayahuasca and ibogaine. These protocols, based on the hospital's established philosophy, expert consultation, and literature review, address both psychiatric issues (panic attacks, suicidal behavior, psychotic episodes) and clinical issues (hypertensive crisis, hypoglycemia) to ensure volunteer safety.
Journal of Psychedelic Studies
September 4, 2025
Giordano Novak Rossi, Rishma S. I. Khubsing, Eline Haijen et al.
Both a single ayahuasca ceremony and a single breathwork session led to lasting improvements in cognitive flexibility, emotion regulation, positive affect, and sleep quality over three months. Improvements in cognitive flexibility appeared before changes in emotion regulation, partially supporting the idea that cognitive shifts may drive later emotional gains. The two treatments did not differ in their overall benefits, and the role of participants' experience and motivation remains unclear. The findings suggest that both practices can promote psychological well-being, but further research is needed to clarify the mechanisms and temporal order of these effects.
Psychoactives
July 15, 2025
Bianca Villanova, Giordano Novak Rossi, Lorena Terene Lopes Guerra et al.
Ayahuasca, a psychoactive brew containing DMT and harmine, may reduce pain and inflammation. A systematic review of 29 preclinical studies found that ayahuasca and its alkaloids, especially harmine, produce antinociceptive effects and shift cytokine balance toward anti-inflammatory. More research is needed.
November 27, 2020
Giordano Novak Rossi
Ayahuasca with or without cannabidiol (CBD) did not significantly alter the recognition of facial expressions of emotions or empathy in healthy volunteers. In a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial with 17 participants, ayahuasca alone or combined with CBD produced no significant changes in accuracy of emotion recognition or in emotional and cognitive empathy. Reaction times decreased in both groups, suggesting a learning effect. Ayahuasca increased openness to experience in the placebo-plus-ayahuasca group. Subjective effects included visual alterations, well-being, and tranquility, with no difference between groups. CBD did not modify ayahuasca's subjective effects but may have influenced personality changes.