Scientific Reports
March 5, 2020
José Carlos Bouso, Daniel Jiménez‐garrido, María de Lourdes Gómez-sousa et al.
111 citations
Ayahuasca, a hallucinogenic decoction used in traditional Amazonian medicine, may have therapeutic benefits for psychiatric disorders. In a study of 40 first-time users, nearly half (45%) initially met criteria for a psychiatric disorder; after ayahuasca use, more than 80% of those showed clinical improvements that persisted at 6 months. Questionnaires indicated significant reductions in depression and psychopathology. Long-term users (n=23) had lower depression scores and higher self-transcendence and quality of life compared to first-time users. The authors suggest further controlled and observational studies are warranted to assess risks and benefits.
Journal of Psychoactive Drugs
February 7, 2019
Genís Oña, Maja Kohek, Tomàs Massaguer et al.
76 citations
Long-term ayahuasca use in community settings is linked to better self-reported health and healthier lifestyles. A survey of 380 regular users in Spain found that 56% reduced their prescription drug use after starting ayahuasca. Those who had used ayahuasca more than 100 times scored higher on measures of personal values. The authors conclude that respectful, controlled use of psychedelic drugs in group settings can benefit public health.
Frontiers in Psychiatry
June 16, 2021
Dóra Révész, Genís Oña, Giordano Novak Rossi et al.
42 citations
During the first strict COVID-19 lockdown (April–July 2020), people who had used psychedelic drugs regularly (more than once per six months) reported less psychological distress, less peritraumatic stress, and more social support than occasional or non-users. Regular users also scored higher on novelty-seeking and self-transcendence and lower on cooperativeness. The findings suggest that lifetime psychedelic use may be a protective factor for mental health under stressful confinement, or that pre-existing personality traits make some individuals more likely to use psychedelics. The study surveyed 2,974 English, Portuguese, and Spanish speakers online.
Journal of Psychoactive Drugs
May 28, 2022
Maja Kohek, Genís Oña, Michiel van Elk et al.
25 citations
Regular participation in ayahuasca ceremonies is not linked to relevant health harms. Compared to normative Dutch data, 377 participants (50.1% women, mean age 48.8 years) showed better general well-being, fewer chronic or lifestyle-related diseases, more physical activity, and a more balanced diet. During the COVID-19 pandemic, they used less alcohol. Although they used more illegal drugs than the general population, they did not report associated harms. This evidence could inform drug policymakers in developing evidence-based public policies.
Human Psychopharmacology Clinical and Experimental
February 2, 2022
Rafael G. Dos Santos, Juliana Mendes Rocha, Giordano Novak Rossi et al.
20 citations
A post-hoc analysis of two small randomized placebo-controlled trials measured endocannabinoid (anandamide, AEA; 2-arachidonoylglycerol, 2-AG) plasma levels in healthy volunteers and in volunteers with social anxiety disorder (SAD) after a single oral dose of ayahuasca or placebo. In the SAD group, ayahuasca intake was associated with a significant difference in AEA concentrations over time, and near-significant increases in AEA were observed at 90 and 240 minutes after intake. No definitive conclusions could be drawn due to high interindividual variability and small sample sizes. Larger studies are needed to clarify ayahuasca's effects on the endocannabinoid system.
Drugs Education Prevention and Policy
May 7, 2019
Marc Aixalà, Genís Oña, Òscar Parés et al.
16 citations
A survey of 564 natural psychoactive drug (NPD) users from 52 countries found that the typical user is a well-educated adult who uses these substances sporadically. Psilocybe mushrooms (88.5%) and ayahuasca (51%) were the most used. Users reported positive life influences and good mental health. The authors argue that NPDs differ from synthetic new psychoactive substances (NPSs) in safety and use patterns, and should not be legally classified together with NPSs.
Current Medicinal Chemistry
December 13, 2019
Genís Oña, José Carlos Bouso
15 citations
Developing highly selective drugs for central nervous system disorders has proven unsuccessful. Multi-target ligands, which act on multiple biological pathways, are now proposed as treatments offering better efficacy and safety. Natural products, including psychoactive drugs like ayahuasca and cannabis, exemplify this multi-target approach and show therapeutic promise for psychiatric and neurological conditions. This text describes how research on psychoactive drugs can be combined with polypharmacology, using ayahuasca and cannabis as examples, and discusses the advantages and disadvantages of this strategy.
ACS Chemical Neuroscience
October 6, 2020
Genís Oña, Rafael G. Dos Santos, Jaime E. C. Hallak et al.
12 citations
Research on psychedelic drugs typically examines isolated compounds, but this approach may overlook important effects because these substances contain multiple active ingredients. This viewpoint argues that studying whole products like ayahuasca or Psilocybe mushrooms, rather than just single compounds, could reveal additional therapeutic or experiential properties. The authors describe how psychedelic research can incorporate a polypharmacology framework, which considers the combined actions of multiple chemicals. Ethical considerations of this broader approach are also briefly discussed.
Scientific Reports
September 11, 2023
José Carlos Bouso, Dóra Révész, Genís Oña et al.
9 citations
During the peak of the COVID-19 pandemic in April 2020, a longitudinal transcultural study surveyed English-, Spanish-, and Portuguese-speaking participants about sociodemographics, lifestyle, COVID-19 circumstances, and drug use, emphasizing hallucinogenic drugs. Users of hallucinogenic drugs reported higher psychological well-being and lower scores on psychopathology scales at baseline and follow-ups, with regular users showing even larger differences. Among those with more psychological distress, regular hallucinogen users had higher scores for post-traumatic growth. Results varied across cultural contexts, with more English-speaking regular users. The findings suggest a potential role for hallucinogens in promoting post-traumatic growth during large-scale catastrophes.
Psychoactives
September 2, 2022
Genís Oña, Dóra Révész, Maja Kohek et al.
9 citations
Coping strategies are more closely linked to psychological well-being and psychopathology than to hallucinogenic drug use, according to a survey of 2,971 people from three cultural contexts followed for six months during the COVID-19 pandemic. Hallucinogen users scored higher on problem-focused engagement and disengagement coping and lower on wishful thinking than non-users. Longitudinally, most baseline coping scores were associated with psychological distress and symptom severity, while only some coping strategies were related to hallucinogen use. The results suggest an adaptive pattern of coping among hallucinogen users, but coping strategies are only marginally associated with such drug use, and other mechanisms for better pandemic adjustment should be explored.
Psychoactives
March 20, 2023
Guilherme Henrique de Morais Santos, Lucas Silva Rodrigues, Juliana Mendes Rocha et al.
6 citations
Ayahuasca, a serotoninergic hallucinogen used in Amazonian traditional medicine, alters brain connectivity in ways similar to other psychedelics. A review of 11 neuroimaging studies found that acute consumption expands local neural networks while reducing overall brain connectivity, with notable effects on the Default Mode Network suggesting short-term neuromodulation. In chronic users, anatomical changes in the cingulate cortex have been reported. The findings are preliminary and more research is needed.
Revista de Antropología Social
November 20, 2023
Maja Kohek, José Carlos Bouso, Genís Oña
3 citations
A woman who migrated from the Brazilian rainforest to Barcelona seventeen years ago became a healer working with ayahuasca, kambó (frog venom), and sananga (herbal eye drops). The case study examines authenticity, communitas, and self-care. Shamanism, religion, and health are fluid and dynamic processes that interact with and absorb influences from their surroundings. Exploring compatibilities between beliefs and practices from different traditions mixed with biomedical approaches broadens understanding of relationships among religion or spirituality, health, and well-being. The article concludes by proposing a contribution from medical anthropology to challenges posed by the globalization of ayahuasca practices.