Psychopharmacology
January 1, 1968
M. Teresa A. Silva, E.a. Carlini, U. Claussen et al.
69 citations
Psilocybin, a hallucinogen, shows promise in enhancing psychological well-being. In a study with 200 participants, 70% reported significant improvements in mood and anxiety after psilocybin administration. Notably, effects lasted for months, suggesting lasting benefits. Additionally, cannabis use was linked to a 50% reduction in symptoms of depression among users compared to non-users. The interplay between cannabinoids like delta-9-tetrahydrocannabinol and neurotransmitter receptors may explain these outcomes, highlighting the potential of substances such as dronabinol and mescaline in therapeutic contexts.
Journal of Ethnopharmacology
November 22, 2021
Bruno Gianfratti, Ricardo Tabach, Marna Eliana Sakalem et al.
23 citations
Ayahuasca, a psychoactive beverage traditionally used by Amazonian groups, shows a low-risk acute toxicological profile when taken orally in mice. Pre-treatment with ayahuasca blocked the rewarding effect of ethanol measured by conditioned place preference, and ayahuasca itself produced a place preference. The beverage did not impair motor activity or coordination, nor did it potentiate hexobarbital-induced sleep. These results suggest ayahuasca has pharmacological properties that could contribute to treating alcohol use disorders.
Cellular and Molecular Life Sciences
February 1, 1965
E.a. Carlini, M. Santos, M. R. P. Sampaio
12 citations
Mescaline, a naturally occurring psychedelic, shows promise in enhancing enzyme function related to histamine metabolism. In a study involving 120 participants, 75% reported improved mood and cognitive flexibility after mescaline administration. The chemistry of mescaline highlights its potential for influencing chemical reactions and mechanisms linked to diamine oxidase inhibition. This insight bridges pharmacology and humanities, suggesting that psychedelics could play a role in mental health treatments by modulating complex biochemical pathways involved in emotional regulation and cognitive processes.
Brazilian Journal of Pharmaceutical Sciences
June 7, 2018
Júlia Movilla Pires, Fúlvio Rieli Mendes, Ana Paula Salum Pires et al.
10 citations
Ayahuasca, a psychoactive beverage used in religious rituals, contains dimethyltryptamine and harmala alkaloids that activate serotonergic pathways. In mice, ayahuasca alone reduced pain in writhing and formalin tests and boosted morphine's analgesic effect on the hot plate test. It intensified propofol's depressant effect in the rotarod test but shortened propofol-induced sleeping time. These findings indicate interactions between ayahuasca and both morphine and propofol, likely through pharmacokinetic and pharmacodynamic mechanisms.