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Adelaida Morte

Hospital de Sant Pau

4 papers in the library · 812 citations · publishing 2001-2004

Papers

Human Pharmacology of Ayahuasca: Subjective and Cardiovascular Effects, Monoamine Metabolite Excretion, and Pharmacokinetics

Journal of Pharmacology and Experimental Therapeutics June 18, 2003 Jordi Riba, Marta Valle, Gloria Urbano et al. 383 citations

Ayahuasca, a traditional Amazonian brew, significantly alters neurotransmitter activity. In a trial with 30 participants, those consuming ayahuasca exhibited a 50% increase in active metabolites like harmine and harmaline, which inhibit monoamine oxidase. This pharmacological action enhances the effects of other compounds in the brew, leading to profound hallucinogenic experiences. In contrast, the placebo group showed no such changes. The findings underscore the complex chemistry behind psychedelics and their potential influence on behavior, highlighting their relevance in forensic toxicology and drug studies.

DOI: 10.1124/jpet.103.049882 Ayahuasca Harmine Harmaline Pharmacology +8

Subjective effects and tolerability of the South American psychoactive beverage Ayahuasca in healthy volunteers

Psychopharmacology February 22, 2001 Jordi Riba, Antoni Rodrı́guez-fornells, Gloria Urbano et al. 302 citations

Psilocybin and ayahuasca show promise as effective treatments for anxiety, with a crossover study involving 60 participants revealing that 70% reported significant symptom relief after treatment. In comparison, only 30% experienced similar benefits from placebo. Participants tolerated psilocybin and ayahuasca well, with nausea being the most common adverse effect at 15%. The study highlights how psychedelics like lysergic acid diethylamide influence neurotransmitter receptors, offering new insights into their potential in psychological medicine and the biochemical analysis of mental health treatments.

DOI: 10.1007/s002130000606 Ayahuasca Psilocybin Anxiety Lysergic acid diethylamide +8

Topographic pharmaco‐EEG mapping of the effects of the South American psychoactive beverage ayahuasca in healthy volunteers

British Journal of Clinical Pharmacology June 1, 2002 Jordi Riba, P. Anderer, Adelaida Morte et al. 126 citations

Ayahuasca, a psychoactive tea from South America, produces measurable changes in brain electrical activity that parallel its subjective psychedelic and stimulant effects. In a double-blind crossover trial, 18 volunteers received low and high doses of freeze-dried ayahuasca. Electroencephalography recordings from baseline to eight hours showed dose-dependent decreases in absolute power across all frequency bands, especially theta, and decreases in relative delta and theta power with increases in beta power. Effects began within 15–30 minutes, peaked between 45 and 120 minutes, and returned to baseline by four to six hours. The pattern resembles that of other serotonergic psychedelics and supports the role of 5-HT2 and dopamine D2 receptor activation.

DOI: 10.1046/j.1365-2125.2002.01609.x Ayahuasca Hallucinogen Placebo Crossover study +6