Behavioural Processes
June 6, 2015
Aline Pic‐taylor, Luciana Gueiros Da Motta, Juliana Alves de Morais et al.
99 citations
Ayahuasca, a psychoactive beverage containing DMT and β-carboline alkaloids, was administered to female Wistar rats at doses 15X, 30X, and 50X the typical ritual dose. The lethal oral dose exceeded 50X (15.1 mg/kg DMT). At 30X, ayahuasca reduced locomotion in open field and elevated plus-maze tests and increased swimming in the forced swimming test, suggesting antidepressant-like effects. Neuronal activation increased in serotonin-related brain areas, with some brain injury but no permanent damage. These findings indicate antidepressant properties at high doses, warranting further study.
Chemico-Biological Interactions
August 4, 2018
Thayres S. Andrade, Rhaul Oliveira, Muriel Lopes Da Silva et al.
31 citations
Ayahuasca, a psychoactive brew made from Banisteriopsis caapi and Psychotria viridis plants and used ancestrally by Amazonian populations and more recently by religious groups, causes developmental toxicity and behavioral changes in zebrafish embryos and larvae. Over 96 hours of exposure at concentrations from 0 to 1000 mg/L, the LC50 was 236.3 mg/L. Exposure led to hatching delay, loss of equilibrium, edema, and red blood cell accumulation, mainly at the highest concentration. Locomotor activity in larvae decreased at the highest concentration tested. These results align with mammal studies and highlight possible risks of uncontrolled ayahuasca use.
Alcohol
November 4, 2019
Luciana Marangni Nolli, Danilo Gustavo Rodrigues de Oliveira, Stefany Sousa Alves et al.
28 citations
Ayahuasca, a hallucinogenic infusion used in religious rituals with serotoninergic properties, did not reduce ethanol intake in Wistar rats that had intermittent access to ethanol for 8 weeks when given at 0.5x, 1x, or 2x the ritual dose over the final 5 days. Naltrexone (2 mg/kg) modestly reduced intake compared to controls. Ethanol increased cFos expression in several brain regions, including the medial orbital cortex, ventral orbital cortex, lateral orbital cortex, and nucleus accumbens. Both naltrexone and the lowest ayahuasca dose decreased cFos in the medial orbital cortex relative to controls, but only ayahuasca brought expression to levels similar to a naïve group. Further studies are needed to clarify ayahuasca's effects on alcohol intake and its neural mechanisms.