Pre-clinical interaction of ayahuasca, a brew used in spiritual movements, with morphine and propofol
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.