Microchemical Journal
April 5, 2012
Alain Gaujac, Sabrina Teixeira Martinez, Arão Araújo Gomes et al.
34 citations
A simple and fast method was developed to extract N,N-dimethyltryptamine (DMT) from the inner bark of Mimosa tenuiflora, producing a high-purity (>95%) analytical standard for chromatography. The extracted DMT was characterized using Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, mass spectrometry, nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy, and melting point measurements, all of which matched previous literature. This method addresses the difficulty of acquiring DMT, a banned substance in most countries, for use as a reference standard in analytical chemistry. In Brazil, DMT is a controlled drug, though the DMT-rich beverage ayahuasca is legally consumed in religious contexts.
Drug Testing and Analysis
May 11, 2012
Alain Gaujac, Sandro Navickiene, Mark I. Collins et al.
33 citations
Ayahuasca, a hallucinogenic beverage traditionally used by Amazonian indigenous communities, is gaining global popularity through syncretic religions like Santo Daime and União do Vegetal. Similarly, jurema wine, originating from indigenous cultures in northeastern Brazil, is now used in urban neo-shamanic rituals and religions such as Catimbó and Umbanda. Both drinks contain N,N-dimethyltryptamine, which requires co-administration of naturally occurring monoamine oxidase inhibitors, such as β-carboline derivatives, to induce psychoactive effects in humans. This review examines the cultural use of tryptamines and β-carbolines and describes recent analytical techniques for detecting these compounds in ayahuasca, its analogues, and the plants used in preparing these beverages.
Journal of Chromatography B
November 17, 2011
Alain Gaujac, Adriano Aquino, Sandro Navickiene et al.
30 citations
A simple, low-cost method using matrix solid-phase dispersion and gas chromatography with mass spectrometry was developed to measure N,N-dimethyltryptamine (DMT) in Mimosa tenuiflora inner bark. DMT is a potent hallucinogen found in ayahuasca, a beverage used in religious rituals by Santo Daime and União do Vegetal, which are practiced in several countries. The method showed good linearity and repeatability, with a detection limit of 0.12 mg/g. Analysis of 24 local samples found DMT concentrations ranging from 1.26 to 9.35 mg/g. The method may aid in monitoring DMT content in plant materials used in traditional and religious contexts.
Talanta
February 1, 2013
Alain Gaujac, Nicola M. Dempster, Sandro Navickiene et al.
29 citations
A method using solid-phase microextraction (SPME) combined with gas chromatography ion trap mass spectrometry (GC-IT-MS) reliably detects and measures N,N-dimethyltryptamine (DMT) in ayahuasca and vinho da jurema, plant-based beverages used in South American religious ceremonies. The technique, optimized with a PDMS/DVB fiber at 60°C for 70 minutes, achieves good precision (relative standard deviation below 8.6%), accuracy (71–109%), and a detection limit of 0.78 mg/L. Analysis of twelve real samples from Brazilian religious groups found DMT concentrations ranging from 0.10 to 1.81 g/L. The method minimizes sample handling and is robust for quantifying DMT in these increasingly globally available beverages.
Journal of AOAC International
January 20, 2017
Mônica C. Santos, Sandro Navickiene, Alain Gaujac
18 citations
A simple and low-cost method using solid-phase extraction and liquid chromatography with UV detection was developed to quantify six alkaloids—N,N-dimethyltryptamine, tryptamine, harmine, harmaline, harmalol, and tetrahydroharmine—in ayahuasca samples. The method demonstrated good linearity and repeatability, with a detection limit of 0.12 mg/L. It was applied to 20 samples from a religious group in Fortaleza, Brazil, revealing alkaloid concentrations ranging from 0.3 to 36.7 g/L.
Journal of the Brazilian Chemical Society
January 1, 2018
Sandro Navickiene, Luı́s M. N. B. F. Santos, Mônica C. Santos et al.
2 citations
A solid-phase extraction method using ultra-performance liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry was developed to quantify five major alkaloids—N,N-dimethyltryptamine, harmine, harmaline, harmalol, and tetrahydroharmine—in ayahuasca. Two new adsorbent materials, coconut charcoal and menthone-thiosemicarbazone polymer, were tested. Recoveries ranged from 40.6% to 116.2%, with detection limits between 0.003 and 0.016 μg mL⁻¹ and quantification limits between 0.009 and 0.043 μg mL⁻¹. The method was linear over 0.05–1.0 μg mL⁻¹ (correlation coefficients 0.9969–0.9998). Applied to an ayahuasca sample from a religious group in Fortaleza, Brazil, alkaloid concentrations ranged from 0.3 to 19.3 mg mL⁻¹.