O Uso da Ayahuasca como terapia alternativa na depressão: efeitos farmacológicos e adversos
Brazilian Journal of Natural Sciences October 12, 2021 Beatriz Souza Silva, Giovanna Pereira Lima, Isabela Rodrigues Alencar Dos Santos et al. 2 citations
Depression is commonly treated with antidepressants, especially selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs), but these drugs often cause adverse effects leading to treatment abandonment, and some patients stop responding. An alternative is the use of medicinal plants, with Ayahuasca tea being studied in this context. Made from Banisteriopsis caapi vine and Psychotria viridis leaves, Ayahuasca is an entheogenic beverage with psychoactive activity mediated by N,N-dimethyltryptamine (DMT) from the leaves, interacting with β-carboline derivatives (harmine, harmaline, tetrahydroharmine) from the vine, which act as monoamine oxidase inhibitors. This brief literature review clarifies Ayahuasca's use in treating depression, its pharmacological action, and adverse effects compared to conventional treatment, suggesting that with further study it could be a viable alternative if used cautiously.