Journal of psychoactive drugs
January 1, 2019
Ilana Berlowitz, Heinrich Walt, Christian Ghasarian et al.
70 citations
An integrative treatment program combining Amazonian medicine with psychotherapy significantly reduced substance use disorder symptoms in male patients. Among 36 participants who completed the program, addiction severity for drug and alcohol use, psychiatric status, social and familial relationships, emotional distress, and substance craving all decreased substantially. Quality of life also increased markedly. Nearly all participants were dependent on multiple substances, primarily cannabis, alcohol, and cocaine-related drugs. These preliminary results suggest the approach may offer new therapeutic options for substance use disorders.
Frontiers in Pharmacology
October 7, 2020
Ilana Berlowitz, Ernesto García Torres, Heinrich Walt et al.
43 citations
In the Peruvian Amazon, tobacco—particularly Nicotiana rustica—is used as a potent medicinal plant, applied topically or ingested to treat conditions including mental health issues, respiratory problems, parasitic infections, gout, and spiritual-energetic ailments. A transdisciplinary field study interviewed a Maestro Tabaquero (traditional healer specializing in tobacco) to document preparation methods, indications, contraindications, effects, and risks. The most common remedy was a liquid taken orally, producing acute psychoactive effects and physiological responses like vomiting. Safe treatment requires a skilled healer knowledgeable in dosing and managing adverse effects. This work contributes to research on Amazonian medicine and psychedelic-assisted therapies.
Brazilian Journal of Psychiatry
December 16, 2017
Ilana Berlowitz, Christian Ghasarian, Heinrich Walt et al.
39 citations
Experts at an addiction treatment center in the Peruvian Amazon described substance use disorders using concepts similar to biopsychosocial models, but their therapeutic methods differed markedly from Western approaches. The main treatment methods involved dietary retreats, healing ceremonies, and purging rituals. Experts emphasized that the integral application of these Amazonian methods, along with their traditional implementation according to prescribed ritual protocols, is crucial for efficacy and safety. The authors suggest further scientific attention to these therapies, including clinical studies, to expand cross-cultural understanding of substance use disorders and potentially enhance treatment options.
Journal of Studies on Alcohol and Drugs
July 1, 2020
Ilana Berlowitz, Heinrich Walt, Christian Ghasarian et al.
19 citations
The Amazonian medicine-based therapy attracts a diverse group of patients, including those from outside the region, and may be especially appealing to individuals with substance use disorders (SUD) who have a history of unsuccessful treatment. The cultural diversity of the sample indicates international interest in such therapies among SUD treatment-seeking patients. These findings are relevant to the need for improved SUD therapies and add to the growing research on ayahuasca-based treatments.