A standardized extract of Mimosa tenuiflora (SEMT), the plant used to prepare jurema wine, shows antidepressant-like effects in mice. The extract contains 24.74 ± 0.8 mg/g of N,N-dimethyltryptamine (DMT) and also yuremamine. In the tail suspension and forced swim tests, SEMT reduced immobility, indicating antidepressant-like activity, and this effect did not require harmine, a β-carboline. A sub-dose combination with ketamine also reduced immobility. SEMT enhanced head twitch behavior induced by 5-HTP, and ketanserin blocked its antidepressant-like effect, suggesting the effect involves activation of 5-HT2A/2C receptors.
The chemical composition of Mimosa tenuiflora (Jurema-preta), a plant used in traditional medicine, varies with seasons. Over two years of bimonthly collections in northeastern Brazil, phenolic compounds (especially flavonoids) increased with water stress, radiation, and temperature. Production of the psychoactive compound N,N-dimethyltryptamine (DMT) decreased with higher radiation and temperature but was unaffected by rainfall. Total alkaloids and overall yield showed little connection to climate. These findings highlight the importance of considering season when harvesting the plant for pharmacological use.