Changes in inflammatory biomarkers are related to the antidepressant effects of Ayahuasca
Journal of Psychopharmacology July 10, 2020 Nicole Leite Galvão‐coelho, Ana Cecília de Menezes Galvão, Raíssa Nóbrega de Almeida et al. 124 citations
In a double-blind placebo-controlled trial, people with treatment-resistant depression had higher baseline levels of C-reactive protein than healthy controls, and a negative correlation between C-reactive protein and cortisol was observed. Ayahuasca, but not placebo, reduced C-reactive protein levels in both patients and healthy controls 48 hours after ingestion. Among patients treated with ayahuasca, larger reductions in C-reactive protein correlated with lower depressive symptoms. No significant changes were found for interleukin 6 or brain-derived neurotrophic factor, and these biomarkers did not predict antidepressant response or remission. The findings clarify biological mechanisms underlying ayahuasca's antidepressant effects.