Toxicity of ayahuasca after 28 days daily exposure and effects on monoamines and brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) in brain of Wistar rats
Metabolic Brain Disease February 27, 2020 Camila Schoueri Colaço, Stefany Sousa Alves, Luciana Marangni Nolli et al. 56 citations
Ayahuasca, a hallucinogenic beverage affecting the serotonergic system, was safe for rats after 28 days of oral treatment at doses up to twice the ritualistic dose, based on clinical, hematological, and macroscopic results. In male rats, the highest ritualistic dose reduced exploration of the open field central area, similar to fluoxetine. Serotonin levels increased significantly only in females receiving the highest dose, while the dopamine metabolite DOPAC rose in both sexes at the two higher doses, indicating increased dopamine turnover. Brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) in the hippocampus was significantly higher in females treated with fluoxetine or the highest ayahuasca dose. Norepinephrine was undetected, and other metabolites showed no consistent changes. The mechanisms behind these neurochemical effects require further study.