Pre-clinical interaction of ayahuasca, a brew used in spiritual movements, with morphine and propofol
Júlia Movilla Pires, Fúlvio Rieli Mendes, Ana Paula Salum Pires, Maurı́cio Yonamine, José Luiz Gomes Do Amaral, E.a. Carlini
Brazilian Journal of Pharmaceutical Sciences June 7, 2018 DOI: 10.1590/s2175-97902018000117174 via OpenAlex
Summary
AI-generated from the abstractAyahuasca, a psychoactive beverage used in religious rituals, contains dimethyltryptamine and harmala alkaloids that activate serotonergic pathways. In mice, ayahuasca alone reduced pain in writhing and formalin tests and boosted morphine's analgesic effect on the hot plate test. It intensified propofol's depressant effect in the rotarod test but shortened propofol-induced sleeping time. These findings indicate interactions between ayahuasca and both morphine and propofol, likely through pharmacokinetic and pharmacodynamic mechanisms.
Study at a glance
| Characteristics | Experimental study Peer reviewed |
|---|---|
| Population | Mice |
| Interventions | Ayahuasca Morphine Propofol |
| Dose | 12, 120 and 1200 mg/kg |
| Topics | Ayahuasca Serotonin |
| Keywords | Propofol Morphine Pharmacology Hallucinogen |
| Citations | 10 |
| Key finding | Ayahuasca showed antinociceptive effects alone and enhanced morphine's analgesia, while it intensified propofol's depressant effect but reduced propofol-induced sleeping time. |
Abstract
ABSTRACT Ayahuasca is a beverage with psychoactive properties used in religious and ceremonial rituals by some religious groups. The main active components of ayahuasca are dimethyltryptamine and the harmala alkaloids with β-carboline structure acting as monoamine oxidase A inhibitors. This combination produces a pronounced activation of serotonergic pathways and presents potential interaction with other psychotropics. The objective of this study was to investigate the possible interactions between ayahuasca and agents employed in general anesthesia. The pharmacological interactions between ayahuasca and morphine or propofol were evaluated in mice using doses of 12, 120 and 1200 mg/kg (0.1 to 10 times the average dose consumed by humans in religious rituals). Ayahuasca alone showed an antinociceptive effect in the writhing and formalin tests, and intensified the analgesic effect of morphine in the hot plate test. Concerning the pharmacological interactions between ayahuasca and propofol, the results were opposite; ayahuasca intensified the depressant effect of propofol in the rotarod test, but decreased the sleeping time induced by propofol. These set of results showed the occurrence of some interactions between ayahuasca and the drugs morphine and propofol, possibly by both pharmacokinetics and pharmacodynamics mechanisms.