Ayahuasca

Preparation of ayahuasca

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Ayahuasca (a.k.a. yagé) is a hallucinogenic and entheogenic concoction used ceremonially in certain native Peruvian and Brazilian religions. The use of ayahuasca was first described outside of South American communities in the 1950s by ethnobotanist Richard Evans Schultes.^[1]

Users of ayahuasca describe having "profound life-changing spiritual experiences," and "a sense of inner peace and acceptance of self, others, and the world."^[2] However, it also makes you vomit and shit, and basically feel terrible. At first you're afraid you're going to die, then you're afraid you're not going to die. In recent years, people from other countries have been traveling to South America to have such an experience. This is ayahuasca tourism. Some shamans charge a whole heap of money for their goods and services.

Pharmacology

The active ingredient is N,N-dimethyltriptamine (DMT)^[3], which is a Schedule I substance in the USA. DMT, also known as "the spirit molecule", is normally metabolized in the stomach by monoamine oxidase (MAO), and so never reaches the bloodstream; but those cunning shamans long ago discovered that a monoamine oxidase inhibitor (MAOI) prevents first pass metabolism of DMT, which in turn allows the full effect of the DMT to be felt. As luck would have it, DMT is plentiful in shrubs of the Psychotria genus, and MAOI can be found in a jungle vine of the Malpighiaceae family (e.g., Banisteriopsis caapi). Let the party begin.

History

The use of psychoactive plants is known to have occurred in South America dates back thousands of years, specifically coca.^[4][5] The ancient use ayahuasca has been claimed, seemingly without evidence.^[6] However linguistic and folkloric evidence among indigenous South Americans indicates that its use is less than 500 years old,^[7] and possibly only about 50 years according to anthropologist Bernd Brabec de Mori.^[8] William Burroughs in his 1963 book The Yage Letters, described using yage (another name for ayahuasca) in 1953, marking its use as older than 72 years.^[9]

In recent years, ayahuasca use has been increasingly the subject of so-called "spiritual tourism" from non-indigenous populations.^[1] The claim of ancient usage has also been used in its promotion to tourists.^[10]

Benefits and dangers

Claimed benefits are roughly the same as for LSD and other psychedelic hallucinogens — namely, that it produces experiences described as being "spiritual" or "life-changing" in nature. MAPS has also conducted a preliminary observational study suggesting that ayahuasca may be helpful for treating certain aspects of addiction.^[11]

Complications include death, cardiac arrhythmia caused by the harmala alkaloids, and acute psychosis.^[12] Documented social dangers include rape of female ayahuascarians and, obviously, daylight robbery of the rich by the poor, which is arguably a benefit. There have been reports of other hallucinogens being mixed in (usually plants which contain scopolamine), to give the turistas "that extra buzz".

As the harmala alkaloids in ayahuasca are MAOIs, they strongly potentiate many prescription drugs. Specifically, they allow serotonin re-uptake inhibitors to generate far greater levels of extracellular serotonin, which may cause serotonin syndrome or death in extreme cases. Participants are advised not to take drugs unless they're sure they do not interact with MAOIs.

Where to find it

Celebrity ayahuasca tourists

A cruel mistress…

External links

Notes

References