Ayahuasca: An ancient sacrament for treatment of contemporary psychiatric illness?
Mental Health Clinician January 1, 2017 Benjamin J. Malcolm, Kelly C. Lee 26 citations
Ayahuasca, a traditional psychoactive sacrament used for centuries in Amazonian shamanic rituals, produces its psychedelic effects through the combination of monoamine oxidase inhibitors (MAOIs) from the Banisteriopsis caapi vine and N-N-dimethyltryptamine from Psychotria viridis or Diplopterys cabrerana. Its ritual use has recently increased, drawing attention for potential treatment of mental illnesses like substance use and depressive disorders. However, its MAOI properties raise concerns about serious drug interactions in patients. This paper describes ayahuasca's pharmacology, potential drug interactions, and clinical data on its therapeutic potential in psychiatric illness.