A RARE CASE: AYAHUASCA TEA INTOXICATION
Selman Yeniocak, Asım Kalkan, Tuğba Aguş, Ahmet Fatih Demirel, İbrahim Akkoç, Burak Katipoğlu
Journal of Emergency Medicine Case Reports July 1, 2019 DOI: 10.33706/jemcr.609100 via OpenAlex
Summary
AI-generated from the abstractA 59-year-old man developed hallucinations, agitation, aggression, nausea, and vomiting 1.5 hours after drinking about one glass of Ayahuasca tea. In the emergency department, he had hypertension and dilated pupils, but blood tests, EKG, and chest x-ray were normal. He received symptomatic treatment and was discharged after 24 hours of observation. Ayahuasca contains DMT, which can cause hallucinogenic and autonomic effects when taken orally with a monoamine oxidase inhibitor. The authors suggest that uncontrolled use of Ayahuasca tea is toxic and may lead to mortality, and that emergency physicians should consider Ayahuasca ingestion in patients with agitation, hypertension, dilated pupils, and hallucinations.
Study at a glance
| Characteristics | Case report Peer reviewed |
|---|---|
| Sample size | 1 |
| Population | 59-year-old man |
| Intervention | Symptomatic treatment |
| Dose | approximately one tea glassful |
| Duration | 24-h clinical observation in the emergency department |
| Topics | Ayahuasca |
| Keywords | Mydriasis Emergency department Vomiting Nausea |
| Citations | 3 |
| Key finding | Ayahuasca tea ingestion can cause hallucinations, agitation, hypertension, mydriasis, nausea, and vomiting requiring emergency care. |
Abstract
Objective: Ayahuasca tea contains N, N-dimethyltryptamine (DMT) found in the leaves of the Psychotria viridis vine and -carbolines found in Banisteriopsis caapi.Case Report: A 59-year-old man was brought to the emergency department due to hallucinations, agitated behavior, aggression , nausea and vomiting developing 1.5 h after drinking approximately one tea glassful of Ayahuasca tea. Hypertension and mydriasis were determined, while blood, EKG and chest x-ray were normal. Symptomatic treatment was administered , and the patient was discharged following 24-hclinical observation in the emergency department.Discussion: it has been sugg ested that DMT exhibits anxiolytic effects in low doses, but that hallucinogenic effects emerge when taken in large doses. in order to be effective when taken orally, DMT must be used with a monoamine oxidase inhibitor. Our case exhibited hallucinations and the majority of the autonomic symptoms associated with DMT use described in the literature. Ayahuasca tea is toxic. Uncontrolled use may even result in mortality.Conclusion: Emergency physicians should consider Ayahuasca tea ingestion in patients presenting to the emergency department with agitation, hypertension, mydriasis and, particularly, hallucination .