AdolescentsSafety & Risk ManagementAyahuasca

Safety and Side Effects of Ayahuasca in Humans-An Overview Focusing on Developmental Toxicology

This review (2013) summarizes studies that investigated the toxicity of ayahuasca with regard to its consumption during pregnancy and long-term consumption and did not find evidence indicative of risk. Preclinical studies on rats provide some evidence that select ayahuasca alkaloids may be toxic for development, but these results require further validation through translational research in order to draw conclusions that generalize over human subjects.

Authors

  • Rafael dos Santos

Published

Journal of Psychoactive Drugs
meta Study

Abstract

Despite being relatively well studied from a botanical, chemical, and (acute) pharmacological perspective, little is known about the possible toxic effects of ayahuasca (an hallucinogenic brew used for magico-ritual purposes) in pregnant women and in their children, and the potential toxicity of long-term ayahuasca consumption. It is the main objective of the present text to do an overview of the risks and possible toxic effects of ayahuasca in humans, reviewing studies on the acute ayahuasca administration to humans, on the possible risks associated with long-term consumption by adults and adolescents, and on the possible toxic effects on pregnant animals and in their offspring. Acute ayahuasca administration, as well as long-term consumption of this beverage, does not seem to be seriously toxic to humans. Although some nonhuman developmental studies suggested possible toxic effects of ayahuasca or of some of its alkaloids, the limited human literature on adolescents exposed to ayahuasca as early as in the uterus reports no serious toxic effects of the ritual consumption of the brew. Researchers must take caution when extrapolating nonhuman data to humans and more data are needed in basic and human research before a definite opinion can be made regarding the possible toxic effects of ayahuasca in pregnant women and in their children.

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Research Summary of 'Safety and Side Effects of Ayahuasca in Humans-An Overview Focusing on Developmental Toxicology'

Introduction

Ayahuasca is a traditional Amazonian brew combining DMT-containing plants with monoamine oxidase A (MAO-A) inhibitors from Banisteriopsis caapi (β-carbolines such as harmine, harmaline and tetrahydroharmine). These β-carbolines prevent gastrointestinal breakdown of DMT, allowing central nervous system exposure. Although the botanical, chemical and acute pharmacology of ayahuasca have been relatively well studied, the potential toxic effects of acute and long-term consumption—particularly in pregnant women, adolescents and their offspring—remain poorly characterised. This paper aims to provide an overview of the human toxicological literature on ayahuasca up to January 2013, and to discuss the relevance of preclinical developmental toxicology studies to human ritual contexts. The investigators set out to review controlled clinical trials of acute administration, observational studies of long-term ritual consumption, case reports and preclinical developmental studies, with particular attention to safety, adverse events and developmental outcomes.

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Study Details

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