Ayahuasca for Healthy Volunteers

16 papers and 6 clinical trials exploring ayahuasca as a treatment for healthy volunteers.

Compoundclassic psychedelic

Ayahuasca

Ayahuasca is a botanical decoction combining DMT with MAO-inhibiting harmala alkaloids, producing intense psychedelic effects lasting 3-6 hours. Clinical trials show rapid, large antidepressant effects from a single dose, with a favourable safety profile in controlled settings.

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IndicationApproximately 300 million people affected by depression worldwide.

Healthy Volunteers

Research involving healthy volunteers has expanded to investigate the therapeutic potentials of various psychedelics for mental health conditions. Recent findings, emphasizing compounds like psilocybin and DMT, illustrate a promising future for psychedelic-assisted therapies.

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Academic Research

16 papers
Open Accessindividual

DMT and harmala alkaloids: an exploratory study of oral Acacia based formulations in healthy volunteers

In this open-label exploratory crossover study of nine experienced ayahuasca users, three Acacia‑derived oral formulations delivering DMT plus harmala alkaloids were well tolerated, produced no clinically significant physiological changes, and elicited psychedelic effects rated comparable to (and for ACL‑010 sometimes more beneficial than) traditional ayahuasca. These findings suggest Acacia‑based DMT/harmala formulations are a feasible alternative for future clinical trials, although generalisability is limited by the small sample size and open‑label design.

Published
Journal
Frontiers in Psychiatry
Authors
Bonomo, Y. A., Collins, L., Dwyer, J., Norman, A. F., Perkins, D., Ross, M., Sarris, J.
Open Accessindividual

Enhancing mindfulness and compassion through an ayahuasca-inspired formulation containing N,N-DMT and harmine: A randomized controlled trial in healthy subjects

In a randomised, double‑blind, placebo‑controlled within‑subjects trial in 31 healthy volunteers, an ayahuasca‑inspired N,N‑DMT plus harmine formulation produced acute increases in mindfulness and both self‑ and other‑directed compassion one day after dosing compared with harmine or placebo, with larger effects in high‑sensitivity individuals. These findings suggest the formulation may have therapeutic potential similar to traditional ayahuasca and warrant further clinical investigation.

Published
Journal
Journal of Psychopharmacology
Authors
Aicher, H. D., Dornbierer, D. A., Meling, D., Mueller, M. J., Scheidegger, M., Wicki, I.
Paywallindividual

A Phase 1 single ascending dose study of pure oral harmine in healthy volunteers

In a Phase 1 open-label single ascending dose study in healthy adults, oral harmine hydrochloride had a weight-based maximum tolerated dose between 100–200 mg, with 90% of participants receiving >2.7 mg/kg experiencing dose-limiting toxicities. Doses below 2.7 mg/kg were generally well tolerated with minimal or no adverse events, whereas higher doses produced vomiting, drowsiness and limited psychoactivity; no serious adverse events were identified.

Published
Journal
Journal of Psychopharmacology
Authors
Ables, J. L., Banerjee, R., Cohen, J., DeVita, R. J., Fremont, R. T., Garcia-Ocaña, A., Govindarajulu, U., Israel, L., Kumar, K., Liu, H., Lu, G., Murrough, J. W., Stewart, A., Wang, P., Wood, O.
Open Accessindividual

Potential therapeutic effects of an ayahuasca-inspired N,N-DMT and harmine formulation: a controlled trial in healthy subjects

In a crossover RCT of 31 healthy male volunteers, an ayahuasca‑inspired formulation combining intranasal N,N‑DMT (up to 100 mg) with an orodispersible 100 mg harmine tablet produced robust, phenomenologically rich psychedelic experiences characterised by psychological insights and emotional breakthroughs, low challenging effects, and mainly positive persisting effects at 1 and 4 months. The compound showed good psychological safety and tolerability with no increases in psychopathology or changes in trait measures, indicating potential to support psychotherapeutic applications.

Published
Journal
Frontiers in Psychiatry
Authors
Aicher, H. D., Dornbierer, D. A., Mueller, M. J., Scheidegger, M.
Paywallindividual

Interactive Effects of Ayahuasca and Cannabidiol in Social Cognition in Healthy Volunteers: A Pilot, Proof-of-Concept, Feasibility, Randomized-Controlled Trial

In a small randomised, placebo-controlled pilot trial in healthy volunteers, 600 mg oral cannabidiol given before ayahuasca produced no detectable interaction on facial emotion recognition, empathy tasks or subjective effects — both groups showed reduced reaction times and decreases in anxiety/sedation with no between-group differences. Ayahuasca with or without CBD was generally well tolerated, supporting feasibility of further, larger trials to confirm these null-interaction findings.

Published
Journal
Journal of Clinical Psychopharmacology
Authors
Bertozi, G., Bouso, J. C., Crevelin, E. J., Crippa, J. A., De Oliveira Silveira, G., Dos Santos, R. G., Hallak, J. E., Ona, G., Osório, F. L., Queiroz, M. E. C., Rocha, J. M., Rossi, G. N., Yonamine, M.

Clinical Trials

6 trials

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Ayahuasca for Healthy Volunteers — Research Papers & Clinical Trials | Blossom