New Insights into the Chemical Composition of Ayahuasca

Comparative study of sample preparation procedures to determine the main compounds in ayahuasca beverages by QuEChERS and high-performance liquid chromatography analysis

INTRODUCTION

Ayahuasca is a psychoactive drink originally consumed by indigenous people of the Amazon. The lack of regulation of this drink leads to uncontrolled consumption, and it is often consumed in religious contexts.

OBJECTIVE

The aim of this work is to compare three miniaturised extraction techniques for extracting the main ayahuasca compounds from beverages.

METHODOLOGY

Three sample pretreatment techniques were evaluated (dispersive liquid-liquid microextraction [DLLME], microextraction by packed sorbent [MEPS] and QuEChERS [Quick, Easy, Cheap, Effective, Rugged and Safe]) for the simultaneous extraction of N,N-dimethyltryptamine (DMT), tetrahydroharmine (THH), harmine, harmaline, harmol and harmalol from ayahuasca beverage samples. Then, the most promising technique (QuEChERS) was chosen to pre-concentrate the analytes, subsequently detected by high-performance liquid chromatography coupled to a diode array detector (HPLC-DAD).

RESULTS

The procedure was optimised, with the final conditions being 500 μL of extractor solvent, 85 mg of primary secondary amine (PSA) and 4 s of vortexing. The analytical method was validated, showing to be linear between 0.16 and 10 μg/mL for β-carbolines and between 0.016 and 1 μg/mL for DMT, with coefficients of determination (R2) between 0.9968 and 0.9993. The limit of detection (LOD) and lower limit of quantification (LLOQ) were 0.16 μg/mL for all compounds, except for DMT (0.016 μg/mL) and extraction efficiencies varied between 60.2% and 88.0%.

CONCLUSION

The analytical methodology proved to be accurate and precise, with good linearity, LODs and LLOQs. This method has been fully validated and successfully applied to ayahuasca beverage samples.

Harmol used for the treatment of herpes simplex virus induced keratitis

Herpes simplex virus type 1 (HSV-1) infection of the eyes results in herpes simplex keratitis (HSK), which has led to vision loss and even blindness in patients. However, the rate of drug resistance in HSV is on the rise; therefore, new antiviral agents with sufficient safety profiles must be developed. At present, we assessed the anti-HSV-1 activity of 502 natural compounds and their ability to reduce the HSV-1-induced cytopathic effect. We chose harmol for further studies because it exhibited the highest antiviral activity. We found that harmol inhibited both HSV-1 F and HSV-1/153 (a clinical drug-resistant strain) replication, with an EC50 of 9.34 µM and 5.84 µM, respectively. Moreover, harmol reduced HSV-1 replication in corneal tissues and viral progeny production in tears, and also alleviated early corneal surface lesions related to HSK. For example, harmol treatment preserved corneal thickness and nerve density in HSK mice. Interestingly, harmol also showed a promising antiviral effect on HSV-1/153 induced HSK in mouse model. Furthermore, harmol combined with acyclovir (ACV) treatment showed a greater antiviral effect than either one alone in vitro. Therefore, harmol may be a promising therapeutic agent for managing HSK.

Ayahuasca and its major component harmine promote antinociceptive effects in mouse models of acute and chronic pain

ETHNOPHARMACOLOGICAL RELEVANCE

Ayahuasca (AYA) is a psychedelic brew used in religious ceremonies. It is broadly used as a sacred medicine for treating several ailments, including pain of various origins.

AIM OF THE STUDY

To investigate the antinociceptive effects of AYA and its mechanisms in preclinical models of acute and chronic pain in mice, in particular during experimental neuropathy.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

The antinociceptive effects of AYA administered orally were assessed in the following models of pain: formalin test, Complete Freund's Adjuvant (CFA)-induced inflammation, tail flick test, and partial sciatic nerve ligation model of neuropathic pain. Antagonism assays and Fos immunohistochemistry in the brain were performed. AYA-induced toxicity was investigated. AYA was chemically characterized. The antinociceptive effect of harmine, the major component present in AYA, was investigated.

RESULTS

AYA (24-3000 μL/kg) dose-dependently reduced formalin-induced pain-like behaviors and CFA-induced mechanical allodynia but did not affect CFA-induced paw edema or tail flick latency. During experimental neuropathy, single treatments with AYA (24-3000 μL/kg) reduced mechanical allodynia; daily treatments once or twice a day for 14 days promoted consistent and sustained antinociception. The antinociceptive effect of AYA (600 μL/kg) was reverted by bicuculline (1 mg/kg) and methysergide (5 mg/kg), but not by naloxone (5 mg/kg), phaclofen (2 mg/kg), and rimonabant (10 mg/kg), suggesting the roles of GABAA and serotonergic receptors. AYA increased Fos expression in the ventrolateral periaqueductal gray and nucleus raphe magnus after 1 h, but not after 6 h or 14 days of daily treatments. AYA (600 μL/kg) twice a day for 14 days did not alter mice's motor function, spontaneous locomotion, body weight, food and water intake, hematological, biochemical, and histopathological parameters. Harmine (3.5 mg/kg) promoted consistent antinociception during experimental neuropathy.

CONCLUSIONS

AYA promotes consistent antinociceptive effects in different mouse models of pain without inducing detectable toxic effects. Harmine is at least partially accountable for the antinociceptive properties of AYA.

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

Background

There is growing scientific evidence for the therapeutic benefits of the Amazonian plant-based psychedelic "ayahuasca" for neuropsychiatric disorders such as depression and anxiety. However, there are certain challenges when incorporating botanical ayahuasca into biomedical research and clinical therapy environments. Formulations inspired by ayahuasca, which contain specific and standardized active components, are a potential remedy.

Methods

We investigated subjective acute and persisting effects of a novel formulation containing the reversible monoamine oxidase inhibitor harmine (orodispersible tablet containing 100 mg MAO-I) and N,N-dimethyltryptamine (incremental intranasal dosing of up to 100 mg DMT), compared with two other conditions, namely harmine alone and placebo, in a crossover RCT in 31 healthy male subjects.

Results

DMT + harmine, but not harmine alone, induced a psychedelic experience assessed with the 5D-ASC rating scale [global score: F(2,60) = 80.21, p < 0.001] and acute experience sampling items over time, characterized by psychological insights [PIQ, F(2,58.5) = 28.514, p < 0.001], emotional breakthroughs [EBI, F(2,60) = 26.509, p < 0.001], and low scores on the challenging experience questionnaire [CEQ, F(2,60) = 12.84, p < 0.001]. Participants attributed personal and spiritual significance to the experience (GSR) with mainly positive persisting effects (PEQ) at 1- and 4-months follow-up. Acute drug effects correlated positively with persisting effects. We found no changes in trait measures of personality, psychological flexibility, or general well-being, and no increases in psychopathology (SCL-90-R) were reported.

Discussion and Conclusion

Our results suggest that the experience induced by the standardized DMT + harmine formulation induces a phenomenologically rich psychedelic experience, demonstrates good psychological safety and tolerability, is well tolerated, and induces beneficial psychological processes that could possibly support psychotherapy. Further studies are required to investigate the psychotherapeutic potential in patients.

Ayahuasca, Personality and Acute Psychological Effects in Neo-Shamanic and Religious Settings in Uruguay

This study is an interdisciplinary research into Uruguayan ayahuasca users belonging to one neo-shamanic and one Santo Daime group. The study involved the chemical analysis of ayahuasca samples, an ethnographic description of the two traditions and rituals, and the application of psychometric scales to measure personality differences, and the acute psychological effects during an ayahuasca ritual. Personality measurements showed lower scores for Santo Daime in Neuroticism-Anxiety, Dependence, Low Self-Esteem, Anger and Restlessness. These differences may be related to the presence of participants under treatment in the neo-shamanic group and/or to the protective effects of a church religion such as Santo Daime. Regarding acute effects, the neo-shamanic group showed higher scores in Somesthesia and Perception, which can be related to the high-arousal ritual setting. Chemical analysis for the ayahuasca samples showed a typical composition of alkaloids. No adulterants were found. The sample from the neo-shamanic group displayed a higher β-carbolines:DMT ratio compared to the Santo Daime sample, which could be related to the higher effects observed for Somesthesia for the neo-shamanic group. Significant positive correlations between some personality traits and acute effects were found only in the neo-shamanic group, which may be related to the more individualistic approach of this tradition.

Cortical structural differences following repeated ayahuasca use hold molecular signatures

Introduction

Serotonergic psychedelics such as ayahuasca are reported to promote both structural and functional neural plasticity via partial 5-HT2A agonism. However, little is known about how these molecular mechanisms may extend to repeated psychedelic administration in humans, let alone neuroanatomy. While early evidence suggests localised changes to cortical thickness in long-term ayahuasca users, it is unknown how such findings may be reflected by large-scale anatomical brain networks comprising cytoarchitecturally complex regions.

Methods

Here, we examined the relationship between cortical gene expression markers of psychedelic action and brain morphometric change following repeated ayahuasca usage, using high-field 7 Tesla neuroimaging data derived from 24 members of an ayahuasca-using church (Santo Daime) and case-matched controls.

Results

Using a morphometric similarity network (MSN) analysis, repeated ayahuasca use was associated with a spatially distributed cortical patterning of both structural differentiation in sensorimotor areas and de-differentiation in transmodal areas. Cortical MSN remodelling was found to be spatially correlated with dysregulation of 5-HT2A gene expression as well as a broader set of genes encoding target receptors pertinent to ayahuasca's effects. Furthermore, these associations were similarly interrelated with altered gene expression of specific transcriptional factors and immediate early genes previously identified in preclinical assays as relevant to psychedelic-induced neuroplasticity.

Conclusion

Taken together, these findings provide preliminary evidence that the molecular mechanisms of psychedelic action may scale up to a macroscale level of brain organisation in vivo. Closer attention to the role of cortical transcriptomics in structural-functional coupling may help account for the behavioural differences observed in experienced psychedelic users.

Altered State of Consciousness and Mental Imagery as a Function of N, N-dimethyltryptamine Concentration in Ritualistic Ayahuasca Users

Consumption of the psychedelic brew ayahuasca is a central ritualistic aspect of the Santo Daime religion. The current observational, baseline controlled study was designed to assess whether members (n = 24) of the Santo Daime church would show enhanced capacity for mental imagery during an ayahuasca experience. In addition, this study assessed whether the effects of ayahuasca on consciousness and mental imagery were related to peak serum concentration of N, N-dimethyltryptamine (DMT), the main psychoactive component. Measures of altered states of consciousness (5-Dimensional Altered States of Consciousness Questionnaire) and ego dissolution (Ego Dissolution Inventory [EDI]) as well as measures of mental imagery (visual perspective shifting, vividness of visual imagery, cognitive flexibility, associative thinking) were taken on two subsequent days on which members of Santo Daime were sober or drank a self-selected volume of ayahuasca. Measures of altered states of consciousness revealed that feelings of oceanic boundlessness, visual restructuralization, and EDI increased most prominently after drinking and shared a positive correlation with peak DMT concentration. Measures of mental imagery did not noticeably differ between the baseline and ayahuasca condition, although subjective ratings of cognitive flexibility were lower under ayahuasca. Two measures related to mental imagery, that is, perspective shifts and cognitive flexibility, were significantly correlated to peak DMT concentrations. Peak concentrations of DMT and other alkaloids did not correlate with ayahuasca dose. These findings confirm previous notions that the primary phenomenological characteristics of ayahuasca are driven by DMT. Compensatory or neuroadaptive effects associated with long-term ayahuasca intake may have mitigated the acute impact of ayahuasca in Santo Daime members on mental imagery.

Developing non-opioid therapeutics to alleviate pain among persons with opioid use disorder: a review of the human evidence

The opioid crisis remains a major public health concern, causing significant morbidity and mortality worldwide. Pain is frequently observed among individuals with opioid use disorder (OUD), and the current opioid agonist therapies (OAT) have limited efficacy in addressing the pain needs of this population. We reviewed the most promising non-opioid analgesic therapies for opioid-dependent individuals synthesising data from randomised controlled trials in the Medline database from December 2022 to March 2023. Ketamine, gabapentin, serotoninergic antidepressants, and GABAergic drugs were found to be the most extensively studied non-opioid analgesics with positive results. Additionally, we explored the potential of cannabinoids, glial activation inhibitors, psychedelics, cholecystokinin antagonists, alpha-2 adrenergic agonists, and cholinergic drugs. Methodological improvements are required to advance the development of novel analgesic strategies and establish their safety profile for opioid-dependent populations. We highlight the need for greater integration of experimental pain methods and abuse liability assessments, more granular assessments of prior opioid exposure, greater uniformity of pain types within study samples, and a particular focus on individuals with OUD receiving OAT. Finally, future research should investigate pharmacokinetic interactions between OAT and various non-opioid analgesics and perform reverse translation basic experiments, particularly with methadone and buprenorphine, which remain the standard OUD treatment.