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Ayahuasca for the Treatment of Depression

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Disruptive Psychopharmacology

Part of the book series: Current Topics in Behavioral Neurosciences ((CTBN,volume 56))

Abstract

Ayahuasca, the vine of the souls in Quechua, is a psychedelic brew with a few formulations that most often include the bark of a liana in the Malpighiaceae family (Banisteriopsis caapi), with leaves from a shrub in the coffee family Rubiaceae (Psychotria viridis). Mixed with water and boiled for hours or days, it produces a brownish-colored liquid with a strong and characteristic taste. Ayahuasca contains the psychedelic tryptamine N,N-Dimethyltryptamine (DMT), and Monoamine Oxidase Inhibitors (MAOi), and in the past few years, it has been tested. In recent years its antidepressant properties have been put to the test. Evidence from open and randomized placebo-controlled clinical trials has shown encouraging results, indicating significant and rapid antidepressant effects, starting as early as 1 day after the ayahuasca intervention. In addition, we have explored the nature of these effects using multivariate measures. In this article, we will review the history, pharmacology, clinical trials, and clinical and behavioral markers associated with the antidepressant effects of ayahuasca.

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Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Brain Institute, Federal University of Rio Grande do Norte (UFRN), Natal, Brazil

    Fernanda Palhano-Fontes & Draulio B. Araujo

  2. Hospital Universitário Onofre Lopes (UFRN), Natal, Brazil

    Fernanda Palhano-Fontes, Emerson Arcoverde & Draulio B. Araujo

  3. National Science and Technology Institute for Translational Medicine, Natal, Brazil

    Bruno Lobão Soares & Nicole Leite Galvão-Coelho

  4. Department of Biophysics and Pharmacology (UFRN), Natal, Brazil

    Bruno Lobão Soares

  5. Department of Physiology and Behavior, Laboratory of Hormone Measurement (UFRN), Natal, Brazil

    Nicole Leite Galvão-Coelho

Authors
  1. Fernanda Palhano-Fontes
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  2. Bruno Lobão Soares
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  3. Nicole Leite Galvão-Coelho
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  4. Emerson Arcoverde
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  5. Draulio B. Araujo
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Corresponding author

Correspondence to Draulio B. Araujo .

Editor information

Editors and Affiliations

  1. Center for Psychedelic and Consciousness Research, Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, USA

    Frederick S. Barrett

  2. Department of Psychiatry, Psychotherapy and Psychosomatics, Psychiatric University Hospital Zürich, University of Zurich, Zürich, Switzerland

    Katrin H. Preller

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Palhano-Fontes, F., Soares, B.L., Galvão-Coelho, N.L., Arcoverde, E., Araujo, D.B. (2021). Ayahuasca for the Treatment of Depression. In: Barrett, F.S., Preller, K.H. (eds) Disruptive Psychopharmacology . Current Topics in Behavioral Neurosciences, vol 56. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/7854_2021_277

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