MEDICINE RESEARCH / AYAHUASCA
AYAHUASCA
Library
Clinical trials, pharmacology, chemical composition, safety, longitudinal observation, and neuroimaging—with links to the original ayahuasca research.
Traditional brews, standardized or freeze-dried preparations, isolated DMT, and harmala alkaloids are distinguished, as are observational and controlled studies.
CURATED READING ORDER
Ayahuasca resources
- 01Double-blind randomized placebo-controlled trialSource-aligned translation
Rapid Antidepressant Effects of the Psychedelic Ayahuasca in Treatment-Resistant Depression: A Randomized Placebo-Controlled Trial
Rapid antidepressant effects of the psychedelic ayahuasca in treatment-resistant depression: a randomized placebo-controlled trial
A source-aligned translation of a double-blind randomized trial comparing ayahuasca with placebo in 29 patients with treatment-resistant depression. It presents short-term symptom changes alongside the limitations of a small trial.
Fernanda Palhano-Fontes et al. · Psychological Medicine · 2019
- 02Systematic review of prospective studiesDetailed introduction
Preliminary Effects of Ayahuasca on Mental and Physical Health: A Systematic Review of Prospective Studies
Preliminary effects of ayahuasca on mental and physical health: A systematic review of prospective studies
A 2026 systematic review of 18 prospective studies that followed participants before and after ayahuasca use, examining reported mental-health changes, the gap in physical-health research, and limitations common to naturalistic studies.
Michael J. Haupt, Savannah Carra, Kevin F. Boehnke, Jacob S. Aday · Progress in Neuro-Psychopharmacology and Biological Psychiatry · 2026
- 03Systematic thematic reviewDetailed introduction
Ayahuasca and Dimethyltryptamine Adverse Events and Toxicity Analysis: A Systematic Thematic Review
Ayahuasca and Dimethyltryptamine Adverse Events and Toxicity Analysis: A Systematic Thematic Review
A detailed introduction to a 2024 review that organized adverse-event and toxicity evidence on ayahuasca and DMT across 78 reports, including clinical, epidemiological, case-report, and preclinical research.
Eleanor White, Tom Kennedy, Simon Ruffell, Daniel Perkins, Jerome Sarris · International Journal of Toxicology · 2024
- 04Double-blind placebo-controlled human-pharmacology trialDetailed introduction
Human Pharmacology of Ayahuasca: Subjective and Cardiovascular Effects, Monoamine Metabolite Excretion, and Pharmacokinetics
Human pharmacology of ayahuasca: subjective and cardiovascular effects, monoamine metabolite excretion, and pharmacokinetics
A foundational human-pharmacology study that compared two conditions of freeze-dried ayahuasca with placebo under double-blind conditions in 18 experienced healthy adults, measuring subjective effects, cardiovascular responses, and blood concentrations.
Jordi Riba, Marta Valle, Gloria Urbano, Mercedes Yritia, Adelaida Morte, Manel J. Barbanoj · Journal of Pharmacology and Experimental Therapeutics · 2003
- 05Analytical-chemistry study of preparationsDetailed introduction
Chemical Composition of Traditional and Analog Ayahuasca
Chemical Composition of Traditional and Analog Ayahuasca
An analytical-chemistry study of 102 samples obtained from communities and other sources, comparing variation in DMT and harmala alkaloids and identifying nontraditional constituents in analog preparations.
Helle Kaasik, Rita C. Z. Souza, Flávia S. Zandonadi, Luís Fernando Tófoli, Alessandra Sussulini · Journal of Psychoactive Drugs · 2021
- 06International cross-sectional online surveySource-aligned translation
Adverse Effects of Ayahuasca: Results from the Global Ayahuasca Survey
Adverse effects of ayahuasca: Results from the Global Ayahuasca Survey
A source-aligned translation of an analysis from a large online survey of people with ayahuasca experience in more than 50 countries, covering acute physical reactions, subsequent mental effects, and use of medical or professional support.
José Carlos Bouso, Óscar Andión, Jerome J. Sarris, Milan Scheidegger, Luís Fernando Tófoli, Emérita Sátiro Opaleye, Violeta Schubert, Daniel Perkins · PLOS Global Public Health · 2022
- 07Longitudinal observational study with a control groupSource-aligned translation
Personality, Psychopathology, Life Attitudes and Neuropsychological Performance Among Ritual Users of Ayahuasca: A Longitudinal Study
Personality, psychopathology, life attitudes and neuropsychological performance among ritual users of Ayahuasca: a longitudinal study
A source-aligned translation of a longitudinal observational study that assessed 127 regular ritual participants and 115 religious controls who did not use ayahuasca, with some participants reassessed after 1 year.
José Carlos Bouso, Débora González, Sabela Fondevila, Marta Cutchet, Xavier Fernández, Paulo César Ribeiro Barbosa, Miguel Ángel Alcázar-Córcoles, Wladymir Sena Araújo, Manel J. Barbanoj, Josep Maria Fábregas, Jordi Riba · PLOS ONE · 2012
- 08Pre/post resting-state fMRI studySource-aligned translation
The Psychedelic State Induced by Ayahuasca Modulates the Activity and Connectivity of the Default Mode Network
The Psychedelic State Induced by Ayahuasca Modulates the Activity and Connectivity of the Default Mode Network
A source-aligned translation of a study comparing resting-state fMRI before ingestion and during acute effects in 10 healthy, experienced adults to examine activity and connectivity in the default mode network.
Fernanda Palhano-Fontes, Katia C. Andrade, Luis F. Tofoli, Antonio C. Santos, Jose Alexandre S. Crippa, Jaime E. C. Hallak, Sidarta Ribeiro, Drauilo B. de Araujo · PLOS ONE · 2015
- 09Uncontrolled human-pharmacokinetic studyDetailed introduction
Pharmacokinetics of Hoasca Alkaloids in Healthy Humans
Pharmacokinetics of Hoasca alkaloids in healthy humans
An early human-pharmacokinetic study that measured blood concentrations and time courses of DMT and β-carbolines in hoasca, and their correspondence with subjective effects, in 15 healthy adults with ceremonial-use experience.
J. C. Callaway, D. J. McKenna, C. S. Grob, G. S. Brito, L. P. Raymon, R. E. Poland, E. N. Andrade, E. O. Andrade, D. C. Mash · Journal of Ethnopharmacology · 1999
- 10Small open-label pilot studyDetailed introduction
Antidepressant Effects of a Single Dose of Ayahuasca in Patients with Recurrent Depression: A Preliminary Report
Antidepressant effects of a single dose of ayahuasca in patients with recurrent depression: a preliminary report
A detailed introduction to an early open-label study that followed 6 inpatients with a current depressive episode for up to 21 days after a single research intervention, presenting large rating-scale changes alongside the limitations of an uncontrolled design.
Flávia de L. Osório, Rafael F. Sanches, Ligia R. Macedo, Rafael G. dos Santos, João P. Maia-de-Oliveira, Lauro Wichert-Ana, Draulio B. de Araujo, Jordi Riba, José A. Crippa, Jaime E. Hallak · Revista Brasileira de Psiquiatria · 2015