PMID- 36358968
OWN - NLM
STAT- MEDLINE
DCOM- 20221114
LR  - 20221201
IS  - 2218-273X (Electronic)
IS  - 2218-273X (Linking)
VI  - 12
IP  - 11
DP  - 2022 Nov 2
TI  - Molecular Pathways of the Therapeutic Effects of Ayahuasca, a Botanical 
      Psychedelic and Potential Rapid-Acting Antidepressant.
LID - 10.3390/biom12111618 [doi]
LID - 1618
AB  - Ayahuasca is a psychoactive brew traditionally used in indigenous and religious 
      rituals and ceremonies in South America for its therapeutic, psychedelic, and 
      entheogenic effects. It is usually prepared by lengthy boiling of the leaves of 
      the bush Psychotria viridis and the mashed stalks of the vine Banisteriopsis 
      caapi in water. The former contains the classical psychedelic 
      N,N-dimethyltryptamine (DMT), which is thought to be the main psychoactive 
      alkaloid present in the brew. The latter serves as a source for beta-carbolines, 
      known for their monoamine oxidase-inhibiting (MAOI) properties. Recent 
      preliminary research has provided encouraging results investigating ayahuasca's 
      therapeutic potential, especially regarding its antidepressant effects. On a 
      molecular level, pre-clinical and clinical evidence points to a complex 
      pharmacological profile conveyed by the brew, including modulation of 
      serotoninergic, glutamatergic, dopaminergic, and endocannabinoid systems. Its 
      substances also interact with the vesicular monoamine transporter (VMAT), trace 
      amine-associated receptor 1 (TAAR1), and sigma-1 receptors. Furthermore, 
      ayahuasca's components also seem to modulate levels of inflammatory and 
      neurotrophic factors beneficially. On a biological level, this translates into 
      neuroprotective and neuroplastic effects. Here we review the current knowledge 
      regarding these molecular interactions and how they relate to the possible 
      antidepressant effects ayahuasca seems to produce.
FAU - Rossi, Giordano Novak
AU  - Rossi GN
AUID- ORCID: 0000-0002-1952-1207
AD  - Department of Neurosciences and Behavior, Ribeirao Preto Medical School, 
      University of Sao Paulo, Ribeirao Preto 14040-900, Brazil.
FAU - Guerra, Lorena T L
AU  - Guerra LTL
AD  - Department of Neurosciences and Behavior, Ribeirao Preto Medical School, 
      University of Sao Paulo, Ribeirao Preto 14040-900, Brazil.
FAU - Baker, Glen B
AU  - Baker GB
AUID- ORCID: 0000-0003-1581-6486
AD  - National Institute of Science and Technology-Translational Medicine, Ribeirao 
      Preto 3900, Brazil.
AD  - Department of Psychiatry (Neurochemical Research Unit) and Neuroscience & Mental 
      Health Institute, University of Alberta, Edmonton, AB T6G 2G3, Canada.
FAU - Dursun, Serdar M
AU  - Dursun SM
AUID- ORCID: 0000-0001-9943-851X
AD  - National Institute of Science and Technology-Translational Medicine, Ribeirao 
      Preto 3900, Brazil.
AD  - Department of Psychiatry (Neurochemical Research Unit) and Neuroscience & Mental 
      Health Institute, University of Alberta, Edmonton, AB T6G 2G3, Canada.
FAU - Saiz, Jose Carlos Bouso
AU  - Saiz JCB
AD  - Department of Neurosciences and Behavior, Ribeirao Preto Medical School, 
      University of Sao Paulo, Ribeirao Preto 14040-900, Brazil.
AD  - ICEERS Foundation, International Center for Ethnobotanical Education, Research 
      and Services, 08015 Barcelona, Spain.
AD  - Medical Anthropology Research Center (MARC), Universitat Rovira i Virgili, 43001 
      Tarragona, Spain.
FAU - Hallak, Jaime E C
AU  - Hallak JEC
AD  - Department of Neurosciences and Behavior, Ribeirao Preto Medical School, 
      University of Sao Paulo, Ribeirao Preto 14040-900, Brazil.
AD  - National Institute of Science and Technology-Translational Medicine, Ribeirao 
      Preto 3900, Brazil.
AD  - Department of Psychiatry (Neurochemical Research Unit) and Neuroscience & Mental 
      Health Institute, University of Alberta, Edmonton, AB T6G 2G3, Canada.
FAU - Dos Santos, Rafael G
AU  - Dos Santos RG
AUID- ORCID: 0000-0003-2388-4745
AD  - Department of Neurosciences and Behavior, Ribeirao Preto Medical School, 
      University of Sao Paulo, Ribeirao Preto 14040-900, Brazil.
AD  - National Institute of Science and Technology-Translational Medicine, Ribeirao 
      Preto 3900, Brazil.
AD  - ICEERS Foundation, International Center for Ethnobotanical Education, Research 
      and Services, 08015 Barcelona, Spain.
AD  - Departamento de Neurociencias e Ciencias do Comportamento, Faculdade de Medicina 
      de Ribeirao Preto, Universidade de Sao Paulo, Hospital das Clinicas, Terceiro 
      Andar, Av. Bandeirantes, Ribeirao Preto 3900, Brazil.
LA  - eng
PT  - Journal Article
PT  - Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't
PT  - Review
DEP - 20221102
PL  - Switzerland
TA  - Biomolecules
JT  - Biomolecules
JID - 101596414
RN  - 0 (Hallucinogens)
RN  - WUB601BHAA (N,N-Dimethyltryptamine)
RN  - 0 (Alkaloids)
RN  - 0 (Plant Extracts)
RN  - 0 (Antidepressive Agents)
SB  - IM
MH  - *Banisteriopsis
MH  - *Hallucinogens/pharmacology
MH  - N,N-Dimethyltryptamine/pharmacology
MH  - *Alkaloids
MH  - Plant Extracts/pharmacology/therapeutic use
MH  - Antidepressive Agents/pharmacology
PMC - PMC9687782
OTO - NOTNLM
OT  - DMT
OT  - antidepressant
OT  - ayahuasca
OT  - psychedelic
COIS- The authors declare no conflict of interest.
EDAT- 2022/11/12 06:00
MHDA- 2022/11/15 06:00
PMCR- 2022/11/02
CRDT- 2022/11/11 01:08
PHST- 2022/09/12 00:00 [received]
PHST- 2022/10/27 00:00 [revised]
PHST- 2022/10/29 00:00 [accepted]
PHST- 2022/11/11 01:08 [entrez]
PHST- 2022/11/12 06:00 [pubmed]
PHST- 2022/11/15 06:00 [medline]
PHST- 2022/11/02 00:00 [pmc-release]
AID - biom12111618 [pii]
AID - biomolecules-12-01618 [pii]
AID - 10.3390/biom12111618 [doi]
PST - epublish
SO  - Biomolecules. 2022 Nov 2;12(11):1618. doi: 10.3390/biom12111618.