Antidepressant effects of a single dose of ayahuasca in patients with recurrent depression: a preliminary report
Objectives: Ayahuasca (AYA), a natural psychedelic brew prepared from Amazonian plants and rich in dimethyltryptamine (DMT) and harmine, causes effects of subjective well-being and may therefore have antidepressant actions. This study sought to evaluate the effects of a single dose of AYA in six vol...
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Associação Brasileira de Psiquiatria (ABP)
2015-03-01
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doaj-b07ae35a93ce4da687ee53d2c192e84b2020-11-25T01:29:31ZengAssociação Brasileira de Psiquiatria (ABP)Brazilian Journal of Psychiatry1809-452X2015-03-01371132010.1590/1516-4446-2014-1496S1516-44462015000100013Antidepressant effects of a single dose of ayahuasca in patients with recurrent depression: a preliminary reportFlávia de L. OsórioRafael F. SanchesLigia R. MacedoRafael G. dos SantosJoão P. Maia-de-OliveiraLauro Wichert-AnaDraulio B. de AraujoJordi RibaJosé A. CrippaJaime E. HallakObjectives: Ayahuasca (AYA), a natural psychedelic brew prepared from Amazonian plants and rich in dimethyltryptamine (DMT) and harmine, causes effects of subjective well-being and may therefore have antidepressant actions. This study sought to evaluate the effects of a single dose of AYA in six volunteers with a current depressive episode. Methods: Open-label trial conducted in an inpatient psychiatric unit. Results: Statistically significant reductions of up to 82% in depressive scores were observed between baseline and 1, 7, and 21 days after AYA administration, as measured on the Hamilton Rating Scale for Depression (HAM-D), the Montgomery-Åsberg Depression Rating Scale (MADRS), and the Anxious-Depression subscale of the Brief Psychiatric Rating Scale (BPRS). AYA administration resulted in nonsignificant changes in Young Mania Rating Scale (YMRS) scores and in the thinking disorder subscale of the BPRS, suggesting that AYA does not induce episodes of mania and/or hypomania in patients with mood disorders and that modifications in thought content, which could indicate psychedelic effects, are not essential for mood improvement. Conclusions: These results suggest that AYA has fast-acting anxiolytic and antidepressant effects in patients with a depressive disorder.http://www.scielo.br/scielo.php?script=sci_arttext&pid=S1516-44462015000100013&lng=en&tlng=enPsychedelic agentsdimethyltryptamineharminemonoamine oxidase inhibitorstherapeutic use |
collection |
DOAJ |
language |
English |
format |
Article |
sources |
DOAJ |
author |
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 |
spellingShingle |
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 Antidepressant effects of a single dose of ayahuasca in patients with recurrent depression: a preliminary report Brazilian Journal of Psychiatry Psychedelic agents dimethyltryptamine harmine monoamine oxidase inhibitors therapeutic use |
author_facet |
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 |
author_sort |
Flávia de L. Osório |
title |
Antidepressant effects of a single dose of ayahuasca in patients with recurrent depression: a preliminary report |
title_short |
Antidepressant effects of a single dose of ayahuasca in patients with recurrent depression: a preliminary report |
title_full |
Antidepressant effects of a single dose of ayahuasca in patients with recurrent depression: a preliminary report |
title_fullStr |
Antidepressant effects of a single dose of ayahuasca in patients with recurrent depression: a preliminary report |
title_full_unstemmed |
Antidepressant effects of a single dose of ayahuasca in patients with recurrent depression: a preliminary report |
title_sort |
antidepressant effects of a single dose of ayahuasca in patients with recurrent depression: a preliminary report |
publisher |
Associação Brasileira de Psiquiatria (ABP) |
series |
Brazilian Journal of Psychiatry |
issn |
1809-452X |
publishDate |
2015-03-01 |
description |
Objectives: Ayahuasca (AYA), a natural psychedelic brew prepared from Amazonian plants and rich in dimethyltryptamine (DMT) and harmine, causes effects of subjective well-being and may therefore have antidepressant actions. This study sought to evaluate the effects of a single dose of AYA in six volunteers with a current depressive episode. Methods: Open-label trial conducted in an inpatient psychiatric unit. Results: Statistically significant reductions of up to 82% in depressive scores were observed between baseline and 1, 7, and 21 days after AYA administration, as measured on the Hamilton Rating Scale for Depression (HAM-D), the Montgomery-Åsberg Depression Rating Scale (MADRS), and the Anxious-Depression subscale of the Brief Psychiatric Rating Scale (BPRS). AYA administration resulted in nonsignificant changes in Young Mania Rating Scale (YMRS) scores and in the thinking disorder subscale of the BPRS, suggesting that AYA does not induce episodes of mania and/or hypomania in patients with mood disorders and that modifications in thought content, which could indicate psychedelic effects, are not essential for mood improvement. Conclusions: These results suggest that AYA has fast-acting anxiolytic and antidepressant effects in patients with a depressive disorder. |
topic |
Psychedelic agents dimethyltryptamine harmine monoamine oxidase inhibitors therapeutic use |
url |
http://www.scielo.br/scielo.php?script=sci_arttext&pid=S1516-44462015000100013&lng=en&tlng=en |
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