Ayahuasca or yagé, drug or medicine?

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Simon Doyle
Ayahuasca or yagé, drug or medicine?

Contents

  • What is Ayahuasca?
  • Studies on the effects of Ayahuasca
  • Side effects of Ayahuasca
  • What makes ayahuasca so interesting?
  • The dangers of Ayahuasca

What is Ayahuasca?

Ayahuasca is a herbal drink that grows in the Amazon rainforest. It is a mixture of several plants that is capable of inducing altered states of consciousness, which usually last between 4 to 8 hours after ingestion.

For centuries this tea has been used as medicine and as a shamanic means of communication in the jungle, mainly in healing ceremonies under the guidance of an experienced drinker. The drink causes hallucinations and is said to have spiritual and therapeutic benefits. In recent years, it has attracted the attention of Western medicine as a possible treatment for depression..

The main ingredient in this jungle tea is the Banisteriopsis caapi liana or vine, which, like the tea itself, is also called ayahuasca (which means 'the vine of the soul' or 'vine with a soul'). The secondary ingredient is either chacruna (Psychotria viridis) or chagropanga (Diplopterys cabrerana), these plants that contain a relatively high amount of DMT, a powerful psychedelic substance..

No one knows for sure how long this drink has been used. The first recorded western contact with ayahuasca was in 1851 by Richard Spruce, a famous ethnobotanist from England. But it seems likely that its use dates back to at least two thousand years ago..

Studies on the effects of Ayahuasca

Although Western medicine has known about the existence of ayahuasca for more than 100 years, little is known about how it actually works. Currently, there is some evidence that ayahuasca can help improve depression and post-traumatic stress disorders, although most studies on the subject have been conducted with very few test subjects, so they are not conclusive.

Ayahuasca contains Dimethyltryptamine (DMT or N, N-DMT), which is a neurotransmitter found in all human beings and plays a key role in all kinds of extraordinary states of consciousness. This psychedelic compound causes intense hallucinations. There is strong evidence that points to the pineal gland (or "the third eye" in esoteric traditions), located in the center of the brain, as the main factory of human DMT. Apart from humans, DMT can be found in all mammals and a variety of plants.

Julius Axelrod, a researcher at the National Institute of health, discovered DMT in human brain tissue, leading to speculation that the compound plays a role in psychosis. But there is no more research on it.

In 1990, Richard Strassman, a psychiatrist at the University of Mexico, obtained permission from the US government to inject DMT into human volunteers. Their study, which was conducted between 1990 and 1995, involved 60 subjects who received DMT injections in more than 400 sessions. Most of the subjects affirmed that they detect the presence of a powerful being, like a god, others that “dissolved in a radiant light”. However, about 25 subjects saw images of alien robots, insects or reptiles, and after the "trip" could not be convinced that they were just hallucinations. These adverse effects led Strassman to discontinue his research. He wrote about the experience in his book, "DMT: The Spirit Molecule" (Park Street Press, 2001).

Side effects of Ayahuasca

The physical effects of drinking ayahuasca include vomiting, diarrhea, high blood pressure, elevated heart rate, increased rectal temperature, and dilated pupils. It can also raise blood levels of certain naturally occurring pain-relieving hormones, such as beta-endorphin, corticotropin, cortisol, and prolactin, and can also increase growth hormone levels, according to a study conducted by the University of New Mexico. However, this is a study in which there were only 11 test subjects, so its results are not reliable enough.

Since some of the effects of ayahuasca is that it causes vomiting and diarrhea, there is a tribe that calls it 'Kamarampi', which is derived from 'kamarank': vomiting. It is also called 'the purge', since it purges the body through this physical effect, and according to its consumers, it purifies the mind through psychological experiences or visions. In general, whoever takes it says that they feel completely renewed and believe they are reborn after such a strong experience.

What makes ayahuasca so interesting?

Ayahuasca is not a miracle cure, in the sense that drinking the concoction will not make all your problems go away in a couple of hours. However, it has a strong impact on the unconscious processes of the person, allowing him to work with them while the effects last..

Musicians like Sting and Paul Simon, independent artists Klaxons and The Bees have spoken about its use. In August 2010, Paul Butler of The Bees told The Guardian: “Ayahuasca is definitely not a drug, it is plant medicine.” Even Lindsay Lohan once said that ayahuasca helped her cope with an abortion. involuntary.

The dangers of Ayahuasca

But like all psychoactive plants, there is a dark side to ayahuasca. Although it is not common, some ayahuasca users have even died after drinking it, and others have reported having been abused and raped under its influence..

Some experts blame the plant mix for the risks it carries, and reports of the deaths confirm this. According to Alan Shoemaker, who organizes conferences with Amazon shamans, "Ayahuasca is one of the sacred energy plants and it is completely addictive, it has been used for thousands of years for healing and divination purposes ..."

But science is still far from knowing how ayahuasca affects the mental and physical health of users..


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