Maternal and developmental toxicity of ayahuasca in Wistar rats.
BACKGROUND
Ayahuasca is a psychotropic plant beverage initially used by shamans throughout the Amazon region during traditional religious cult. In recent years, ayahuasca has also been used in ceremonies of a number of modern syncretic religious groups, including pregnant women. However, no documented study has been performed to evaluate the risk of developmental toxicity of ayahuasca.


METHODS
In the present work, maternal and developmental toxicity was evaluated in Wistar rats. Ayahuasca was administered to pregnant rats in three different doses [the equivalent typical dose (TD) administered to humans, five-fold TD and 10-fold TD] during the gestational period (6-20 days).


RESULTS
Dams treated with the highest ayahuasca dose showed maternal toxicity with decrease of weight gain and food intake. Visceral fetal findings were observed in all treatment groups. Skeletal findings were observed in the intermediate- and high-dose groups. The fetuses deriving from the highest dose group also presented a decrease in body weight.


CONCLUSIONS
From these results, it is possible to conclude that there is a risk of maternal and developmental toxicity following ayahuasca exposure and that the level of toxicity appears to be dose-dependent.
Oliveira
Carolina Dizioli Rodrigues
CD
Faculty of Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of São Paulo, Brazil.
Moreira
Camila Queiroz
CQ
de Sá
Lilian Rose Marques
LR
Spinosa
Helenice de Souza
Hde S
Yonamine
Mauricio
M
D000818:Animals; D031581:Banisteriopsis / Q000633:toxicity*; D001842:Bone and Bones / Q000002:abnormalities / Q000187:drug effects / Q000196:embryology; D004327:Drinking Behavior / Q000187:drug effects; D047108:Embryonic Development / Q000187:drug effects*; D005247:Feeding Behavior / Q000187:drug effects; D005260:Female; D005333:Fetus / Q000002:abnormalities / Q000187:drug effects; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D018811:Maternal Exposure; D009929:Organ Size / Q000187:drug effects; D011247:Pregnancy; D051381:Rats; D017208:Rats, Wistar; D012098:Reproduction / Q000187:drug effects; D018675:Toxicity Tests; D014781:Viscera / Q000002:abnormalities / Q000187:drug effects / Q000196:embryology