title: Ritualistic Use of Ayahuasca versus Street Use of Similar Substances Seized by the Police: A Key Factor Involved in the Potential for Intoxications and Overdose?
abstract: The ritualistic use of ayahuasca is becoming a global phenomenon. This beverage contains a combination of monoamine oxidase inhibitors (harmine, harmaline, and tetrahydroharmine) and N,N-dimethyltryptamine, the main substance responsible for its visionary effect. The recreational use of similar alkaloids and N,N-dimethyltryptamine has increased in recent years, mainly because of their hallucinogenic effects. In the present study, the concentrations of psychoactive alkaloids in three powder samples seized by the São Paulo State Police and nine ayahuasca aqueous extracts were analyzed by HPLC-DAD in an attempt to distinguish between illicit drugs and the religious beverage. The alkaloids detected (μg/mL) in the ayahuasca aqueous extracts were N,N-dimethyltryptamine (402-2070.3), harmaline (27.5-181.3), harmine (294.5-2893.8), and tetrahydroharmine (849.5-2052.5), whereas, of the three powder samples, one contained only N,N-dimethyltryptamine (82% and 2% w/w, respectively) while the other contained only harmaline (16%, w/w) and harmine (12%, w/w). The ritualistic use of ayahuasca involves oral intake and the probability of overdose is minimized by serotonergic stimulation of vagal pathways, leading to vomiting and diarrhea. In contrast, the recreational use of N,N-dimethyltryptamine involves consumption mainly by smoking or inhalation, both of which markedly increase its bioavailability and the potential for intoxications.
authors.affiliation: a Researcher, Poison Control Center, Faculty of Medical Sciences , State University of Campinas (UNICAMP) , Campinas , SP , Brazil.
authors.forename: Rafael
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Lanaro
authors.forename: Débora Bressanim de Aquino
authors.initials: DB
authors.lastname: Calemi
authors.forename: Loraine Rezende
authors.initials: LR
authors.lastname: Togni
authors.forename: José Luiz
authors.initials: JL
authors.lastname: Costa
authors.forename: Maurício
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Yonamine
authors.forename: Silvia de Oliveira Santos
authors.initials: Sde O
authors.lastname: Cazenave
authors.forename: Alessandra
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Linardi
mesh_terms: D031581:Banisteriopsis; D001628:Beverages / Q000032:analysis; D001682:Biological Availability; D002562:Ceremonial Behavior; D002851:Chromatography, High Pressure Liquid / Q000379:methods; D003967:Diarrhea / Q000139:chemically induced; D062787:Drug Overdose / Q000209:etiology / Q000503:physiopathology; D053593:Forensic Toxicology / Q000379:methods; D006213:Hallucinogens / Q000494:pharmacology; D006801:Humans; D013287:Illicit Drugs / Q000032:analysis*; D026121:Indole Alkaloids / Q000494:pharmacology*; D019570:Inhalation Exposure / Q000032:analysis; D004130:N,N-Dimethyltryptamine / Q000494:pharmacology*; D010936:Plant Extracts / Q000494:pharmacology; D012702:Serotonin Antagonists / Q000494:pharmacology; D014839:Vomiting / Q000139:chemically induced
chemical_list: D006213:Hallucinogens; D013287:Illicit Drugs; D026121:Indole Alkaloids; D010936:Plant Extracts; D012702:Serotonin Antagonists; D004130:N,N-Dimethyltryptamine
keywords: HPLC-DAD; ayahuasca; beta-carboline alkaloids; dimethyltryptamine; forensic toxicology; illicit drugs