Could a psychedelic drink used by shamans be effective in treating depression? Ayahuasca is a hallucinogenic drink used by the peoples of the Amazon and the Andes prepared by shamans and healers during rites related to communication with the divine and for the promotion of health.
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A psychedelic drink used by shamans could be effective in treating trough? THE'ayahuasca is a hallucinogenic drink used by the peoples of the Amazon and the Andes prepared by shamans and curanderi during rites related to communication with the divine and for the promotion of health.
This hallucinogenic drink has been used for centuries by Shamans in healing ceremonies and is now attracting the attention of scientists as a possible treatment for depression. A group of researchers from Brazil has recently published the results of the first clinical test on potentials therapeutic benefits of Ayahuasca. The drink is prepared in the form of an infusion from vegetable raw materials.
As the magazine reports NatureAlthough the study only included six volunteers and no placebo control groups, the scientists say the drink began to reduce depression in patients within hours and the effect was still present after three weeks.
Time larger studies are underway to better verify the results obtained. The studies are part of a project focused on the will of discover the potential therapeutic benefits of psychedelic or recreational drugs. This type of research was banned or restricted in much of the world half a century ago.
Ayahuasca contains ingredients that are considered illegal in many countries. This drink, according to the Amazonian and Andean tradition, is prepared from the bark of a plant called Banisteriopsis caapi and from the leaves of the shrub Psychotria viridis.
In South America ayahuasca is in strong expansion where religious use is allowed. Thousands of people go to rainforest retreats every year to discover its psychedelic effects.
In the study in question, researchers from the University of Sao Paulo, Brazil, they administered a light dose of ayahuasca to six volunteers diagnosed with mild to severe depression. None of them had ever taken this drink before. The researchers used standard clinical questionnaires to track their depression symptoms.
Improvements were seen within two to three hours, a very rapid effect compared to conventional antidepressants, which can take weeks to take effect. The benefits turned out to be significant from a statistical point of view and therefore researchers will continue to investigate the topic.
At the moment they believe it is possible that biochemically ayahuasca may be useful for treating depression. The results of a new double-blind ayahuasca study, which began in January 2014, are promising and are expected to be published by the end of 2015.
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