You may have heard stories of people traveling abroad to experience the consumption of Ayahuasca, a psychoactive drink. Typically, these anecdotes tend to focus on the immediate effects that occur during the Ayahuasca “journey,” some of which are enlightening, while others are downright depressing. However, scientists have discovered some long-term health benefits from taking Ayahuasca. You can check out the link here.
What is Ayahuasca? Ayahuasca—also known as tea, wine, and la purga—is a drink made from the leaves of the Psychotria Viridis bush along with the trunk of the Banisteriopsis caapi vine, though additional plants and components can also be counted. This drink was used for spiritual and religious purposes by the ancient Amazonian tribes and is still used as a sacred drink by some religious communities in Brazil and North America, including the Santo Daime. Traditionally, a shaman or curandero — an experienced healer who presides over the Ayahuasca ceremony — prepares the drink by boiling the leaves of the Psychotria Viridis bush and the trunk of the Banisteriopsis caapi vine in water.
The Banisteriopsis caapi vine is cleaned and crushed before boiling to enhance the extraction of its medicinal compounds. When the drink has been reduced to the shaman’s liking, the water is removed and stored, leaving the plant material behind. This process is repeated until a highly concentrated liquid is produced. Once cool, the drink is filtered to remove impurities. DMT is a powerful hallucinogenic chemical. However, its bioavailability is low, as it is rapidly broken down by enzymes called monoamine oxidases (MAOs) in your liver and digestive tract.
For this reason, DMT should be combined with something containing MAO inhibitors (MAOIs), which allows DMT to take effect. Banisteriopsis caapi contains powerful MAOIs called -carbolines, which also have their psychoactive effects. When combined, these two herbs form a powerful psychedelic drink that affects the central nervous system, leading to an altered state of consciousness that can include hallucinations, out-of-body experiences, and euphoria. Summary: Ayahuasca is a drink made from the plants Banisteriopsis caapi and Psychotria Viridis. Taking Ayahuasca leads to altered levels of consciousness due to the psychoactive substances in the potion.