On Ayahuasca

Ayahuasca is a traditional indigenous brew consisting originally of Banisteriopsis Caapi (a vine named Cipo’ or Jagube in the Brazilian Amazon) and Psychotria Viridis (a smallish plant referred to as “rainha da floresta”, the queen of the forest and “folha” meaning leaf, the part of the plant used in the brew).

The Banisteriopsis Caapi contains a combination of alkaloids known as MAO-inhibitors which-as the name says-inhibit the digestive enzyme monoamine oxidase which is responsible for the break up of the psychedelic compound contained in the Psychotria Viridis, dymethyltryptamine or DMT. It is the presence of the ‘vine’ that allows the DMT in the ‘leaf’ to safely reach our brain.

It is pretty astounding how humanity came to combine these two plants with the myriad of plants found in the Amazon rainforest! For those of us who believe in another plane, most definitely a divinely guided undertaking!

The name ayahuasca comes from the old Quechua language (ethnic group from the Andes) and means vine of the souls/spirits. The origins of the use of Ayahuasca are lost in time and it is impossible to trace a precise date; its use spread amongst numerous indigenous tribes of the Amazon basin (over 70 indigenous groups in the Western part of the region alone) and caught the attention of western ethnography around the middle of the XIX century. The scientific discovery of Ayahuasca dates back to 1851 by English botanist Richard Spruce amongst the Tucano Indios along the Uaupes river in Brasil.

The indigenous appeared to be using the brew as a medicine capable of eliciting entheogenic (consciousness expanding, literally capable of awakening the God within) experiences, in shamanic rituals for the treatment and prevention of sickness.

The use of entheogens for spiritual practices has been increasingly spreading all over the world notwithstanding the strong opposition of authorities in several countries who classify most entheogens as Class A substances.
With regards to Brasil, it was only in 1982 that a commission was formed to study the religious phenomenon in the community of Padrinho Sebastiao (currently known as Vila Ceu do Mapia’). They found high levels of social cohesion and cooperation along with health, education, organisation and quality of life (lowest alcoholism, malnourishment, child death, and crime).

Pharmacological studies showed no risk of addiction or behavioural alterations.
This led to the legalisation of the religious use of ayahuasca in Brazil in 2004.