Ayahuasca Plant Potency & Blood Pressure

Stories of the power of the South American plant ayahuasca have spawned an influx of New Age tourists. They congregate in the Amazon jungles of Colombia, Peru and Brazil to drink the muddy brown concoction, vomit copiously, and hopefully have life-altering visions. Ayahuasca, which means "vine of the soul" in Quechuan, contains the hallucinogen DMT---or dimethyltrytamine

DMT is illegal in the United States.

How it Works

Ayahuasca is usually taken ceremonially in a ritual led by a trained shaman, called a curandero. He mixes a carefully chemically balanced concoction of plants and vines. Ordinarily, the enzyme monoamine oxydase---or MAO---in stomach acid would metabolize DMT so that it would not be effective when taken orally. But ayahuasca inhibits MAO, allowing DMT to cause hallucinations. The word ayahuasca refers to a combination of plants that includes DMT and a MAO inhibitor.

Purposes

Curanderos do not share the casual attitude of many Western drug users. To them, ayahuasca is a sacred substance used strictly for healing. They use it to treat physical problems such as snake bites and mental problem such as depression. They believe the plant has magical powers that allow them to see the future, attain magical powers and converse with spirits.

At the very least, drinking ayahuasca leads to intense physical purging.

Blood Pressure and Potency

Blood pressure measures how much force is exerted by the blood on the blood vessels. Too much and you're in trouble. Ayahuasca combines with many commonly taken drugs to increase serotonin and push the blood pressure dangerously high. These include Zoloft, Wellbrutin and Prozac. People who have taken any of these medications within the last six weeks should not take ayahuasca. Those who have high blood pressure also should not use ayahuasca. The higher the potency and/or larger the dose of ayahuasca, the more dangerous it will be.

MAO Inhibitors and Diet

MAO inhibitors can be very dangerous because they can make everyday foods and commonly used drugs harmful, or even fatal. Some of the more dangerous things to combine with MAO inhibitors include alcohol, cough medicine, antidepressants and sleeping pills. Such innocuous foods as dairy products, soy sauce, sauerkraut and many fruits can also be rendered poisonous. Any of these can raise the blood pressure significantly. A throbbing headache is an early sign of dangerously high blood pressure. Shamans recommend fasting or at least following a very careful diet in the days leading up to the ayahuasca ceremony.

Play it Safe

Several outfitters offer guided ayahuasca trips to foreigners interested in having a safe shamanistic experience in the Amazon. Some of them even insist on administering a medical check to visitors before allowing them to participate. These organizations are likely to enforce a strict diet and provide some kind of medical monitoring.