The use of hallucinogenic substances has long been a matter of debate, due to the large number of supporters and has consequences that can result in the individual and the complex social context in which it fits into society. In this view has been increasing the use of a drink called ayahuasca, prepared by the infusion of plants native to the Amazon Basin region, originally used by indigenous people in shamanic rituals. Ayahuasca combines the action of hallucinogenic dimethyltryptamine (DMT), a serotonin receptor agonist 5-HT2A/2C with β-carbolines, which are inhibitors of monoamine oxidase A (MAO-A). With the increased consumption of this drink in ceremonies of some syncretic religious movements in Brazil and the Santo Daime and Uniao do Vegetal (UDV), recently had its use for that purpose is regulated and approved by the Brazilian legislation. In recent years, these religious groups have spread in Europe and the United States, calling the attention of international researchers on the effects of ayahuasca. However, relatively little research has been carried out, including the basics such as pharmacokinetic studies of its active compounds in humans. Similarly, analytical methods for determination of major alkaloids in drink and in biological samples are also rare in the literature. In this work, a detailed pharmacokinetic study of ayahuasca alkaloids. Therefore, a method using gas chromatography with nitrogen detector-phosphorus (GC-NPD) for the simultaneous determination of DMT and β-carbolines in ayahuasca was developed and validated. The method for quantification in plasma is of fundamental importance for determining the concentrations of alkaloids in the array and comparing the levels in plasma and the effects observed in volunteers who ingested the drink.
Keywords: Ayahuasca, Gas Chromatography, Daime, Dimethyltryptamine, β-carbolines.