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Ayahuasca Healing and Science.


Web link: chacruna.net/ayahuasca...

Abstract

This book offers a series of perspectives on the therapeutic potential of the ritual and clinical use of the Amazonian hallucinogenic brew ayahuasca in the treatment and management of various disorders. Biomedical and anthropological data on the use of ayahuasca for treating depression, PTSD, anxiety, substance dependence, eating disorders, and its role in psychological well-being, quality of life, enhancing cognition, and for coping with grief are presented and critiqued. The use of ayahuasca associated with psychotherapy is examined, alongside the challenges of integrating plant medicines into psychiatry. Further, some preliminary research with animals is introduced in which neural progenitor cells indicate that the alkaloids present in ayahuasca facilitate the formation of new neurons, suggesting that ayahuasca acts at multiple levels of neural complexity. The neurogenic effects of ayahuasca alkaloids open a new avenue of research with potential applications ranging from psychiatric disorders to brain damage and dementia. Chapters combine the review of published literature, personal experiences of the authors with the brew, and first-hand observation of the use of ayahuasca in different contexts. This book is especially timely as the growing scientific evidence of the safety and therapeutic potential of psychedelics such as MDMA and psilocybin increases the likelihood of their rescheduling and adoption into new treatment models.