Ayahuasca vine
Banisteriopsis caapiIts name comes from the Quechua aya (spirit, the dead) and waska (vine, rope): the vine of the spirits.
What is Ayahuasca vine?
Ayahuasca vine (Banisteriopsis caapi) is a plant of the Malpighiaceae family. Traditions that use it: Amazon. Part used: stem (vine).
What is Ayahuasca vine used for?
Traditional use: The core ingredient of the ayahuasca brew drunk with a healer (curandero) in ceremonies of the Shipibo, Asháninka and many other Amazonian peoples. Scientific evidence: limited. Contains harmine, harmaline and tetrahydroharmine, which inhibit MAO-A.
Is Ayahuasca vine safe?
Safety label: high risk. Can interact fatally with antidepressants and some migraine and heart medicines. In people with a history of psychosis it can trigger severe psychiatric episodes. Deaths and abuse have been reported at unregulated retreats. Legal status: Illegal in Türkiye.
Traditional use
The core ingredient of the ayahuasca brew drunk with a healer (curandero) in ceremonies of the Shipibo, Asháninka and many other Amazonian peoples. It is used for healing, divination and contact with spirits; the icaros the healer sings shape the ceremony.
In 2008 Peru declared the traditional ayahuasca practices of Amazonian communities national cultural heritage. The areas around Iquitos and Pucallpa are hubs of international ayahuasca tourism.
In nature
Mix-up risk
Ayahuasca products on sale vary; synthetic MAO inhibitors or other plants may have been added.
Preparation
The vine is pounded and usually boiled for hours with chacruna leaves.
What science says
Contains harmine, harmaline and tetrahydroharmine, which inhibit MAO-A. This lets the DMT in chacruna work when swallowed. Small clinical studies on depression are promising but early.
Safety
Can interact fatally with antidepressants and some migraine and heart medicines. In people with a history of psychosis it can trigger severe psychiatric episodes. Deaths and abuse have been reported at unregulated retreats.
Drug interactions
| Medicine or substance | Why it matters |
|---|---|
| Antidepressants (SSRIs, SNRIs, MAO inhibitors, tricyclics) | Serotonin syndrome: can be fatal. The risk lasts for weeks after stopping these drugs. |
| Triptans, tramadol, dextromethorphan, lithium | Serious interaction through serotonin. |
| Stimulants, MDMA, cocaine, ephedrine | Dangerous rise in blood pressure and heart rate. |
| Tyramine-rich foods | Hypertensive crisis because of MAO inhibition. |
This list is not complete. If you take regular medication, ask your pharmacist or doctor before trying Ayahuasca vine.
Legal status
A DMT-containing brew counts as a narcotic.
Laws differ by country; check local rules before travelling with or buying any plant product.
Conservation
Culture bridge
Same molecule, two rituals. Both carry harmine and harmaline. In Anatolia these alkaloids burn in smoke against the evil eye; in the Amazon they form the backbone of a ceremonial brew. Read the comparison →
Similar plants
Sources
- ResearchAyahuasca: A review of historical, pharmacological, and therapeutic aspects
- ResearchThe pharmacological interaction of compounds in ayahuasca: a systematic review
- ResearchA landscape analysis of psychedelic retreat organizations advertising online (PLOS ONE 2025)
- Botanical recordKew Plants of the World Online: Banisteriopsis caapi
- Titles of research sources are summarised in Turkish on the Turkish page; links open the original English publications.
Written by Edanaz Tınmazlar · Last reviewed: · Türkçe