DMT and Ayahuasca Flashcards
What is the chemical structure of DMT?
DMT (Dimethyltryptamine) features an indole core consisting of fused hexagonal and pentagonal rings with a nitrogen atom. Attached to this core is a two-carbon chain with a nitrogen at the end (tryptamine), and two methyl groups on the nitrogen, hence “dimethyl.”
How is DMT related to other natural compounds and where is it found?
DMT is closely related to the amino acid tryptophan, a fundamental building block for proteins in all living organisms. Enzymes can convert tryptophan into DMT through two steps: removing the carboxylic acid group and adding two methyl groups to the amine. DMT is found in many plants, particularly in the Amazon where it is used by Indigenous peoples.
What are the psychedelic effects of DMT when introduced into the body?
DMT produces effects characteristic of classical psychedelics, including intensifying thoughts, feelings, and perceptions. It can transform or distort perceptions, generate hallucinatory and psychomimetic effects, and produce entheogenic experiences, often described as encounters with the divine.
What is Snuff?
Plant material such as dried leaves or bark that is ground into fine powder and insufflated through the nostrils; allows for absorption of physiologically active chemicals via blood vessels in the nasal passages, so as to bypass potential chemical modification by the liver when passing through the digestive system.
What is Ayahuasca?
Woody Amazonian vine: Banisteriopsis caapi; translates as “vine of the soul/spirit”; the same term is also applied to a brewed mixture of the vine together with a visionary admixture plant, e.g., one that contains DMT (such as Psychotria viridis).
Why is DMT not active when taken orally?
DMT is not orally active because it is metabolized by an enzyme called monoamine oxidase (MAO) in the digestive system, particularly in the liver. MAO oxidizes the terminal nitrogen atom of DMT, rendering it non-psychoactive.
How have Indigenous peoples traditionally consumed DMT to experience its psychoactive effects?
Indigenous peoples have developed methods to bypass DMT’s rapid breakdown in the digestive system by using alternative methods of consumption, such as snorting powdered barks and seeds, which allows DMT to be absorbed directly through the nasal membranes into the bloodstream.
What is a traditional method of preparing and using DMT-containing plant materials?
A traditional method involves grinding DMT-containing barks or seeds into a fine powder and insufflating (snorting) it. This method ensures that DMT is absorbed efficiently through the nasal passages, bypassing the digestive system where it would be deactivated.
How is Psychotria viridis used in conjunction with other plants to activate its DMT content?
Psychotria viridis leaves contain DMT and are traditionally mixed with the ayahuasca vine (Banisteriopsis caapi), which contains monoamine oxidase inhibitors (MAOIs). This combination prevents DMT degradation in the digestive system, allowing its psychoactive effects to be experienced when the mixture is consumed as a brew.
How is ayahuasca traditionally prepared?
Ayahuasca is prepared by mixing the ground material of the Banisteriopsis caapi vine (ayahuasca) with leaves from the Psychotria viridis plant (chacruna), which contains DMT. The mixture is boiled with water for several days to a concentrated, syrupy substance, often while prayers and songs are performed to imbue the brew with spiritual intent.
How does ayahuasca protect DMT from degradation in the body?
The ayahuasca vine contains harmine and harmaline, which are monoamine oxidase inhibitors (MAOIs). These compounds inhibit the monoamine oxidase enzyme in the liver, preventing it from breaking down the DMT and allowing it to remain psychoactive when consumed orally.
What is the cultural significance of the ayahuasca vine in Indigenous traditions?
In Indigenous plant medicine traditions, the ayahuasca vine is considered a powerful teacher medicine. It is central to the healing properties of the ayahuasca brew, more so than the chacruna leaf, which provides the psychedelic visions.
How did Indigenous peoples discover the effective use of ayahuasca?
According to tradition, the knowledge of how to effectively use ayahuasca and other plant medicines was communicated directly from the plants to humans through a spiritual connection, manifesting in dreams, visions, or intuitive understanding over centuries.
what is 5-MeO-DMT?
5-methoxy-N,N-dimethyltryptamine; a psychedelic compound found in some plants and also in glandular secretions of the toad Incilius alvarius.
What distinguishes 5-MeO-DMT from DMT in terms of chemical structure?
5-MeO-DMT is structurally similar to DMT but has a methoxy group (-OCH3) attached at the 5th position of the indole core. This addition alters its psychoactive properties and potency.
