Ayahuasca
General Information
The vine is brewed into a psychoactive tea, often alongside a variety of admixture plants, for various purposes of healing and divination. The most common admixture plants utilized are the N,N-Dimethyltryptamine (DMT) containing shrubs Psychotria viridis (Chacruna) and Diplopterys cabrerana (Chaliponga).
The active alkaloids in the Ayahuasca vine are the Beta-carbolines Harmine, Harmaline, and 1,2,3,4-Tetrahydroharmine (THH). These alkaloids, collectively called "Harmala Alkaloids" are what are known as RIMA's or Reversible Inhibitors of Monoamine Oxidase A. The monoamine oxidase inhibition effect of these alkaloids allow the psychedelic tryptamine DMT contained in the admixture plants to bypass first pass metabolism by MAO in the gut and enter the bloodstream providing a vivid hallucinatory experience in the user. Contrary to popular belief, there is no need to follow a specialized diet and avoid things like tyramine and fermented foods with RIMA's, these diets only apply to pharmaceutical MAOI's.
Many "Ayahuasca Analogues" exist, most commonly used in place of the jungle vine is Peganum Harmala (Syrian Rue) seeds and in place of the DMT containing shrubs the bark of Mimosa tenuiflora (Jurema) or Acacia confusa are commonly used. There are hundreds of different combinations of possible plants and admixtures that may be used to create various ayahuasca analogues but these are the most frequently encountered.Another popular method of administration is called "Pharmahuasca". This is when the active harmala alkaloids and DMT are extracted and eaten in purified form. The term pharmahuasca has also been used to describe taking DMT with a pharmaceutical MAOI, but this method is not recommended as a whole slew of other safety concerns arise with the use of pharmaceutical MAOI's.
Harmala alkaloids can have dangerous or even fatal interactions with many pharmaceutical and over the counter medications, in particular SSRI's and Amphetamines including the MDxx compounds are contraindicated. In general avoid taking harmalas with any medication that is contraindicated with MAOI's.
Dosage
Oral
Banisteriopsis caapi Vine (Ayahuasca)
- Note: Alkaloid content is highly variable, some vine is significantly stronger than other vine, always start low.
- Individual sensitivity may vary.
Low Dose: 25-35 g
Moderate Dose: 35-50 g
Average (Common) Dose: 50-75 g
High Dose: 75-100 g
Strong/Heavy Dose: 100+ g
Peganum harmala Seed (Syrian Rue)
- Individual sensitivity may vary.
Low Dose: < 1 g
Moderate Dose: 1-2 g
Average (Common) Dose: 2-3 g
High Dose: 3-4 g
Strong/Heavy Dose: 4-5+ g
Extracted Harmala Alkaloids (Pharmahuasca)
- Note: Dosage is for mixed alkaloids. Harmine alone may require a little higher dosage. Hamaline alone may require a little lower dosage.
- Individual sensitivity may vary.
Low Dose: 25-50 mg
Moderate Dose: 50-75 mg
Average (Common) Dose [Sensitive Users]: 75-125 mg
Average (Common) Dose [Less Sensitive Users]: 125-200 mg
High Dose: 175-200 mg
Strong/Heavy Dose: 200+ mg
Psychotria viridis Leaf (Chacruna)
- Note: Alkaloid content is highly variable, some leaf is significantly stronger than other leaf, particularly the Hawaiian variety, always start low.
- Individual sensitivity may vary.
Low Dose: 5-10 g (Average dose of Hawaiian leaf)
Moderate Dose: 10-25 g
Average (Common) Dose: 25-50 g
High Dose: 50-75 g
Strong/Heavy Dose: 75+ g
Diplopterys cabrerana Leaf (Chaliponga)
- Individual sensitivity may vary.
Low Dose: 1-2 g
Moderate Dose: 2-3 g
Average (Common) Dose [Sensitive User]: 3-5 g
Average (Common) Dose [Less Sensitive User]: 5-10 g
High Dose: 10-15 g
Stong/Heavy Dose: 15+ g
Mimosa hostilis Root Bark
- Individual sensitivity may vary.
Low Dose: < 1 g
Moderate Dose: 1-2 g
Average (Common) Dose: 2-4 g
High Dose: 4-6 g
Strong/Heavy Dose: 6+ g
Acacia confusa Root Bark
- Note: Trunk bark may require a little higher dosage.
- Individual sensitivity may vary.
Low Dose: 1-2 g
Moderate Dose: 2-3 g
Average (Common) Dose [Sensitive User]: 3-6 g
Average (Common) Dose [Less Sensitive User]: 6-10 g
High Dose: 10-15 g
Strong/Heavy Dose: 15+ g
Extracted Freebase DMT (Pharmahuasca)
- Individual sensitivity may vary.
Low Dose: < 10 mg
Moderate Dose: 10-20 mg
Average (Common) Dose [Sensitive User]: 20-50 mg
Average (Common) Dose [Less Sensitive User]: 50-75 mg
High Dose: 75-100 mg
Strong/Heavy Dose: 100+ mg
Sublingual
Extracted Harmala Alkaloids (Lingahuasca)
- Note: Dosage is for mixed alkaloids. Harmine alone may require a little higher dosage. Hamaline alone may require a little lower dosage.
- Individual sensitivity may vary.
Low Dose: 1-5 mg
Moderate Dose: 5-15 mg
Average (Common) Dose: 15-30 mg
High Dose: 30-50 mg
Stong/Heavy Dose: 50+ mg
Extracted Freebase DMT (Lingahuasca)
- Individual sensitivity may vary.
Low Dose: 1-5 mg
Moderate Dose: 5-10mg
Average (Common) Dose [Sensitive User]: 10-25 mg
Average (Common) Dose [Less Sensitive User]: 25-35 mg
High Dose: 35-50 mg
Strong/Heavy Dose: 50+ mg
Smoked
Extracted Harmala Alkaloids
- Note: Harmala Alkaloids Do not vaporize effectively. Combustion is recommended.
- Note: Dosage is for mixed alkaloids. Harmine alone may require a little higher dosage. Hamaline alone may require a little lower dosage.
- Individual sensitivity may vary.
Low Dose: < 1 mg
Moderate Dose: 1-5 mg
Average (Common) Dose: 5-15 mg
High Dose: 15-25 mg
Strong/Heavy Dose: 25+ mg
Insnufflated
Extracted Harmala Alkaloids
- Note: Dosage is for mixed alkaloids. Harmine alone may require a little higher dosage. Hamaline alone may require a little lower dosage.
- Individual sensitivity may vary.
Low Dose: < 10 mg
Moderate Dose: 10-20 mg
Average (Common) Dose [Sensitive Users]: 20-35 mg
Average (Common) Dose [Less Sensitive Users]: 35-75 mg
High Dose: 75-100 mg
Strong/Heavy Dose: 100+ mg