Pharmahuasca: Human Pharmacology of Oral DMT Plus Harmine

Abstract

A summary is presented of human self-experiments or psychonautic bioassays of pharmahuasca—capsules containing crystalline N,N-dimethyltryptamine (DMT) plus harmine, as well as combinations of other psychoactive tryptamines with other β-carbolines. The 1967 Holmstedt–Lindgren hypothesis of the ayahuasca effect—oral psychoactivity of DMT consequent to monoamine-oxidase (MAO) inhibition from simultaneous ingestion of β-carbolines—has been confirmed by eight self-experimenters. Results of a total of some 70 bioassays are summarized and the literature on this subject is reviewed (with 66 references and one table).

Keywords:

• ayahuasca
• β-carbolines
• N,N-dimethyltryptamine
• harmine
• 5-methoxy-N,N-dimethyltryptamine
• monoamine-oxidase-inhibitors (MAOI)