Effects of Long-Term Ayahuasca Administration on Memory and Anxiety in Rats

Favaro, Vanessa Manchim; Yonamine, Maurı́cio; Soares, Juliana Carlota Kramer; Oliveira, Maria Gabriela Menezes

doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0145840

Cited by 28 publications

(21 citation statements)

References 24 publications

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“…All animals received the treatment for 52 consecutive days, a period that corresponds to a complete spermatogenic cycle in rats (27), and that induce testicular changes (7, 11, 28). According to studies using rodents treated with other drugs, this period corresponds to a long term treatment in rats (29). It is important to emphasize that, clinically, patients with gastric and/or colon cancer may be treated with cimetidine for up to 2 years (30).…”

Section: Methodsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Vitamin B12 Prevents Cimetidine-Induced Androgenic Failure and Damage to Sperm Quality in Rats

et al. 2019

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Cimetidine, used as an anti-ulcer and adjuvant treatment in cancer therapy, causes disorders in the male reproductive tract, including steroidogenesis. However, its effect on sperm quality and male fertility has been poorly addressed. Since vitamin B 12 has demonstrated to recover spermatogonia number and sperm concentration in cimetidine-treated rats, we evaluated the impact of cimetidine on sperm quality and fertility potential and whether vitamin B 12 is able to prevent the harmful effect of this drug on steroidogenesis and sperm parameters. Adult male rats were treated for 52 consecutive days as follows: cimetidine group (100 mg/kg of cimetidine), cimetidine/vitamin B 12 group (100 mg/kg of cimetidine + 3 μg vitamin B 12 ), vitamin B 12 group (3 μg vitamin B 12 ) and control group (saline). Serum testosterone levels and immunofluorescence associated to western blot for detection of 17β-HSD6 were performed. Sperm morphology and motility, mitochondrial activity, acrosome integrity, DNA integrity by Comet assay, lipid peroxidation as well as fertility potential were analyzed in all groups. Apoptotic spermatids were also evaluated by caspase-3 immunohistochemistry. In the cimetidine-treated animals, reduced serum testosterone levels, weak 17β-HSD6 levels and impaired spermiogenesis were observed. Low sperm motility and mitochondrial activity were associated with high percentage of sperm tail abnormalities, and the percentage of spermatozoa with damaged acrosome and DNA fragmentation increased. MDA levels were normal in all groups, indicating that the cimetidine-induced changes are associated to androgenic failure. In conclusion, despite the fertility potential of rats was unaffected by the treatment, the sperm quality was significantly impaired. Therefore, considering a possible sperm-mediated transgenerational inheritance, the long term offspring health needs to be investigated. The administration of vitamin B 12 to male rats prevents the androgenic failure and counteracts the damage inflicted by cimetidine upon sperm quality, indicating that this vitamin may be used as a therapeutic agent to maintain the androgenic status and the sperm quality in patients exposed to androgen disrupters.

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Section: Methodsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Vitamin B12 Prevents Cimetidine-Induced Androgenic Failure and Damage to Sperm Quality in Rats

et al. 2019

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“…Ayahuasca daily administered during 30 days at a dose of 120 mg/kg to rats, increased the conditioned fear response and anxiety, which can interfere with the association of emotional events [99]. Lima [100] reported that ayahuasca (2.5 mg/kg) has antidepressant activity, with locomotor activity (44%) and reduced vertical exploration (62.12%) [100].…”

Section: Chemistrymentioning

confidence: 99%

Ayahuasca: Uses, Phytochemical and Biological Activities

Estrella-Parra

Almanza-Perez

Alarcón-Aguilar

2019

Nat. Prod. Bioprospect.

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Ayahuasca (caapi, yajé), is a psychoactive brew from the Amazon Basin region of South America traditionally considered a "master plant." It is prepared as a decoction from Banisteriopsis caapi and Psychotria viridis, which it is thought that it stimulates creative thinking and visual creativity. Native healers of the Orinoco and Amazon basins have used traditionally ayahuasca as a healing tool for multiple purposes, particularly to treat psychological disorders in the patients, with some beneficial effects experimentally and clinically validated. Recently, several syncretic religions, as the "União de Vegetal" (UDV) group in Brazil, have been spread around the world. The use of ayahuasca has been popularized by internet and smart-shops, bringing the psychoactive substance to new highs, emerging new "ayahuasqueros." Ayahuasca has alkaloids as β-carbolines and dimethyltryptamines, which inhibit the monoamine oxidase and active the 5-HT 2A (5-hydroxytryptamine) receptor, respectively, resulting in hallucinations in the users. Ayahuasca induces a psychedelic change in the anteroposterior coupling of the electrophysiological brain oscillations in humans. Traditional ayahuasca beverage is generating pharmacological, commercial and spiritual interest among the scientific community, government people, and different populations worldwide. The goal of this article is to report about the uses, chemistry and biological activities of ayahuasca.

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“…In that study, adult rats were treated chronically (daily oral gavage for 30 days) with a freeze-dried ayahuasca extract at doses of 120, 240, and 480 mg/kg. Treatment with ayahuasca changed the contextual association of emotional events, but there was no evidence of memory impairment in the MWM test (a spatial reference memory-dependent model) or of tone fear conditioning, although the dose of 120 mg/kg increased contextual conditioned fear ( 36 ). In the present study, although all of the experimental groups learned the task, adolescent rats spent less time in the platform quadrant during the probe trial, which suggested spatial reference memory impairment.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 94%

“…In relation to experimental studies, Favaro et al ( 36 ) showed that long-term ayahuasca administration did not change the anxiety parameters of adult rats in the EPM test. Our findings agree with this study since ayahuasca did not alter the open arms exploration, regardless of the experimental group.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Ayahuasca alters the serotonin levels in temporal lobe structures of rats ( 40 ). Surprisingly, only one study in rodents has investigated the effects of ayahuasca on learning and memory related to the temporal lobe ( 36 ). In that study, adult rats were treated chronically (daily oral gavage for 30 days) with a freeze-dried ayahuasca extract at doses of 120, 240, and 480 mg/kg.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

See 1 more Smart Citation

An ontogenic study of the behavioral effects of chronic intermittent exposure to ayahuasca in mice

Correa-Netto¹,

Masukawa²,

Nishide³

et al. 2017

Braz J Med Biol Res

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Ayahuasca is a beverage obtained from decoctions of the Banisteriopsis caapi plus Psychotria viridis. In religious contexts, ayahuasca is used by different age groups. However, little is known of the effects of ayahuasca during ontogenic development, particularly with regard to the functional characteristics of the central nervous system. Animal models are useful for studying the ontogenic effects of ayahuasca because they allow exclusion of the behavioral influence associated with the ritualistic use. We investigated the effects of exposure to ayahuasca (1.5 mL/kg, orally, twice a week) on memory and anxiety in C57BL/6 mice, with the post-natal day (PND) being used as the ontogenic criterion for classification: childhood (PND21 to PND35), adolescence (PND35 to PND63), adulthood (PND90-PND118), childhood-adolescence (PND21 to PND63), childhood-adulthood (PND21 to PND118) and adolescence-adulthood (PND35 to PND118). One day after the last ayahuasca exposure, the mice were subjected to the Morris water maze (MWM), open field and elevated plus maze tasks (EPM). Ayahuasca did not affect locomotion in the open field or open arms exploration in the EPM, but increased the risk assessment behavior in the childhood group. Ayahuasca did not cause any change in acquisition of spatial reference memory in the MWM task, but decreased the time spent on the platform quadrant during the test session in the adolescence group. These results suggest that, in mice, exposure to ayahuasca in childhood and adolescence promoted anxiety and memory impairment, respectively. However, these behavioral changes were not long-lasting since they were not observed in the childhood-adulthood and adolescence-adulthood groups.

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Effects of Long-Term Ayahuasca Administration on Memory and Anxiety in Rats

Cited by 28 publications

References 24 publications

Vitamin B12 Prevents Cimetidine-Induced Androgenic Failure and Damage to Sperm Quality in Rats

Vitamin B12 Prevents Cimetidine-Induced Androgenic Failure and Damage to Sperm Quality in Rats

Ayahuasca: Uses, Phytochemical and Biological Activities

An ontogenic study of the behavioral effects of chronic intermittent exposure to ayahuasca in mice

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