The ayahuasca psychedelic plant or yagé works against severe depression, according to a study



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The ayahuasca, a Quechua native word, is the name of a drink used in the Amazon region of Brazil, Colombia, Ecuador and Peru, for therapeutic purposes and spiritual. This drink, also known as yagé, could give hope to millions of people suffering from drug-resistant depression.

A study conducted by scientists at The Conversation and whose findings have recently been published in the journal Medicina Psicológica suggests that depression – a disease that affects 300 million people worldwide, according to the World Health Organization. health, can be treated with ayahuasca.

For the study in question, the researchers went to the Federal University of Rio Grande do Norte in Brazil, and they brought together 218 patients suffering from depression. Of these, 29 were suffering from treatment-resistant depression, but had no psychotic history such as schizophrenia, since the use of yagé may worsen this situation, according to The Conversation .

The Ayahuasca is a mixture of two Amazonian plants producing psychedelic effects It is commonly used by some Brazilian religions since 1930 and has been legalized in this country only in 1987 to religious purposes ", after the federal drug agency had concluded that" members of the religious group "had had" remarkable "benefits.

Patients in the study were given to try both ayahuasca and a placebo drink, a brown, sour and bitter drink, with yeast, citric acid and artificial caramel coloring, and for patients the Known side effects of taking yagé – such as vomiting and nausea – the researchers used zinc sulfate, says The Conversation.

The study found that one day after treatment, there were significant improvements in 50% of These patients have reduced their anxiety and their mood has improved. A week later, patients who ate ayahuasca still felt low levels of depression.

"Only 27% of patients in the placebo group had these effects," says The Conversation. "In clinical trials on depression, more than 45% of patients who took a placebo can make significant gains."

Study participants responded to an badessment scale Hallucinogen. The results of this evaluation show that those who consumed ayahuasca gave a significantly higher score than those who consumed a placebo, according to The Conversation

"Those who described visual, sound and physical effects Abundant during their trip with ayahuasca The consumption of ayahuasca or yagé produces dreamy visions, vomiting and an "intense introspection," says the publication, and those who have tried that In fact, "Leon ", a Brazilian who is part of nearly 30% of patients suffering from treatment-resistant depression, writes about feelings of inner peace, with God and with the universe.

an anonymous blog about subject, was one of the patients who was part of the study and said to have experienced "a feeling of ecstasy" and a deep feeling of manifesting an internal spirituality. "

Although the 39; study shows that this drink has Mazonian could be helpful in treating the most severe depression, the experimentation of this plant can be a physical and emotional challenge for those who use the Yajé as a treatment, says The Conversation: "Regular users of the ayahuasca who are still suffering from depression have also been observed. "

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