Ayahuasca

Psychoactive plants are defined as plants containing chemical substances that act on certain neuronal receptors. Consumed by mankind for millennia these plants modify perception emotions and cognitive processes.In the Amazon native populations have been using hallucinogenic plants for centuries not only in their spiritual practices but also as remedies for various mental ailments.Ayahuasca stands out as a traditional Amazonian drink with psychoactive properties. It is often associated with abrupt substantial and lasting transformations in behavior and perception. It is made from Banisteriopsis caapi bark which contains beta-carboline alkaloids and Psychotria viridis leaves which supply the hallucinogen N N-dimethyltryptamine.More recently the use of Ayahuasca has spread to Europe and North America not only for religious or therapeutic reasons but also for recreational purposes.