Ayahuasca and cancer treatment

This review (2013) evaluates 9 case reports documenting the use of ayahuasca to treat various types of cancer. The author proposes a modal that explains these effects at the cellular, molecular, and psychosocial levels.

Abstract

“Objectives: Comprehensively review the evidence regarding the use of ayahuasca, an Amerindian medicine traditionally used to treat many different illnesses and diseases, to treat some types of cancer.

Methods: An in-depth review of the literature was conducted using PubMed, books, institutional magazines, conferences and online texts in nonprofessional sources regarding the biomedical knowledge about ayahuasca in general with a specific focus in its possible relations to the treatment of cancer.

Results: At least nine case reports regarding the use of ayahuasca in the treatment of prostate, brain, ovarian, uterine, stomach, breast, and colon cancers were found. Several of these were considered improvements, one case was considered worse, and one case was rated as difficult to evaluate. A theoretical model is presented which explains these effects at the cellular, molecular, and psychosocial levels. Particular attention is given to ayahuasca’s pharmacological effects through the activity of N,N-dimethyltryptamine at intracellular sigma-1 receptors. The effects of other components of ayahuasca, such as harmine, tetrahydroharmine, and harmaline, are also considered.

Conclusion: The proposed model, based on the molecular and cellular biology of ayahuasca’s known active components and the available clinical reports, suggests that these accounts may have consistent biological underpinnings. Further study of ayahuasca’s possible antitumor effects is important because cancer patients continue to seek out this traditional medicine. Consequently, based on the social and anthropological observations of the use of this brew, suggestions are provided for further research into the safety and efficacy of ayahuasca as a possible medicinal aid in the treatment of cancer.”

Author: Eduardo E. Schenberg

Summary

Introduction

Ayahuasca, a plant decoction made of Banisteriopsis caapi with Psychotria viridis or B. caapi with Diplopterys cabrerana, may be useful in the treatment of some types of cancer.

There are nine reports of cancer patients who consumed ayahuasca during their treatment. Three of these cases showed improvements as measured by the prostate-specific antigen (PSA) or the carcinoembryonic antigen (CEA) level, and the patients felt well and healthy.

Case descriptions

Nine published reports of cancer patients who consumed ayahuasca as part of their treatment are scarce, but the best reported case is by Donald Topping. Topping was diagnosed with colon cancer in 1988 and received a grim outlook for survival. However, a 4-month trial of a natural healing approach resulted in an unexpected negative biopsy, followed by a positive biopsy 2 weeks later. Topping had half of his liver removed but refused to start chemotherapy. He tried ayahuasca instead and reported that his cancer was in full remission one year after the original report.

Review of the evidence regarding ayahuasca.

Ayahuasca has been used to treat many different illnesses and diseases, including some types of cancer.

Results: Nine case reports regarding the use of ayahuasca in the treatment of cancer were found. A theoretical model is presented which explains these effects at the cellular, molecular, and psychosocial levels.

Ayahuasca’s active components have been modeled.

The available clinical reports suggest that ayahuasca may have consistent biological underpinnings, and further research is needed to determine the safety and efficacy of this traditional medicine.

A report from Aprile Blake, a medical anthropologist, claimed to have been cured of a brain tumor after many ayahuasca sessions with Shipibo healers in Peru. She tried several alternative paths, including traditional Chinese medicine, guidance from a Brazilian medium, and several ayahuasca ceremonies. Blake’s condition was terminal, so she decided to embrace ayahuasca healing in South America. She learned a lot about herself and her condition during the sessions, and is feeling much healthier than before.

Blake reported positive experiences with ayahuasca before it was outlawed in Britain, but no significant improvement in her condition was found.

Robert Forte accompanied two patients on their travels to Peru and to the sessions and clinical examinations of an Ashaninka curandero who uses ayahuasca for cancer treatment. The clinical examinations revealed significant improvements in PSA for the first patient and a CEA-125 drop from 4000 to 600 for the second patient.

In 2010, a peer-reviewed study was published investigating people who tried ayahuasca as a treatment for different illnesses, including cancer. The study found that all four cancer patients declared that ayahuasca had a positive impact and none criticized the rituals as negative or worthless.

Margareth De Wys went to the Amazon to heal from breast cancer with a Shuar healer. She avoided salt and oil and consumed only foods boiled in water, and her cancer was gone after 11 healing trips.

Main effects of active principles regarding cancer

Ayahuasca is made from two plants, B. caapi and P. viridis, which contain DMT and harmala alkaloids. Biomedical studies have shown that consuming ayahuasca is safe in a variety of settings.To explain the effects of ayahuasca on cancer

DMT is a simple molecule found throughout the plant and animal kingdoms, and it is thought to have physiological functions unclear. It binds to the sigma-1 receptor, which may explain why ayahuasca has effects on the body and mind.

The human sigma-1 receptor has been cloned and shows no homology with other mammalian proteins. Sigma-1 receptors are present in many organs and are most concentrated in the brain.

Sigma-1 receptors at the mitochondria-associated endoplasmic reticulum (MAM) membrane act as molecular chaperones, stabilizing inositol 1,4,5-triphosphate (IP3) receptors and increasing calcium flow from the ER to the mitochondria, activating the tricarboxylic acid (TCA) cycle and increasing the production of adenosine triphosphate (ATP). Sigma-1 receptors may translocate from the mAM to the plasma membrane region and inhibit many ion channels, including the N-methyl-d-aspartate (NMDA) receptor, the Kv1.4 channel, the NaV1.5 channel, the voltage-gated N-, L-, and P/Q-type Ca2+ channels, the acid-sensing ion channel, and the volume-regulated Cl channel.

DMT binds to sigma-1 receptors with moderate affinity and inhibits voltage-gated sodium channels at high concentrations. This may explain why DMT may have two types of effects through sigma-1 receptors: at low concentrations, it regulates calcium flow from the ER to the mitochondria, and at high concentrations, it exerts diverse effects at the plasma membrane region.

Ayahuasca’s pharmacological activity inhibits enteric monoamine oxidase, which allows the DMT to pass into circulation and have a synergistic effect on different types of cancer, depending on the predominant MAO subtype.

Harmine and harmaline inhibit tumor-specific neo-vessel formation, promote antitumor factors, and inhibit cell proliferation in several cancer cell lines. Harmine may also be beneficial in brain cancer treatment due to its role on the EAAT2 glial glutamate reuptake transporter.

Gliomas are caused by excessive glutamate release, and harmine binds to imidazoline I2 receptors, which are highly expressed in these tissues.

There are contradictory reports regarding the genotoxic and mutagenic effects of -carbolines in different experiments with cell cultures, including reports that harmine and harman may have antimutagenic and antigenotoxic activities related to their antioxidant properties.

Physiological effects of human consumption of ayahuasca

To explain the effects of ayahuasca on cancer, the concentrations of plant constituents, concentrations in different ayahuasca preparations, plasma levels and issues of bioavailability, clearance, and volume of distribution must be considered. The present results do not offer enough data to make any definite conclusions, but some important considerations can be made.

Ayahuasca’s concentration in the original brew was 0.24 mg/mL69 and 0.53 mg/mL69, and the detected plasma concentrations may be low. A tentative bioavailability of 10% – 15% was determined after ayahuasca consumption, and the differences between oral ayahuasca consumption and intravenous DMT originated from different experiments with a limited number of subjects. DMT can be metabolized to DMT-N-oxide both in vitro and in vivo, but the amount is low compared with the administered doses of DMT. Researchers suggest that DMT concentrations may reach higher values inside the cells than in the blood, through a three-step mechanism. DMT might have anti-tumor effects through regulation of the immune system, and the downregulation of the INMT gene in malignant prostate and lung cancers. A recent study showed that DMT inhibits an enzyme associated with malignant cells escaping immune surveillance, and thus may help increase immune functions against malignant cells.

DMT enters the brain rapidly (10 s) and is also detected primarily in the heart and liver. It is cleared from the blood and brain after 24 h, but is still present in the brain after 7 days.

Ayahuasca is hypothesized to act on cancer hallmarks such as angiogenesis, apoptosis, and cell metabolism. However, more studies should be performed to improve the safety and efficacy of ayahuasca for the treatment of cancer.

Psychological effects of the ritual use of ayahuasca

Ayahuasca has very powerful psychological effects, including the perception of colored and vivid images with eyes closed, the exacerbation of emotions, feelings of numinousness, peacefulness, insights, or distressing reactions, and the triggering of deep, transformative spiritual experiences.

Set and setting are important factors for any psychedelic experience or therapy, as demonstrated by the classic experiments using lysergic acid diethylamide (LSD) to treat alcoholism during the 1950s79.

Some alternative cancer treatment approaches consider other variables, such as set and setting, emotions, patient beliefs, cultural values, and spiritual experiences. This may be especially important regarding ayahuasca in the treatment of cancer, given that visual imagery is a common phenomenon during ayahuasca sessions.

The original model proposed by Simonton et al. focuses on specific psychological interventions to evaluate beliefs and attitudes and minimize distress, emotional pain, depression and anxiety, thus aiming to improve the quality of life. This holistic approach to treat cancer is also in agreement with the proposition that therapeutics with ayahuasca work in three domains. A holistic approach to cancer treatment that includes the ritualistic or religious use of ayahuasca may improve the patient’s quality of life.

Ayahuasca may have important effects in alleviating fear of death and dying, given the repressive culture western medicine has developed toward death. This alleviated fear becomes a very important aspect of cancer treatment.

To further test the hypothesis that ayahuasca may have important effects in helping to treat cancer, more case reports with detailed clinical data should be gathered. Additionally, experiments with ayahuasca’s active principles both individually and in combination with cell and tissue cultures are important.

To improve the treatment available for and the quality of life of cancer patients, scientists must overcome common misconceptions about shamanism and engage with healers in a clear dialogue to foster communication and develop common research projects. Ayahuasca use for healing purposes is not allowed in most countries. However, if scientifically proven to have healing potentials, outlawing ayahuasca or its medical use could be perceived as an infringement on human rights.

The available evidence suggests that ayahuasca’s active principles, especially DMT and harmine, may have positive effects in cancer treatment, both in vitro and in vivo.