Ayahuasca is a psychoactive brew traditionally used for spiritual and medicinal purposes by indigenous cultures in the Amazon basin. It's made by boiling the Banisteriopsis caapi vine with plants containing dimethyltryptamine (DMT), often the Psychotria viridis shrub. The name "ayahuasca" comes from the Quechua languages and means "spirit rope" or "vine of the soul". While shamans or curanderos traditionally prepare it, its use has spread beyond South America.
Ayahuasca's key feature is its hallucinogenic properties, producing intense psychological and spiritual experiences. The effects, which start within 20 to 60 minutes of consumption and last 2 to 6 hours, can include euphoria, visual and auditory hallucinations, altered perceptions, and sometimes fear or paranoia. Vomiting and diarrhea are common and considered a part of the cleansing experience. The brew's psychoactive effects come from DMT, made orally active by harmala alkaloids in the B. caapi vine, which act as monoamine oxidase inhibitors (MAOIs). The plants containing DMT are not internationally controlled, but DMT itself is. Ayahuasca is illegal in many countries, though some allow exemptions for religious use. The price of ayahuasca varies, particularly at retreat centers in countries where it is legal. These retreats are not regulated in some countries and can be dangerous.