WHAT'S IN A NAME?

 

Ayahuasca

First of all. What is Ayahuasca?

The word Ayahuasca is Quechua, the language of the Inca Empire.

Loosely translated it means "vine of the soul" or "vine of the dead".

Traditionally, the word ayahuasca can refer to a number of different things: the Banisteriopsis caapi liana, an MAO-inhibiting plant, or the brew made with this liana and a DMT-containing plant.

This brew consists of several parts and the source responsible for the psychedelic effects is the DMT-containing plant. Now you may be wondering why something is being added.

Well, our body is very good at breaking down DMT.

So good, in fact, that if we consume these DMT-containing plants, we would notice little to no effects.

And that's where Banisteriopsis Caapi comes in.

This liana contains so-called MAO inhibitors that ensure that the active substances are broken down less quickly by the body.

The result: a psychedelic journey of a few hours full of visual, mental and healing effects.

In general, ayahuasca means the combination of both the MAO inhibitor Banisteriopsis Caapi and a DMT-containing plant.

Traditionally, these are the leaves of Psychotria viridis (chacruna) or Diplopterys cabrerana (chagropanga or chaliponga). The brew is used for a variety of reasons and is considered one of the most psychedelic around.

However, as more and more plants containing DMT are found and more and more sources of MAO inhibitors are discovered all over the world, this results in many experiments with different substances and sources.

 

Anahuasca

And that's where Anahuasca comes into the picture. Especially in Europe, many experiments are now performed with different combinations of DMT sources and MAO inhibitors to make Ayahuasca.

But since the age-old recipe uses the Banisteriopsis Caapi liana and not many of these new concoctions, you shouldn't actually speak of ayahuasca even though it is generally done.

The same goes for using replacement DMT sources, but the original DMT leaves and plants are less often considered "must-have" for an original ayahuasca brew.

But what is it then?

In both cases it concerns an ayahuasca analog, or Anahuasca for short.

The most popular replacement for Banisteriopsis Caapi in anahuasca that we see today is Peganum harmala, also known as Syrian wine glass or harmal.

This plant is widely used because it is generally cheaper and easier to prepare than B. Caapi.

In addition to chacruna or chagropanga, a popular source of DMT is Jurema Preta's root bark, also known as Mimosa hostilis.

Another variant that is increasingly used is the bark of the Hawaiian Acacia Confusa.

In short: do you have a brew of Banisteriopsis caapi and chacruna or chagropanga or other admixture? Then you have real ayahuasca in front of you.

Will the Ayahuasca vine (Banisteropsis Caapi be replaced by another product?

Then you speak of an ayahuasca analog or anahuasca.

While the ayahuasca and anahuasca brews are chemically similar, there are some differences.

For example, the duration and intensity of the trip varies with the different combinations, but users also report other experiences in the field of visual hallucinations and mental functioning.

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