DMT: The Spirit Molecule That Keeps Amazing Us
Research suggests that this powerful psychoactive chemical could be produced within our brains.
N, N-dimethyltryptamine (DMT) is one of the most powerful psychedelic compounds in the world. It’s the psychoactive ingredient in Ayahuasca, a brew mixture of the Banisteriopsis caapi vine and the leaves of the Psychotria Viridis bush, traditionally used by indigenous people for sacred religious ceremonies.
Scientific analysis of the B. caapi vine showed that it is rich in β-carbolines alkaloids (B-CA), which protect the DMT from degrading in the intestine and liver, while the P. Viridis leaves contain the psychoactive substance DMT.
DMT belongs to a class of serotonergic psychedelics like psilocybin and lysergic acid diethylamide (LSD), eliciting a wide spectrum of subjective effects on brain functions such as cognition and perception. These psychedelic compounds exert their effect by binding to serotonin (5-hydroxytryptamine, 5-HT) receptors in the brain and setting off powerful responses.
Unlike other psychedelics, DMT is produced endogenously — produced within the body — in animals and humans. Moreover, DMT has also a well-documented neural plasticity-promoting, anti-hypoxic, and antidepressant effect, even when using microdoses…
