Laboratory of Bioanalytics and Integrated Omics (LaBIOmics), Institute of Chemistry, University of Campinas (UNICAMP), P.O. Box 6154, Campinas, SP, 13083-970, Brazil.
Interdisciplinary Cooperation for Ayahuasca Research and Outreach (ICARO), School of Medical Sciences, University of Campinas (UNICAMP), Campinas, SP, Brazil.
Biol Trace Elem Res. 2021 Mar;199(3):1179-1184. doi: 10.1007/s12011-020-02226-4. Epub 2020 Jun 5.
The consumption of ayahuasca, a brew prepared from the decoction of two Amazon plants, has increased worldwide in the last decades. This fact raised questions about the safety in its oral administration. In this sense, information concerning the chemical composition of ayahuasca is essential to find a comprehensive reply. Therefore, the aim of this study consisted of determining the elemental composition of ready-to-consume ayahuasca samples produced in Brazil, in order to evaluate the safety in the oral administration of this beverage, considering recommended macroelement and microelement daily intake values and the permitted limits of potentially toxic heavy metals. Real ayahuasca samples, obtained from Brazilian religious groups, underwent microwave radiation-assisted acid decomposition, and Li, Al, Mn, Fe, Co, Cu, Zn, As, Cd, Hg, and Pb concentrations were determined by ICP-MS, while Ca, Mg, K, and P concentrations were determined by ICP OES. Method accuracy was assessed by analyte addition and recovery assays. Recoveries ranged from 80 and 118%, indicating satisfactory accuracy. Limit of detection (LOD) and limit of quantification (LOQ) values were lower than 1 mg L for the macroelements determined by ICP OES and lower than 3.5 μg L for the microelements determined by ICP-MS. The concentrations of the elements determined in the samples were lower than the recommended or tolerable limits; hence, it is possible to affirm that ayahuasca presents safe administration levels regarding total elemental content.
在过去几十年中，源自两种亚马逊植物的汤剂制成的饮料 ayahuasca 在全球范围内的消费有所增加。这一事实引发了关于其口服安全性的问题。在这方面，有关 ayahuasca 化学成分的信息对于找到全面的答案至关重要。因此，本研究的目的是确定在巴西生产的即食 ayahuasca 样品的元素组成，以评估这种饮料口服的安全性，同时考虑到推荐的宏量元素和微量元素每日摄入量值以及潜在有毒重金属的允许限量。从巴西宗教团体获得的真正的 ayahuasca 样品经过微波辐射辅助酸分解，通过 ICP-MS 测定 Li、Al、Mn、Fe、Co、Cu、Zn、As、Cd、Hg 和 Pb 的浓度，而 Ca、Mg、K 和 P 的浓度则通过 ICP-OES 测定。通过添加分析物和回收率测定评估方法的准确性。回收率范围在 80%至 118%之间，表明准确性令人满意。通过 ICP-OES 测定的常量元素的检出限（LOD）和定量限（LOQ）值低于 1 mg/L，通过 ICP-MS 测定的微量元素的检出限（LOD）和定量限（LOQ）值低于 3.5μg/L。样品中测定的元素浓度低于推荐或可耐受的限值；因此，可以肯定地说，ayahuasca 在总元素含量方面具有安全的管理水平。
