Many conventional pharmaceutical medicines originate from substances found in rainforest plants, or their synthesized variants. Ethnopharmacologists have long been aware that there is vast support for the medicinal value of ayahuasca in its use against a number of diseases, but until recently this has been limited to individual claims. Even if a great number of very in-depth and credible personal stories have been available, serious studies have been missing.
This, however, has come to change the last few years. Natural substances extracted from the ayahuasca plants have been found to possess unique and strongly antioxidative properties on specific nerve cells in the brain – in areas controlling memory, muscle control and motor activity. This gives probable cause to the theory that ayahuasca could be an effective treatment against neurodegenerative diseases such as Alzheimer’s, Parkinsons, and Lou Gehrig’s disease (ALS). Promising results as of date has also been obtained from studying the substance psilocybin, very closely related to the substances found in ayahuasca, naturally occuring in certain species of medicinal mushrooms consumed by the indigenous people where ayahuasca is also used.
According to Dr. Juan Ramos, head of the neurological disease department at the South Florida university, USA, initial studies show that these substances stimulate the development of new cells in the areas of the brain controlling above mentioned functions. If this could mean a cure through complete restoration of damaged cells remains to be seen, but initial results are promising. Cancer researchers have also shown interest in B. Caapi, as its different alkaloids has shown to be effective against the growth of cancer cells.
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