Banisteriopsis caapi, also known as Ayahuasca, Caapi or Yage, is a South American jungle vine of the family Malpighiaceae. It is used to prepare Ayahuasca, a decoction  that has a long history of entheogenic  uses as a medicine and "plant teacher" among the indigenous peoples of the Amazon Rainforest. It contains harmine, harmaline, and tetrahydroharmine, all of which are both beta-carboline harmala alkaloids and MAOIs. The MAOIs in B. caapi allow the primary psychoactive compound, DMT (which is introduced from the other primary ingredient in Ayahausca, the Psychotria viridis plant), to be orally active. The stems contain 0.11-0.83% beta-carbolines, with harmine and tetrahydroharmine as the major components.

Ayahuasca basics

"Ayahuasca produces an experience that lasts for 3 to 4 hours. The first effect can be seen within 5 minutes.... Vomitting, dizziness and diarrhoea are among the first physical phenomenons that can occur. Some users may hear a humming in their ears, may perspire excessively or start trembling. After the first few effects the experience becomes mainly visual; people may see dreamlike visions, geometric figures, manifestatins of ghost-assistants, gods, demons and animals. People have also experienced effects effects like visions of their own death, flying through space, euphoria or, on the contrary, aggressive feelings or witnessing events that happen at a long distance. With a better control of the effects of this "plant of the Gods" visions and experiences can become more intense and more complex".

(Hans Bogers in De Psychedelische Revolutie)

Trip report

For centuries, Amazonian shamans have used ayahuasca as a window into the soul. The sacrament, they claim, can cure any illness. The author joins in this ancient ritual and finds the worlds within more terrifying—and enlightening—than ever imagined. See http://www.nationalgeographic.com/adventure/0603/features/peru.html.

Buy ayahuasca (Banisteriopsis caapi) in the shop

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