Ayahuasca drinking using a two-bottle choice procedure in male mice

Area of Science:

• Neuroscience
• Pharmacology
• Ethnobotany

Background:

• Ayahuasca, a psychoactive brew, is explored for substance use disorder treatment.
• Its hallucinogenic nature necessitates investigation into its abuse potential.

Purpose of the Study:

• To assess voluntary ayahuasca consumption and preference in male mice.
• To determine the influence of ayahuasca concentration and exposure frequency on intake patterns.

Main Methods:

• A two-bottle choice procedure was used, offering mice water and varying ayahuasca concentrations (0.01-0.1 mg/ml).
• Three exposure protocols (every other day, every 3 days, every 5 days) were tested during acquisition and re-exposure phases.

Main Results:

• Mice preferred ayahuasca over water with frequent (every other day) access, irrespective of concentration.
• Infrequent access (every 5 days), particularly at higher concentrations, led to ayahuasca aversion.
• A significant interaction between exposure frequency and concentration affected total intake.

Conclusions:

• Ayahuasca preference is significantly modulated by both the frequency of exposure and the concentration of the substance.
• These findings are crucial for guiding the safe and effective therapeutic or ritualistic use of ayahuasca.