Ayahuasca

Buy ayahuasca herbs at Dutch-Smart

Since 2011, Dutch-Smart has been selling individual plant ingredients that are traditionally associated with ayahuasca. Our range includes MAO-inhibiting plants such as Banisteriopsis caapi (in several varieties: yellow, red, leaf, resin extracts and alkaloid extracts) and Peganum harmala (Syrian rue), as well as DMT-containing plants such as Chacruna (Psychotria viridis), Chaliponga (Diplopterys cabrerana), Mimosa hostilis (Jurema Preta) and Acacia confusa. We also offer additional products such as Bobinsana leaves, Virola theiodora and traditional Shipibo ceremonial items from Peru.

All these herbs are intended exclusively as ethnobotanical specimens and are not offered for human consumption. Dutch-Smart is HACCP certified and a member of the VLOS, so you can be sure all botanical products are stored and handled correctly.

What is ayahuasca?

Ayahuasca is a psychoactive brew that originates with the indigenous peoples of the Amazon region in South America. The word 'ayahuasca' comes from Quechua and means something like 'vine of the soul'. The brew is traditionally prepared by combining the Banisteriopsis caapi vine with leaves of plants that contain DMT (N,N-dimethyltryptamine), such as Psychotria viridis (chacruna) or Diplopterys cabrerana (chaliponga). The exact composition varies by region and by shaman.

Archaeological finds, including ceremonial pottery and a bag of shamanic items found in a cave in Bolivia, suggest that the use of ayahuasca and similar psychoactive plant mixtures is at least a thousand years old. In the traditional context, the brew is used during ceremonies led by a shaman or curandero, with the aim of spiritual healing, contact with the spirit world and personal insight.

How does ayahuasca work? The role of DMT and MAO inhibitors

The effect of ayahuasca relies on the interplay between two types of active substances. The first group consists of tryptamines, in particular DMT. DMT occurs naturally in various plants and even in the human body, but when taken orally it is broken down immediately by the enzyme monoamine oxidase (MAO) in your stomach and liver. Without extra help, oral DMT therefore has no noticeable effect.

This is where the second group of active substances comes in: the MAO inhibitors. The Banisteriopsis caapi vine contains the alkaloids harmine, harmaline and tetrahydroharmine. These substances temporarily block the MAO enzyme, so DMT is not broken down and can reach the brain through the bloodstream. There it binds to serotonin receptors, in particular the 5-HT2A receptor, which produces the characteristic psychoactive effects.

This combination of a DMT source and an MAO inhibitor is essential. It is also possible to use plants other than the traditional ingredients, as long as they contain the same active substances. For example, Peganum harmala (Syrian rue) can serve as the MAO inhibitor and Mimosa hostilis as the DMT source. Such variations are also called 'ayahuasca analogues'.

Overview of commonly used ayahuasca plants

Cultural and historical background

For the indigenous peoples of the Amazon, including the Shipibo-Konibo, ayahuasca is much more than a plant mixture. It is a central part of their spiritual and medicinal tradition. Ceremonies are led by a shaman who sings so-called icaros (healing songs) to guide the participants. The shaman prepares the brew personally, often in a process lasting several days in which the plants are boiled and reduced.

Traditionally, in many communities only the shaman drank the brew, not the patient. The shaman used the visionary state to determine the cause of an illness or problem. Over time this practice changed, and in many contemporary ceremonies all participants drink.

From the 1990s onwards, ayahuasca began to become known outside South America, partly through the Brazilian Santo Daime church, which brought ayahuasca ceremonies to the Netherlands in 1994. Since then, interest in ayahuasca has grown strongly worldwide, from both a spiritual and a scientific point of view.

Legal status in the Netherlands

The legal situation around ayahuasca in the Netherlands is nuanced. DMT is on List I of the Dutch Opium Act and is therefore classified as a hard drug. Preparing and serving ayahuasca (the ready-made brew) is prohibited. In 2018 the Dutch Supreme Court confirmed that ayahuasca falls under the Opium Act ban.

The individual plant ingredients, such as Banisteriopsis caapi, Peganum harmala and various DMT-containing plants, are not specifically prohibited as botanical material. They may be sold for ethnobotanical, educational and research purposes. Dutch-Smart sells these herbs exclusively as ethnobotanical specimens and does not offer them for human consumption.

Banisteriopsis caapi: the basis of the brew

Banisteriopsis caapi is a tropical vine that grows in the rainforests of the Amazon. The plant can grow dozens of metres long and winds itself around trees in search of sunlight. The dried bark of the vine contains the highest concentration of active alkaloids: harmine, harmaline and tetrahydroharmine.

There are several varieties of caapi, often referred to by colour names. The yellow variety (caapi amarillo) is known as calming, while the red variety (caapi rojo/trueno) is considered stronger. At Dutch-Smart we offer both varieties as shredded material, as well as resin extracts (12:1 and 15:1 concentrations), a 20% alkaloid extract and loose leaf. Research suggests that caapi can also have noticeable effects without being combined with DMT plants, including possible mood-lifting effects, which researchers attribute to harmine's action on the serotonergic system.

Safety and MAO inhibitors

MAO inhibitors are powerful substances that can have serious interactions with certain foods and medicines. The MAO enzyme normally breaks down tyramine, a substance found in aged cheese, fermented products, smoked meat and certain legumes, among other things. When MAO is blocked, tyramine can build up and cause dangerously high blood pressure.

There are also serious risks when combining MAO inhibitors with SSRIs, SNRIs, tricyclic antidepressants, tramadol, dextromethorphan (in cough syrups) and various other medicines. So-called serotonin syndrome, a potentially life-threatening condition caused by an excess of serotonin, is a real danger with such combinations. If you take medication, always discuss this with a doctor before coming into contact with MAO-inhibiting substances.

Frequently asked questions about ayahuasca

What is the difference between ayahuasca and an ayahuasca analogue?

Traditional ayahuasca is prepared specifically with Banisteriopsis caapi in combination with Psychotria viridis or Diplopterys cabrerana. An ayahuasca analogue (also called 'anahuasca') uses other plants that contain the same active substances, for example Peganum harmala as the MAO inhibitor and Mimosa hostilis as the DMT source. The active substances are comparable, but the exact composition and ratio of alkaloids differ.

Is Banisteriopsis caapi legal in the Netherlands?

Banisteriopsis caapi contains no DMT and is not on the list of prohibited substances. The plant may be sold and owned as botanical material. The MAO-inhibiting alkaloids harmine and harmaline are not prohibited in themselves under the Dutch Opium Act. Preparing a drinkable ayahuasca brew (with DMT-containing plants added) is prohibited.

Why do you sell these herbs as 'not for consumption'?

Dutch-Smart sells all ayahuasca-related herbs as ethnobotanical specimens. This means they are intended for educational, botanical and collecting purposes. It is not our aim to offer these herbs for human use. DMT-containing preparations fall under the Dutch Opium Act and preparing them is a criminal offence.

What is the difference between caapi resin and shredded caapi?

Shredded Banisteriopsis caapi consists of finely cut pieces of the vine. A caapi resin is a concentrated extract, in which a large amount of raw material is reduced to a smaller amount. A 12:1 resin means that 12 kilograms of raw material has been processed into 1 kilogram of extract, so the concentration of alkaloids is considerably higher than in the unprocessed material.

Why buy ayahuasca herbs at Dutch-Smart?

Dutch-Smart is an established Dutch smartshop that has been active since 2011. We are HACCP certified, supervised by the NVWA (the Netherlands Food and Consumer Product Safety Authority) and a member of the VLOS (the Dutch association of legal online smartshops). Our products are stored carefully and shipped discreetly packaged via PostNL. If you have questions about our range, you can always contact us through our contact form or by email at support@dutch-smart.nl.