Can psychedelic plants treat mental health conditions? New study on ayahuasca assesses its impact on war veterans with PTSD
- A study at a specialist retreat frequented by stars like Zac Efron sees veterans consume ayahuasca-based brews and take part in shamanic rituals
- Researchers aim to determine if indigenous treatments could be viable options in modern medicine. But there are still stigmas attached to these practices
A new study in the heart of the Peruvian jungle is investigating the impact of ayahuasca retreats on military veterans, assessing the effect of the psychedelic plant medicine on brainwaves, the genome, gut microbiome and mental health.
At a specialist retreat frequented by Hollywood stars such as Zac Efron, the 50 veterans undergo ancient rituals in ceremonies where they drink a thick brown brew made from the ayahuasca vine and chacruna bush.
Hong Kong psychologist and musician Wai-fung Tsang, psychiatrist Dr Simon Ruffell and psychopharmacologist Nige Netzband are leading the research.
The study is a collaboration between the University of Melbourne, in Australia; the United States-based Heroic Hearts non-profit group, which supports military veterans; and the groups Onaya Science and the Ayahuasca Foundation, which do non-profit scientific research on Amazonian plant medicines.
