Hair analysis to document ayahuasca consumption by LC-MS/MS

Abstract

Ayahuasca is a hallucinogenic drink consumed during shamanic rituals for spiritual and curative purposes. In recent years, the use of this beverage was no longer restricted to the Amazon rainforest but has spread all over the world and notably in Europe. The internationalisation of Ayahuasca raises risks associated with its consumption during rituals performed by individuals lacking in knowledge of the psychotropic ingredients and who could abuse the situation of an emotional and a physical vulnerability. To document exposure to ayahuasca, hair analysis could be very helpful, with application in both clinical and historical contexts to evidence the consumption of this substance. This can also be done on archaeological specimens. In this study, the hair of a subject suspected of ayahuasca consumption were analysed using an original LC-MS/MS method. The three β-carbolines harmine (2.5–1,300 pg/mg), harmaline (30–89,700 pg/mg) and tetrahydroharmine (2.2–2.5 pg/mg) and the tryptamines 5-OH-DMT (2–62 pg/mg) and 5-MeO-DMT (< LOQ) tested positive. Dimethyltryptamine tested negative.

For the first time, values of all β-carbolines and 5-OH-DMT in hair are displayed in the literature. The absence of dimethyltryptamine in the hair proves that the analytical strategy to be used to evidence ayahuasca consumers should not be directed at the single research of DMT.

Since there is not a single ayahuasca recipe, it will be necessary to test not only DMT but also the other ayahuasca alkaloids such as β-carbolines (harmine, harmaline and THH) and other tryptamines (5-OH-DMT and 5-MeO-DMT) to fully document exposure.