Biodiversity of β-Carboline Profile of Banisteriopsis caapi and Ayahuasca, a Plant and a Brew with Neuropharmacological Potential

Ayahuasca is a psychoactive infusion with a large pharmacological application normally prepared with <i>Banisteriopsis caapi</i>, which contains the monoamine oxidase inhibitors β-carbolines, and <i>Psichotria virids</i>, which contains the serotonin receptor agonist N,N dimethyltryptamine (DMT). The objectives of this study were to investigate the chemical profile of <i>B. caapi</i> and of ayahuasca collected in various Brazilian regions. In total, 176 plant lianas, of which 159 <i>B.</i> <i>caapi</i> and 33 ayahuasca samples were analyzed. Dried liana samples were powdered, extracted with methanol, diluted, and analyzed by LC-MS/MS. Ayahuasca samples were diluted and analyzed. Mean concentrations in <i>B. caapi</i> were 4.79 mg/g harmine, 0.451 mg/g harmaline, and 2.18 mg/g tetrahydroharmine (THH), with a high variability among the samples (RSD from 78.9 to 170%). Native <i>B. caapi</i> samples showed significantly higher harmine concentrations than cultivated ones, and samples from the Federal District/Goiás had higher THH content than those collected in the State of Acre. The other Malpighiaceae samples did not contain β-carbolines, except for one <i>D. pubipetala</i> sample. Concentrations in ayahuasca samples ranged from 0.109 to 7.11 mg/mL harmine, 0.012 to 0.945 mg/mL harmaline, 0.09 to 3.05 mg/mL THH, and 0.10 to 3.12 mg/mL DMT. The analysis of paired ayahuasca/<i>B. caapi</i> confirmed that harmine is reduced to harmaline and to THH during the brew preparation. This is the largest study conducted with Malpighiaceae samples and showed a large variability in the main β-carbolines present in <i>B. caapi</i>. This biodiversity is a challenge for standardization of the material used in ethnopharmacological studies of <i>B.</i> <i>caapi</i> and ayahuasca.