Rapid antidepressant effects of the psychedelic ayahuasca in treatment-resistant depression: a randomized…
A 7-day endpoint says nothing about lasting benefit — has anyone shown effects that survive a month?
Well-supported by good-quality research. how we score evidence
Caveat on this rating: Single site, N=29, 7-day primary horizon, and ayahuasca's intense somatic effects (nausea, vomiting) make blinding doubtful despite the inert placebo.
DMT analogs only (intranasal 5-MeO-DMT, buccal DMT) are in phase 2; no FDA program exists for ayahuasca itself.
In 29 patients with treatment-resistant depression, a single ayahuasca dose produced significantly lower MADRS scores than placebo at day 7 (response 64% vs 27%; remission 36% vs 7%, the latter not statistically significant) — a rapid but short-horizon signal from one Brazilian site.
Worth asking
A 7-day endpoint says nothing about lasting benefit — has anyone shown effects that survive a month?
Source
Rapid antidepressant effects of the psychedelic ayahuasca in treatment-resistant depression: a randomized placebo-controlled trial — Palhano-Fontes F, et al. (2019)
Reputable peer-reviewed journal
Read the source: https://doi.org/10.1017/S0033291718001356
DOI: 10.1017/S0033291718001356
How this was scored
- Study design
- Randomised controlled trial
- Funding
- Independently funded
- Published in
- Reputable peer-reviewed journal
- Sample size
- 29
- Preregistered
- Yes
- Conflicts disclosed
- not recorded
- Independent of proponent
- not recorded
- Retracted
- No
Read the full scoring rubric, including what it can't tell you.
Published August 19, 2026.
Questions
How strong is the evidence behind this?
Resolv rates this source "strong evidence". Well-supported by good-quality research. It scores 73 out of 100 on our published rubric. One caveat travels with that badge: Single site, N=29, 7-day primary horizon, and ayahuasca's intense somatic effects (nausea, vomiting) make blinding doubtful despite the inert placebo. The score is calculated from recorded facts about the source — study design, funding, publication venue, sample size, preregistration — not typed in by an editor.
What is the source for this?
Rapid antidepressant effects of the psychedelic ayahuasca in treatment-resistant depression: a randomized placebo-controlled trial — Palhano-Fontes F, et al. (2019). Published in: Reputable peer-reviewed journal. DOI: 10.1017/S0033291718001356. The full source is linked on this page so you can read it yourself.
Who paid for this research, and does that matter?
Study design: Randomised controlled trial. Funding: Independently funded. Independence from the proponent is not recorded. Industry sponsorship is one of the most reliably measured biases in medicine, which is why funding carries real weight in the score rather than sitting in a footnote.
Is ayahuasca FDA approved for this use?
No. Its current status is: Phase 2 trials. DMT analogs only (intranasal 5-MeO-DMT, buccal DMT) are in phase 2; no FDA program exists for ayahuasca itself.
Is this medical advice?
This is information to bring to your prescriber, not medical advice and not a reason to change anything on your own. Nothing here is an instruction to stop or reduce a medication. If you are in crisis, call or text 988.
This is information to bring to your prescriber, not medical advice and not a reason to change anything on your own. Nothing here is an instruction to stop or reduce a medication. If you are in crisis, call or text 988.