CBD Did Not Alter Ayahuasca's Effects on Social Cognition or Safety in a Small Pilot Trial
In a pilot RCT of 17 healthy volunteers, 600mg oral CBD given before ayahuasca did not change its effects on facial emotion recognition, empathy, or subjective experience, and the combination was well tolerated with mainly gastrointestinal side effects.
Quick Facts
What This Study Found
No evidence of interactive effects between ayahuasca and CBD on emotion recognition or empathy tasks. Both groups showed similar reductions in reaction times and similar decreases in anxiety, sedation, and discomfort. The combination was well tolerated with mainly nausea and GI discomfort. No clinically significant cardiovascular or liver enzyme effects.
Key Numbers
N=17 healthy volunteers. CBD dose: 600mg oral. Ayahuasca: 1 ml/kg. Assessed at 4 timepoints over 7 days. No between-group differences on any primary or secondary outcome.
How They Did This
Pilot parallel-arm RCT. 17 healthy volunteers received placebo or 600mg oral CBD followed by ayahuasca (1 ml/kg) 90 minutes later. Assessed at baseline, 6.5 hours, 1 day, and 7 days post-intervention.
Why This Research Matters
CBD is known to modulate the effects of THC, and this study tested whether it could similarly moderate ayahuasca, another psychoactive substance. The null finding is useful because it suggests CBD does not interfere with ayahuasca's potential therapeutic effects.
The Bigger Picture
Both ayahuasca and CBD are being investigated for anxiety disorders. The safety of their combination, shown here in a small sample, is relevant as patients may use both. The lack of interaction also suggests their mechanisms of action are sufficiently distinct.
What This Study Doesn't Tell Us
Very small sample (N=17). Pilot feasibility study not powered to detect subtle effects. Healthy volunteers only. Single dose of each substance. 1-week follow-up may be too short to detect longer-term interactions.
Questions This Raises
- ?Would higher CBD doses or repeated dosing interact with ayahuasca differently?
- ?Could the CBD-ayahuasca combination be tested in clinical anxiety populations?
Trust & Context
- Key Stat:
- CBD (600mg) did not alter ayahuasca effects on emotion recognition or empathy
- Evidence Grade:
- Very small pilot RCT in healthy volunteers. Primarily establishes safety and feasibility for future studies.
- Study Age:
- Published in 2023.
- Original Title:
- Interactive Effects of Ayahuasca and Cannabidiol in Social Cognition in Healthy Volunteers: A Pilot, Proof-of-Concept, Feasibility, Randomized-Controlled Trial.
- Published In:
- Journal of clinical psychopharmacology, 43(4), 339-349 (2023)
- Authors:
- Rossi, Giordano Novak(2), Rocha, Juliana Mendes(2), Osório, Flávia L(2), Bouso, José Carlos, Ona, Genis, Silveira, Gabriela de Oliveira, Yonamine, Mauricio, Bertozi, Giuliana, Crevelin, Eduardo José, Queiroz, Maria Eugênia, Crippa, José Alexandre S, Hallak, Jaime E Cecílio, Dos Santos, Rafael G
- Database ID:
- RTHC-04900
Evidence Hierarchy
Participants are randomly assigned to treatment or placebo groups to test cause and effect.
What do these levels mean? →Frequently Asked Questions
Does CBD interact with ayahuasca?
In this small pilot trial, 600mg of CBD given before ayahuasca did not change its effects on social cognition, subjective experience, or safety.
Is combining CBD and ayahuasca safe?
In 17 healthy volunteers, the combination was well tolerated with mainly nausea and gastrointestinal discomfort, and no clinically significant cardiovascular or liver effects.
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Cite This Study
https://rethinkthc.com/research/RTHC-04900APA
Rossi, Giordano Novak; Rocha, Juliana Mendes; Osório, Flávia L; Bouso, José Carlos; Ona, Genis; Silveira, Gabriela de Oliveira; Yonamine, Mauricio; Bertozi, Giuliana; Crevelin, Eduardo José; Queiroz, Maria Eugênia; Crippa, José Alexandre S; Hallak, Jaime E Cecílio; Dos Santos, Rafael G. (2023). Interactive Effects of Ayahuasca and Cannabidiol in Social Cognition in Healthy Volunteers: A Pilot, Proof-of-Concept, Feasibility, Randomized-Controlled Trial.. Journal of clinical psychopharmacology, 43(4), 339-349. https://doi.org/10.1097/JCP.0000000000001691
MLA
Rossi, Giordano Novak, et al. "Interactive Effects of Ayahuasca and Cannabidiol in Social Cognition in Healthy Volunteers: A Pilot, Proof-of-Concept, Feasibility, Randomized-Controlled Trial.." Journal of clinical psychopharmacology, 2023. https://doi.org/10.1097/JCP.0000000000001691
RethinkTHC
RethinkTHC Research Database. "Interactive Effects of Ayahuasca and Cannabidiol in Social C..." RTHC-04900. Retrieved from https://rethinkthc.com/research/rossi-2023-interactive-effects-of-ayahuasca
Access the Original Study
Study data sourced from PubMed, a service of the U.S. National Library of Medicine, National Institutes of Health.
This study breakdown was produced by the RethinkTHC research team. We analyze and report published research findings without making health recommendations. All interpretations are based solely on the published abstract and study data.