Prehistoric psychotropic consumption in Andean Chilean mummies

Hallucinogenic plants are often regarded as the main source of psychoactive drugs in antiquity to reach deep altered states of consciousness^1,2^. Many researchers believe this was particularly true during the Tiwanaku empire expansion, circa (500-1000 A.D.), along the Atacama Desert of Chile. Highly decorated snuffing tablets and tubes are often found as grave goods during this period^3,4,5,6,7,8^. Until now the type of drugs consumed in this paraphernalia has been unclear. From the modern city of Arica, naturally mummified human bodies with abundant hair provided a unique opportunity to test for hallucinogenic plants consumed in Andean prehistory. Analysis by gas chromatography and mass spectrometry demonstrated the presence of harmine. The Banisteriopsis vine, commonly called Ayahuasca, was the probable source. This is the first confirmed evidence of psychoactive plant consumption in pre-Hispanic Andean populations along the Atacama coastal region. Of the 32 mummy hair samples analyzed 3 males tested positive for harmine. This alkaloid aids in the catalysis and synergic effects of powerful hallucinogenic drugs. The consumption of harmine was likely related to medicinal practices and not exclusively ingested by shamans. Another important aspect of this evidence is that Banisteriopsis is an Amazon plant. It does not grow in the Atacama coastal region. Thus, our findings reveal extensive plant trade networks in antiquity between the coast, desert, highlands, and Amazon basin. The excellent preservation of human organic specimens, the use of gas chromatography and mass spectrometry allowed us to map and demonstrate the consumption of psychoactive compound plants in Andean prehistory. In addition, our findings open the door for future studies to debate the consumption and social role of ancient psychoactive and hallucinogenic plants

First results on qualitative characteristics and biological activity of nematocyst extracts from Chrysaora plocamia (Cnidaria, Scyphozoa)

We performed qualitative and quantitative characterizations of the biological activity of nematocyst extracts from 30 specimens of Chrysaora plocamia collected off Huayquique, Iquique, Chile. After extracting the nematocysts from the jellyfish tentacles, we characterized them with UV and IR sweeps and determined their biological activity through antioxidant and hemolytic analyses. The preliminary results suggest that the extracted molecular could be amino acids originating in proteins, with antiradicalary activity of around 65% as compared with an antioxidant of commercial origins and very low hemolytic activity.<br>Se caracteriza cualitativa y cuantitativamente la actividad biológica de extractos de nematocistos de 30 ejemplares de Chrysaora plocamia colectados frente a la localidad de Huayquique, Iquique, Chile. Se obtuvo un extracto de nematocistos de los brazos de las medusas y se caracterizó mediante un barrido en el rango ultravioleta e infra-rojo y luego se determinó su actividad biológica mediante análisis antioxidante y hemolítico. Los resultados obtenidos sugieren que las moléculas del extracto podrían ser aminoácidos procedentes de proteínas, con actividad antiradicalaria, de alrededor de 65% en comparación con un antioxidante de origen comercial, y una actividad hemolítica bastante baja