Mark Böhlke’s research while affiliated with University of Illinois Chicago and other places

EEG data were recorded under field conditions from 11 members of the Santo Daime Doctrine, a Brazilian shamanistic religion, before and after ingesting the psychoactive alkaloid preparation, ayahuasca, or daime, as they term it. Post-ingestion, we observed increases in power in the 36-44 Hz frequency band ("40 Hz") from the left occipital-temporal-parietal scalp electrodes in the eyes-closed condition, which extended to most of the posterior scalp in the eyes-open condition. The results are consistent with many reports that ayahuasca intensifies visual imagery. These results are discussed in terms of a thalamocortical model of the role of 40 Hz activity in brain function and conscious experience. We also noted tendencies toward decreases in the power of slow (theta and alpha) brain rhythms, and increases in the 14-30 Hz beta band, in accord with studies reported 30 years ago with other consciousness-altering compounds. Analysis of four ayahuasca samples yielded an average composition per ingested dose (75 ml) of 55.6 mg harmine, 43.9 mg tetrahydroharmine, 41.3 mg N,N-dimethyltryptamine (DMT), 4.6 mg harmaline, and 3.1 mg harmol. The DMT appeared to be of sufficient concentration to promote psychoactive effects, while the β-carbolines functioned to supply MAO inhibitors necessary to prevent degradation of DMT and to maintain its oral activity.

Analysis of the alkaloidal fraction of the stem bark extract of Pachygone dasycarpa (Menispermaceae) resulted in the isolation of 10 known bisbenzylisoquinolines, (+)-tetrandrine, (+)-penduline, (+)-fangchinoline, (+)-atherospermoline, (+)-N-methyl-7-O-demethylpeinamine, (+)-daphnoline, (4-)-isotrilobine (1), (+)-cocsuline (2), (+)-tricordatine (3), (+)-2'-norcocsuline, and the new alkaloid (+)-12-O-methyltricordatine (4). The last bisbenzylisoquinoline alkaloid isolated, (+)-angchibangkine (5), is the first member of this alkaloid class found to possess three diphenyl ether bridges in the 7-6',8-7', and 11-12' positions. Structure elucidation of these alkaloids and of (+)-O-methylangchibangkine (6) was achieved by analysis of spectral data. Compounds 4-6 show antiplasmodial activity against Plasmodium falciparum.

A MeOH extract of Nectandra salicifolia trunk bark, obtained during a diversity-based plant collection in a lower montane rainforest in Costa Rica, showed activity in an in vitro antiplasmodial assay measuring incorporation of [3H]-labeled hypoxanthie by Plasmodium falciparum. In addition to 15 known alkaloids isolated from samples of trunk bark, roots, and leaves/twigs of this species, a new bisbenzylisoquinoline alkaloid (+)-costaricine [(+)-12-O-methyllindoldhamine] (1) was isolated from bark (0.038% yield) and from roots (0.001%). (+)-Costaricine was active in the antiplasmodial assay, with IC50 values of 50 ng/mL vs. the chloroquine-sensitive D6 clone and 294 ng/mL vs. the chloroquine-resistant W2 clone of P. falciparum.